Abstract 4212: Mimicking HCC complex biology and diverse treatment response in a patient-derived microfluidic model
Authors: Mocellin Orsola , Robinson Abbie , Olczyk Aleksandra , Treillard Stephane , Olivier Thomas , Ng Chee P. , Heijmans Jeroen , Stok Arthur , van Tienderen Gilles , Verstegen Monique , Trietsch Sebastian J. , Lanz Henriëtte L. , Vulto Paul , Joore Jos , Queiroz Karla 
Published: March 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and is closely associated with progressive stages of liver diseases. Its transformation, survival, progression and metastasis have been associated with regulation mechanisms orchestrated by the tumor stroma. Patient differences in tumor composition and cellular signaling are reflected in the diversity of therapy response. Hence, comprehensive in vitro models that capture patient-specific tumor and stromal components are necessary to elucidate and evaluate anticancer therapy. Patient-derived dissociated HCC cells from eight different patients were combined with tumor-derived fibroblasts and endothelial cells within a microfluidic setup comprising 64 parallel chips in a microtiter plate format. Cultures were challenged with an individual or combinatorial treatment from a panel of tool compounds for 72 hours in an automated setup. We used immunofluorescence and high content confocal imaging to assess the structural and biological interaction between cancer cells and the associated stroma. Viability assessment, artificial intelligence-based vascular morphology characterization and multiplexed chemokine/cytokine release measurements were used to elucidate patient and drug-dependent effects of single or combinatorial treatments. Cellular interaction within the microfluidic platform led to a vascularized tumor construct, with hepatocellular carcinoma aggregates being enveloped and traversed by a lumenized and interconnected vascular plexus, in association with tumor-derived fibroblasts. Compound treatment led to profound differences across the tested parameters, indicating different anticancer effects in conjunction with the biological diversity of the patient material. Finally, morphological assessment revealed distinct compound-induced effects on the tumor’s vascular organization. We present a vascularized patient-derived HCC model that includes relevant cellular players of the tumor microenvironment found in vivo. These co-cultures are highly suitable for studying specific cell types as well as patient-specific responses. We envision that this system has the potential to provide a platform for understanding the interplay between different cell types present in hepatocellular carcinomas, with sufficient scalability ease of use for industrial and clinical implementation.

Citation Format: Orsola Mocellin, Abbie Robinson, Aleksandra Olczyk, Stephane Treillard, Thomas Olivier, Chee P. Ng, Jeroen Heijmans, Arthur Stok, Gilles van Tienderen, Monique Verstegen, Sebastian J. Trietsch, Henriëtte L. Lanz, Paul Vulto, Jos Joore, Karla Queiroz. Mimicking HCC complex biology and diverse treatment response in a patient-derived microfluidic model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4212.