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In Situ Analysis of Interactions between Fibroblast and Tumor Cells for Drug Assays with Microfluidic Non-Contact Co-Culture

Authors :
Hongmei Chen
Wenting Liu
Bin Wang
Zhifeng Zhang
Source :
Micromachines, Vol 9, Iss 12, p 665 (2018)
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2018.

Abstract

Fibroblasts have significant involvement in cancer progression and are an important therapeutic target for cancer. Here, we present a microfluidic non-contact co-culture device to analyze interactions between tumor cells and fibroblasts. Further, we investigate myofibroblast behaviors induced by lung tumor cells as responses to gallic acid and baicalein. Human lung fibroblast (HLF) and lung cancer cell line (A549) cells were introduced into neighboring, separated regions by well-controlled laminar flows. The phenotypic behavior and secretion activity of the tumor cells indicate that fibroblasts could become activated through paracrine signaling to create a supportive microenvironment for cancer cells when HLF is co-cultured with A549. Furthermore, both gallic acid (GA) and baicalein (BAE) could inhibit the activation of fibroblasts. In situ analysis of various cell communications via the paracrine pathway could be realizable in this contactless co-culture single device. This device facilitates a better understanding of interactions between heterotypic cells, thus exploring the mechanism of cancer, and performs anti-invasion drug assays in a relatively complex microenvironment.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2072666X
Volume :
9
Issue :
12
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Micromachines
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.7ef5d317e93b4a50b85b7702583ff807
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9120665