Abstract 4564: Liquid-phase-based cell culture platform that enables polymer surface stimuli-induced generation of patient-specific glioma stem cell-like tumor spheroids

Despite the rapidly growing interest on cancer stem cells (CSCs) from cancer biologists, oncologists and the clinic because of their crucial role in recurrence and metastasis due to resistance in solid cancers, including GBM, there is still a lack of robust, effective in vivo-like 3D CSC models from cancer cells or patient-derived tumor tissues. In this sense, we developed a novel functional polymer thin film (Poly-X-PTF) via a streamlined liquid-phase synthesis, a more facile and advanced version than previous lab-made vapor-deposited poly(2,4,6,8-tetravinyl-2,4,6,8-tetramethyl cyclotetrasiloxane) called pV4D4-PTF. Emerging from a previous success with pV4D4, the new platform, Poly-X, could also simply stimulate surface stimuli-guided, rapid transformation of differentiated cancer cells to a number of ECM-enriched, similar-sized 3D CSC-like tumor spheroids from both commercialized cancer cell lines and patient-derived primary GBM cells. Varied GBM patient-derived cancer spheroids demonstrated a variety of phenotypes and transcriptomic profiles known about glioma stem cells (GSCs) in common. Notably, respective sensitivities of different patient-based 3D GSC spheroids to irradiation with or without temozolomide were retrospectively associated with the individual therapeutic outcome and overall survival, as a result of clinically relevant concurrent chemoradiation treatment (CCRT) regimens proposed in a fast Poly-X-spheroids-based 3D viability assay format. Ultimately, this versatile platform may serve to study fundamental CSC biology. Furthermore, it may translate into a powerful preclinical ex vivo tool in glioma medical settings both to aid in on-site prospective prediction of the patient-specific prognosis via CCRT viability responses within around 10 days and assess a patient-tailored, promising drug candidate or combination treatment. Citation Format: Junhyuk Song, Yoonjung Choi, Yumi Lee, Hyo E. Moon, Changjin Seo, Hyung W. Park, Dohyeon Kim, Chang W. Song, Daeyoup Lee, Sun H. Paek, Sangyong Jon. Liquid-phase-based cell culture platform that enables polymer surface stimuli-induced generation of patient-specific glioma stem cell-like tumor spheroids. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 4564.