Abstract 52: PDX-derived 3D InSightTM tumor microtissues as ex-vivo human experimental models for evaluating therapeutic responses
Authors: Chiovaro Francesca , Agarkova Irina , Buschmann Nicole , Pichon Chloe' , Langova Teresa , Maier Armin , Schueler Julia , Guye Patrick 
Published: August 2019

Background The selection of appropriate preclinical models comes always with the major question on how accurately and robustly they can represent the complexity of human disease. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models faithfully preserve the biological features and the genetic expression profile of human tumor specimens. However, one limiting aspect of patient-derived models is the replacement of the human host microenvironment by murine stroma within the tumor. Lack of cross-species compatibility compromises the induction of a broad range of signaling pathways that cannot be entirely recapitulated. With our in vitro 3D InSightTMTumor Microtissues derived from PDX lines, we provide a relevant physiological environment and a strategy to assess candidate drugs for novel therapeutic approaches.

Aim Development of in vitro 3D InSightTM Tumor Microtissues from PDX lines aimed to retain the cellular heterogeneity found in the original human tumor tissue.

Material & Methods and Results PDX cell suspensions of lung, breast and melanoma origin were successfully used to assess 3D aggregation in 96-well format and characterized over 10 days in culture. After careful removal of mouse cell contaminants in each PDX sample, 3D PDX cell cultures were supplied with exogenous normal human dermal fibroblasts (nHDF). Furthermore, to provide a more physiological cancer niche, PDX cells were also co-cultured with tumor-matched cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). 3D in vitro tumors were analyzed histologically and cancer phenotypic alterations were evaluated through the analysis of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers. The morphology, viability and growth rate of PDX-derived microtumors were assessed by size analysis (cell scanner) and ATP assay. To assess the distribution of various cell populations within the tumor, 3D PDX samples were screened for standard stromal vs. epithelial-tumor cells markers (e.g. FAP, pan-CK, E-Cadherin), and diagnostic cancer type-specific biomarkers. 3D PDX samples were also employed to investigate the efficacy of specific targeted therapies based on distinct molecular signatures of PDX tumor models. Immunohistochemistry assessment of 3D microtumors validated the resemblance with their respective PDX tumor models. 3D tumor growth rate and cell behavior observations reflected the diversity of disease progression in vivo.

Conclusion Further efforts will focus on employing this platform to establish more complex co-cultures with integration of additional relevant stromal and immune cells, to enable a reliable preclinical translational research of tumor/immune cell interactions. We suggest that in vitro 3D PDX models offer a more suitable and robust approach to expedite faithful efficacy assessment of immunomodulators and approval of optimal drug candidates.

Citation Format: Francesca Chiovaro, Irina Agarkova, Nicole Buschmann, Chloe' Pichon, Teresa Langova, Armin Maier, Julia Schueler, Patrick Guye. PDX-derived 3D InSightTM tumor microtissues as ex-vivo human experimental models for evaluating therapeutic responses [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 52.