scholarly journals Using Organotypic Tissue Slices to Investigate the Microenvironment of Pancreatic Cancer: Pharmacotyping and Beyond

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 4991
Author(s):  
Jonathan Robert Weitz ◽  
Herve Tiriac ◽  
Tatiana Hurtado de Mendoza ◽  
Alexis Wascher ◽  
Andrew M. Lowy
Keyword(s):  
Immune Cells ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Integral Functional ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Pancreatic Tissue ◽  
Model System ◽  
Slice Culture ◽  
Tissue Slices ◽  
Organotypic Tissue

Organotypic tissue slices prepared from patient tumors are a semi-intact ex vivo preparation that recapitulates many aspects of the tumor microenvironment (TME). While connections to the vasculature and nervous system are severed, the integral functional elements of the tumor remain intact for many days during the slice culture. During this window of time, the slice platforms offer a suite of molecular, biomechanical and functional tools to investigate PDAC biology. In this review, we first briefly discuss the development of pancreatic tissue slices as a model system. Next, we touch upon using slices as an orthogonal approach to study the TME as compared to other established 3D models, such as organoids. Distinct from most other models, the pancreatic slices contain autologous immune and other stromal cells. Taking advantage of the existing immune cells within the slices, we will discuss the breakthrough studies which investigate the immune compartment in the pancreas slices. These studies will provide an important framework for future investigations seeking to exploit or reprogram the TME for cancer therapy.

scholarly journals An organotypic slice model for ex vivo study of neural, immune, and microbial interactions of mouse intestine

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (4) ◽  
pp. G240-G248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke A. Schwerdtfeger ◽  
Elizabeth P. Ryan ◽  
Stuart A. Tobet
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Tissue Slices ◽  
Functional Investigation ◽  
Cells Of Cajal ◽  
Organotypic Tissue ◽  
Ex Vivo Study

Organotypic tissue slices provide seminatural, three-dimensional microenvironments for use in ex vivo study of specific organs and have advanced investigative capabilities compared with isolated cell cultures. Several characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract have made in vitro models for studying the intestine challenging, such as maintaining the intricate structure of microvilli, the intrinsic enteric nervous system, Peyer's patches, the microbiome, and the active contraction of gut muscles. In the present study, an organotypic intestinal slice model was developed that allows for functional investigation across regions of the intestine. Intestinal tissue slices were maintained ex vivo for several days in a physiologically relevant environment that preserved normal enterocyte structure, intact and proliferating crypt cells, submucosal organization, and muscle wall composure. Cell death was measured by a membrane-impermeable DNA binding indicator, ethidium homodimer, and less than 5% of cells were labeled in all regions of the villi and crypt epithelia at 24 h ex vivo. This tissue slice model demonstrated intact myenteric and submucosal neuronal plexuses and functional interstitial cells of Cajal to the extent that nonstimulated, segmental contractions occurred for up to 48 h ex vivo. To detect changes in physiological responses, slices were also assessed for segmental contractions in the presence and absence of antibiotic treatment, which resulted in slices with lesser or greater amounts of commensal bacteria, respectively. Segmental contractions were significantly greater in slices without antibiotics and increased native microbiota. This model renders mechanisms of neuroimmune-microbiome interactions in a complex gut environment available to direct observation and controlled perturbation.

scholarly journals Nivolumab Reduces PD1 Expression and Alters Density and Proliferation of Tumor Infiltrating Immune Cells in a Tissue Slice Culture Model of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4511
Author(s):  
Philipp J. Stenzel ◽  
Nina Hörner ◽  
Sebastian Foersch ◽  
Daniel-Christoph Wagner ◽  
Igor Tsaur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renal Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Renal Cell ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Tissue Slice ◽  
Slice Culture ◽  
Culture Model

Background: In the treatment of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), nivolumab is an established component of the first-line therapy with a favorable impact on progression free survival and overall survival. However, treatment-related adverse effects occur and, to date, there is no approved predictive biomarker for patient stratification. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish an ex vivo tissue slice culture model of ccRCC and to elucidate the impact of nivolumab on tumor infiltrating immune cells. Methods: Fresh tumor tissue of ccRCC was treated with the immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab using ex vivo tissue slice culture (TSC). After cultivation, tissue slices were formalin-fixed, immunohistochemically stained and analyzed via digital image analysis. Results: The TSC model was shown to be suitable for ex vivo pharmacological experiments on intratumoral immune cells in ccRCC. PD1 expression on tumor infiltrating immune cells was dose-dependently reduced after nivolumab treatment (p < 0.01), whereas density and proliferation of tumor infiltrating T-cells and cytotoxic T-cells were inter-individually altered with a remarkable variability. Tumor cell proliferation was not affected by nivolumab. Conclusions: This study could demonstrate nivolumab-dependent effects on PD1 expression and tumor infiltrating T-cells in TSC of ccRCC. This is in line with results from other scientific studies about changes in immune cell proliferation in peripheral blood in response to nivolumab. Thus, TSC of ccRCC could be a further step to personalized medicine in terms of testing the response of individual patients to nivolumab.

scholarly journals Ex vivo tissue slice culture system to measure drug-response rates of hepatic metastatic colorectal cancer

BMC Cancer ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Z. Martin ◽  
Daniel C. Wagner ◽  
Nina Hörner ◽  
David Horst ◽  
Hauke Lang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Colorectal Carcinoma ◽  
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Drug Response ◽  
Tumor Tissue ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Tissue Slice ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Slice Culture ◽  
Tissue Slices

Abstract Background The lack of predictive biomarkers or test systems contributes to high failure rates of systemic therapy in metastasized colorectal carcinoma, accounting for a still unfavorable prognosis. Here, we present an ex vivo functional assay to measure drug-response based on a tissue slice culture approach. Methods Tumor tissue slices of hepatic metastases of nine patients suffering from colorectal carcinoma were cultivated for 72 h and treated with different concentrations of the clinically relevant drugs Oxaliplatin, Cetuximab and Pembrolizumab. Easy to use, objective and automated analysis routines based on the Halo platform were developed to measure changes in proliferative activity and the morphometric make-up of the tumor. Apoptotic indices were assessed semiquantitatively. Results Untreated tumor tissue slices showed high morphological comparability with the original “in vivo”-tumor, preserving proliferation and stromal-tumor interactions. All but one patients showed a dosage dependent susceptibility to treatment with Oxaliplatin, whereas only two patients showed responses to Cetuximab and Pembrolizumab, respectively. Furthermore, we identified possible non-responders to Cetuximab therapy in absence of RAS-mutations. Conclusions This is the first time to demonstrate feasibility of the tissue slice culture approach for metastatic tissue of colorectal carcinoma. An automated readout of proliferation and tumor-morphometry allows for quantification of drug susceptibility. This strongly indicates a potential value of this technique as a patient-specific test-system of targeted therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer. Co-clinical trials are needed to customize for clinical application and to define adequate read-out cut-off values.

Adoptive Cell Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers

2020 ◽  
Vol 04 (04) ◽  
pp. 345-350
Author(s):  
Ryan J. Slovak ◽  
Hyun S. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Cell Therapy ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Solid Tumors ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Adoptive Cell Therapy ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Gastrointestinal Cancers ◽  
Gastrointestinal Malignancies ◽  
Specific Antigens

AbstractThe reinfusion of autologous or allogeneic immune cells that have been educated and/or engineered ex vivo to respond to tumor-specific antigens is termed “adoptive cell therapy.” While adoptive cell therapy has made tremendous strides in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, its utilization for solid tumors has lagged somewhat behind. The purpose of this article is to concisely review the clinical research that has been done to investigate adoptive cell therapy as a treatment for gastrointestinal malignancies.

A Review of Evaluating Hematopoietic Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord Blood's Expansion and Homing

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-262
Author(s):  
Maryam Islami ◽  
Fatemeh Soleimanifar
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽  
Umbilical Cord ◽  
Stromal Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Hematologic Malignancies ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Efficient Procedure ◽  
Hematopoietic Recovery

Transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been taken into account as a therapeutic approach in patients with hematologic malignancies. Unfortunately, there are limitations concerning HSC transplantation (HSCT), including (a) low contents of UCB-HSCs in a single unit of UCB and (b) defects in UCB-HSC homing to their niche. Therefore, delays are observed in hematopoietic and immunologic recovery and homing. Among numerous strategies proposed, ex vivo expansion of UCB-HSCs to enhance UCB-HSC dose without any differentiation into mature cells is known as an efficient procedure that is able to alter clinical treatments through adjusting transplantation-related results and making them available. Accordingly, culture type, cytokine combinations, O2 level, co-culture with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), as well as gene manipulation of UCB-HSCs can have effects on their expansion and growth. Besides, defects in homing can be resolved by exposing UCB-HSCs to compounds aimed at improving homing. Fucosylation of HSCs before expansion, CXCR4-SDF-1 axis partnership and homing gene involvement are among strategies that all depend on efficiency, reasonable costs, and confirmation of clinical trials. In general, the present study reviewed factors improving the expansion and homing of UCB-HSCs aimed at advancing hematopoietic recovery and expansion in clinical applications and future directions.

scholarly journals A human antibody selective for transthyretin amyloid removes cardiac amyloid through phagocytic immune cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aubin Michalon ◽  
Andreas Hagenbuch ◽  
Christian Huy ◽  
Evita Varela ◽  
Benoit Combaluzier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Hereditary Disease ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Human Antibody ◽  
Cardiac Amyloid ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Ongoing Phase

AbstractTransthyretin amyloid (ATTR) cardiomyopathy is a debilitating disease leading to heart failure and death. It is characterized by the deposition of extracellular ATTR fibrils in the myocardium. Reducing myocardial ATTR load is a therapeutic goal anticipated to translate into restored cardiac function and improved patient survival. For this purpose, we developed the selective anti-ATTR antibody NI301A, a recombinant human monoclonal immunoglobulin G1. NI301A was cloned following comprehensive analyses of memory B cell repertoires derived from healthy elderly subjects. NI301A binds selectively with high affinity to the disease-associated ATTR aggregates of either wild-type or variant ATTR related to sporadic or hereditary disease, respectively. It does not bind physiological transthyretin. NI301A removes ATTR deposits ex vivo from patient-derived myocardium by macrophages, as well as in vivo from mice grafted with patient-derived ATTR fibrils in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The biological activity of ATTR removal involves antibody-mediated activation of phagocytic immune cells including macrophages. These data support the evaluation of safety and tolerability of NI301A in an ongoing phase 1 clinical trial in patients with ATTR cardiomyopathy.

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