Name: isolation and characterization of patient-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma organoid models
Uploaded: 2020-01-14T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Isolation and Characterization of Patient-derived Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Organoid Models at JoVE.com

We are grateful for the support of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center Biorepository and Tissue Technology Shared Resource, members of the Lowy laboratory, and the UC San Diego Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology. AML is generously supported by NIH CA155620, a SU2C CRUK Lustgarten Foundation Pancreatic Cancer Dream Team Award (SU2C-AACR-DT-20-16), and donors to the Fund to Cure Pancreatic Cancer.

All human tissue collection for research use was reviewed and approved by our Internal Review Board (IRB). All of the following protocols are performed under aseptic conditions in a mammalian tissue culture laboratory environment.
1. Media Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Conditioned media preparation. 
	NOTE: The human pancreatic organoid media requires abundant growth factors and nutrients as well as conditioned media supplementation to provide sufficient growth stimulation for organoid expansio...

<ol>
	<li>Siegel, R. L., Miller, K. D., Jemal, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cancer+statistics,+2018.">Cancer statistics, 2018.</a> CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 68 (1), 7-30 (2018).</li><li>Khorana, A. A., Mangu, P. B., Katz, M. H. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Potentially+Curable+Pancreatic+Cancer:+American+Society+of+Clinical+Oncology+Clinical+Practice+Guideline+Update+Summary.">Potentially Curable Pancreatic Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update Summary.</a> Journal of Oncology Practice. 13 (6), 388-391 (2017).</li><li>Winter, J. 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D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Increased+survival+in+pancreatic+cancer+with+nab-paclitaxel+plus+gemcitabine.">Increased survival in pancreatic cancer with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine.</a> New England Journal of Medicine. 369 (18), 1691-1703 (2013).</li><li>Conroy, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=FOLFIRINOX+versus+gemcitabine+for+metastatic+pancreatic+cancer.">FOLFIRINOX versus gemcitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer.</a> New England Journal of Medicine. 364 (19), 1817-1825 (2011).</li><li>Baker, L. A., Tiriac, H., Clevers, H., Tuveson, D. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Modeling+pancreatic+cancer+with+organoids.">Modeling pancreatic cancer with organoids.</a> Trends in Cancer. 2 (4), 176-190 (2016).</li><li>Sato, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Single+Lgr5+stem+cells+build+crypt-villus+structures+in+vitro+without+a+mesenchymal+niche.">Single Lgr5 stem cells build crypt-villus structures in vitro without a mesenchymal niche.</a> Nature. 459 (7244), 262-265 (2009).</li><li>Boj, S. F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organoid+models+of+human+and+mouse+ductal+pancreatic+cancer.">Organoid models of human and mouse ductal pancreatic cancer.</a> Cell. 160 (1-2), 324-338 (2015).</li><li>Tiriac, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organoid+Profiling+Identifies+Common+Responders+to+Chemotherapy+in+Pancreatic+Cancer.">Organoid Profiling Identifies Common Responders to Chemotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer.</a> Cancer Discovery. 8 (9), 1112-1129 (2018).</li><li>Tiriac, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Successful+creation+of+pancreatic+cancer+organoids+by+means+of+EUS-guided+fine-needle+biopsy+sampling+for+personalized+cancer+treatment.">Successful creation of pancreatic cancer organoids by means of EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy sampling for personalized cancer treatment.</a> Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. , (2018).</li><li>Seino, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+Pancreatic+Tumor+Organoids+Reveal+Loss+of+Stem+Cell+Niche+Factor+Dependence+during+Disease+Progression.">Human Pancreatic Tumor Organoids Reveal Loss of Stem Cell Niche Factor Dependence during Disease Progression.</a> Cell Stem Cell. 22 (3), 454-467 (2018).</li><li>Huang, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ductal+pancreatic+cancer+modeling+and+drug+screening+using+human+pluripotent+stem+cell-+and+patient-derived+tumor+organoids.">Ductal pancreatic cancer modeling and drug screening using human pluripotent stem cell- and patient-derived tumor organoids.</a> Nature Medicine. 21 (11), 1364-1371 (2015).</li><li>Walsh, A. J., Castellanos, J. A., Nagathihalli, N. S., Merchant, N. B., Skala, M. 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T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organoid+Modeling+of+the+Tumor+Immune+Microenvironment.">Organoid Modeling of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment.</a> Cell. 175 (7), 1972-1988 (2018).</li><li>Kopper, O., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+organoid+platform+for+ovarian+cancer+captures+intra-+and+interpatient+heterogeneity.">An organoid platform for ovarian cancer captures intra- and interpatient heterogeneity.</a> Nature Medicine. 25 (5), 838-849 (2019).</li></ol>

Here, we present current protocols for isolating, expanding and characterizing patient-derived PDAC organoids. Our current success rate of establishing organoid culture is over 70%; therefore, these methods have not yet been perfected and are expected to improve and evolve over time. Important consideration should be given to sample size, as PDAC has a low neoplastic cellularity. Consequently, small specimens will contain few tumor cells, and will only generate a handful of organoids. Additionally, many patients receive ...

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease characterized by late diagnosis in most patients, a lack of effective therapies, and a resultant low 5-year overall survival rate that remains less than 10%1. Only 20% of patients are diagnosed with a localized disease suitable for curative surgical intervention2,3. The remaining patients are typically treated with a combination of chemotherapeutic agents that are effective in a minority of patients4,5. To address these pressing clinical needs, researchers are actively working on early detection strategies and the development of more effective therapies. To accelerate clinical translation of important discoveries, scientists are employing genetically engineered mouse models, patient derived xenografts, monolayer cells lines, and, most recently, organoid models6.
Three-dimensional epithelial organoid culture using growth factor and Wnt-ligand rich conditions to stimulate proliferation of untransformed progenitor cells were first described for the mouse intestine7 and were quickly adapted to normal human pancreatic tissue8. In addition to normal ductal tissue, organoid methodology allows for the isolation, expansion, and study of human PDAC8. Importantly, the method supports the establishment of organoids from surgical specimens, as well as fine and core needle biopsies, allowing researchers to study all stages of the disease9,10. Interestingly, patient-derived organoids recapitulate well-described tumor transcriptomic subtypes and may enable development of precision medicine platforms9,11.
Current organoid protocols for PDAC enable the successful expansion of more than 70% of patient samples from chemo-na&iuml;ve patients9. Here we present the standard methods employed by our laboratory to isolate, expand, and characterize patient-derived PDAC organoids. Other PDAC organoid methodologies have been described12,13 but no comparison of these method has been thoroughly performed. As this technology is relatively new and advancing quickly, we expect that these protocols will continue to evolve and improve; however the principles of tissue handling and organoid culture will continue to be useful.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>12 channel pipette (p20, p100, or p200) with tips</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12 well plates</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td>25-106</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 ml LoBind conical tubes</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>EP0030122208</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 ml tube Rotator and/or nutator</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>37 &#176;C CO2 incubator</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>37 &#176;C water bath</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>384 well plates</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>4588</td>
			<td>Ultra low attachment, black and optically clear</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>A 83-01</td>
			<td>TOCRIS</td>
			<td>2939</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ADV DMEM</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>12634010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Animal-Free Recombinant Human EGF</td>
			<td>Peprotech</td>
			<td>AF-100-15</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Automated cell counter</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>B27 supplement</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>17504044</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell Recovery Solution</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>354253</td>
			<td>Reagent that depolymerizes the Basement Membrane Extract at 4 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CellTiterGlow</td>
			<td>Promega</td>
			<td>G7570</td>
			<td>Luminescence cell viability reagent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chloroform</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>C2432</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Computer</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CryoStor CS10</td>
			<td>StemCELL Tech</td>
			<td>07930</td>
			<td>Cell Freezing Solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cultrex R-spondin1 (Rspo1) Cells</td>
			<td>Trevigen</td>
			<td>3710-001-K</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMEM</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>30-2002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DNase I</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D5025</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Drug printer</td>
			<td>Tecan</td>
			<td>D300e</td>
			<td>This is the drug printer we use in our laboratory</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Excel</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>For data analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Extra Fine Graefe Forceps</td>
			<td>Fine Science Tools</td>
			<td>11150-10</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>FBS</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>16000044</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>G-418</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>10131035</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gastrin I (human)</td>
			<td>TOCRIS</td>
			<td>3006</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gentle Collagenase/hyaluronidase</td>
			<td>STEMCELL Tech</td>
			<td>7919</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GlutaMAX</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>35050061</td>
			<td>Glutamine solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GraphPad Prism</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>For data analysis</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>15140122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laminar flow tissue culture hood</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Luminometer</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-Wnt-3A expressing cells</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>CRL-2647</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MACS Tissue Storage Solution</td>
			<td>Miltenyi biotec</td>
			<td>130-100-008</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Matrigel Matrix</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>356230</td>
			<td>Basement Membrane Extract (BME), growth factor reduced</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mr. Frosty Freezing Container</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>5100-0001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-Acetylcysteine</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>A9165</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nicotinamide</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>N0636</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p1000 pipette with tips</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>p200 pipette with tips</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>10010049</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin/Streptomycin</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>15630080</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>primocin</td>
			<td>InvivoGen</td>
			<td>ant-pm-2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rapid-Flow Filter Units (0.2 &#181;m)</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>121-0020</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant Human FGF-10</td>
			<td>Peprotech</td>
			<td>100-26</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recombinant Murine Noggin</td>
			<td>Peprotech</td>
			<td>250-38</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile Disposable Scalpels, #10 Blade</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89176-380</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue culture centrifuge</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tissue Culture Dishes 10 cm</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td>25-202</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TRIZol</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>15596018</td>
			<td>Acid Phenol solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TrypLE Express</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>12605010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Y-27632</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>Y0503</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Zeocin</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher</td>
			<td>R25001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

isolation and characterization of patient-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma organoid models

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is amongst the most lethal malignancies. Recently, next-generation organoid culture methods enabling the 3-dimensional (3D) modeling of this disease have been described. Patient-derived organoid (PDO) models can be isolated from both surgical specimens as well as small biopsies and form rapidly in culture. Importantly, organoid models preserve the pathogenic genetic alterations detected in the patient&#39;s tumor and are predictive of the patient&#39;s treatment response, thus enabling translational studies. Here, we provide comprehensive protocols for adapting tissue culture workflow to study 3D, matrix embedded, organoid models. We detail methods and considerations for isolating and propagating primary PDAC organoids. Furthermore, we describe how bespoke organoid media is prepared and quality controlled in the laboratory. Finally, we describe assays for downstream characterization of the organoid models such as isolation of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), and drug testing. Importantly we provide critical considerations for implementing organoid methodology in a research laboratory.

To illustrate the challenges associated with isolating organoids from PDAC, we show the establishment of a patient derived organoid culture from a small hypocellular tumor sample. After initial plating, only a few organoids were visible per well, as shown in Figure 1. Organoids were allowed to grow larger over the span of 2 week and were passaged according to our protocol to establish a more robust culture, as shown in the early and late passage 1 representative pictures (<strong class="xfig...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Isolation and Characterization of Patient-derived Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Organoid Models at JoVE.com

Isolation and Characterization of Patient-derived Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Organoid Models

Patient-derived organoid cultures of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma are a rapidly established 3-dimensional model that represent epithelial tumor cell compartments with high fidelity, enabling translational research into this lethal malignancy. Here, we provide detailed methods to establish and propagate organoids as well as to perform relevant biological assays using these models.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is amongst the most lethal malignancies. Recently, next-generation organoid culture methods enabling the ...

This method is significant because patient-derived organoid models are a powerful and rapid tool to study pancreatic cancer as they reflect the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of this disease. The main advantage of this technique is that organoids can be isolated with a high success rate from a limited amount of cancer and they can be expanded rapidly in vitro for downstream analysis. Studying organoids'response to cytotoxic drugs may help us understand why tumors become resistant to therapy and to define more effective treatment strategies.To begin this procedure, retrieve the prepared 12-well plate from the incubator. With a sterile cell lifter, gently lift the basement membrane extract dome such that it is floating in the complete media while making sure to avoid scraping the bottom of the well. Using a P1000 pipette, carefully transfer the BME dome and the media to a 15 milliliter conical tube.Repeat this step for every organoid-containing well. Gently wash each well that was harvested with one milliliter of cold basal media and transfer this wash to the tube containing the organoids. Thoroughly mix the solution and organoids with a P1000 pipette and spin down at 200 times g for five minutes.A layer of BME containing organoids in suspension and an organoid pellet will appear at the bottom of the tube. Carefully remove the supernatant making sure to avoid any loss of the BME and organoid layer. Place the tube on ice.Add 10 milliliters of ice cold cell recovery solution to the tube and thoroughly mix by inversion. Incubate on ice for 30 minutes while mixing every three minutes by inversion. After this, centrifuge at 200 times g for five minutes.The organoid pellet should be apparent while the BME layer should be gone. If the BME layer is decreased in size but still visible, incubate for an additional 30 minutes at four degrees Celsius and repeat the centrifugation. Once the BME has been depolymerized, remove the cell recovery solution while leaving behind the organoid pellet.Wash the organoids with 10 milliliters of basal media by mixing with inversion. Centrifuge at 200 times g for five minutes, remove the supernatant, and place the tube with the organoid pellet on ice for at least five minutes. Optionally, if a single cell preparation is desired, add three milliliters of trypsin supplemented with 30 microliters of DNAse I solution to the organoids.Incubate this enzymatic reaction at 37 degrees Celsius with gentle inversion mixing every two minutes for up to 10 minutes. Use a Brightfield microscope to monitor and confirm that the single cell dissociation is successful. To stop the enzymatic reaction, add 10 milliliters of ice cold basal media and spin down at 200 times g for five minutes.Then remove the supernatant. Wash the cells with 10 milliliters of basal media by mixing with gentle inversion. Centrifuge again at 200 times g for five minutes.Remove the supernatant and repeat this wash and centrifuging process once more. Place the tube with the cell pellet on ice for at least five minutes. After this, add ice cold BME to the cell pellet and use a P200 pipette to mix the solution gently until it is homogenous.Then place the tip of the pipette close to the bottom of the tube and pipette up and down at least five to 10 times to mechanically break up the organoids. Use a P200 pipette to spot a 100 microliter dome in the center of a well of a pre-warmed 12-well plate. Repeat until all of the BME solution is dispensed.Then carefully transfer the plate to an incubator at 37 degrees Celsius to allow the BME gel to solidify. After 10 minutes, retrieve the plate and add one milliliter of pre-warmed organoid complete media to each well. Organoid cultures are typically passaged over seven to 10 days depending on the culture density and proliferation.If necessary, top-up the cultures with 200 microliters of pre-warmed organoid complete media every five days to compensate for growth factor depletion and evaporation. After isolating single cells from organoids, resuspend the single cells in one milliliter of human organoid complete media. Next, use an automated cell counter to count the cells making sure to record the cell viability.Calculate the total number of cells and viable cells present in the one milliliter suspension. Then remove the volume equivalent to 400, 000 cells and transfer it to a new tube. Add organoid complete media to this tube to bring the volume up to 7.2 milliliters.For therapeutic testing, prepare cells for plating by mixing 800 microliters of BME with 7.2 milliliters of organoid complete media containing the cells on ice. Transfer the mixture to a reservoir kept on ice and use a 12-channel pipette to plate 20 microliters of this mixture into each well of a 384-well plate resulting in approximately 1, 000 cells being plated per well. Then spin down the plate at 100 times g for one minute in a swing bucket and place the plate into a tissue culture incubator at 37 degrees Celsius.After 24 hours, use a Brightfield microscope to check for the presence of organoids. In this study, patient-derived PDAC organoid are isolated, expanded and characterized. To illustrate the challenges associated with isolating organoids from PDAC, a representative patient-derived organoid culture is established from a small hypocellular tumor sample.Organoids are allowed to grow larger over the span of two weeks and are passaged according to the protocol to establish a more robust culture. Single cells from an established and fast growing representative PDAC organoid are then prepared to demonstrate the outcome of the pharmacotyping protocol. 1, 000 viable cells are plated in each well and allowed to recover over a 24-hour period before the cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents are dosed.A 9.0 dose assay is performed in triplicate starting with a low dose of 100 picomolar and ending with a high dose of two micromolar. After a five-day treatment, representative pictures are taken for wells treated with the vehicle and with the high dose of each chemotherapeutic agent. Immediately after taking the pictures, cell viability is assessed using luminescent cell viability reagent and plotted using graphing software.Patient-derived organoids can have heterogeneous morphologies. Therefore, it is important to optimize the enzymatic dissociations for every single culture. Downstream analysis of patient-derived models usually involves next-generation sequencing of the DNA and RNA.If possible, validate the molecular characteristics of the models using primary tissue samples. Individualized organoid cultures open up the possibility for personalized medicine approaches for pancreatic cancer patients. Remember that hazardous chemicals such as phenol-chloroform and chemotherapeutic agents must be handled with appropriate PPE and safety equipment.

isolation-characterization-patient-derived-pancreatic-ductal

Research

JoVE Journal

Cancer Research

Isolation and Characterization of Tumor-initiating Cells from Sarcoma Patient-derived Xenografts

The existence and importance of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) have been supported by increasing evidence during the past decade. These TICs have been shown to be responsible for tumor initiation, metastasis, and drug resistance. Therefore, it is important to develop specific TIC-targeting therapy in addition to current chemotherapy strategies, which mostly focus on the bulk of non-TICs. In order to further understand the mechanism behind the malignancy of TICs, we describe a method to isolate and to characterize TICs in human sarcomas. Herein, we show a detailed protocol to generate patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) of human sarcomas and to isolate TICs by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) using human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-1) as a negative marker. Also, we describe how to functionally characterize these TICs, including a sphere formation assay and a tumor formation assay, and to induce differentiation along mesenchymal pathways. The isolation and characterization of PDX TICs provide clues for the discovery of potential targeting therapy reagents. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests that this protocol may be further extended to isolate and characterize TICs from other types of human cancers.

We describe a detailed protocol for the isolation of tumor-initiating cells from human sarcoma patient-derived xenografts by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, using human leukocyte antigen-1 (HLA-1) as a negative marker, and for the further validation and characterization of these HLA-1-negative tumor-initiating cells.

The existence and importance of tumor-initiating cells (TICs) have been supported by increasing evidence during the past decade. These TICs have been ...

Immunophenotyping of Orthotopic Homograft (Syngeneic) of Murine Primary KPC Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Flow Cytometry

Homograft (syngeneic) tumors are the workhorse of today&#39;s immuno-oncology (I/O) preclinical research. The tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly its immune-components, is vital to the prognosis and prediction of treatment outcomes, especially those of immunotherapy. TME immune-components are composed of different subsets of tumor-infiltrating immune cells assessable by multi-color FACS. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the deadliest malignances lacking good treatment options, thus an urgent and unmet medical need. One important reason for its non-responsiveness to various therapies (chemo-, targeted, I/O) has been its abundant TME, consisting of fibroblasts and leukocytes that protect tumor cells from these therapies. Orthotopically implanted PDAC is believed to more accurately recapture the TME of human pancreatic cancers than conventional subcutaneous (SC) models.
Homograft tumors (KPC) are transplants of mouse spontaneous PDAC originating from genetically engineered KPC-mice (KrasG12D/+/P53-/-/Pdx1-Cre) (KPC-GEMM). The primary tumor tissue is cut into small fragments (~2 mm3) and transplanted subcutaneously (SC) to the syngeneic recipients (C57BL/6, 7&#8211;9 weeks old). The homografts were then surgically orthotopically transplanted onto the pancreas of new C57BL/6 mice, along with SC-implantation, which reached tumor volumes of 300&#8211;1,000 mm3 by 17 days. Only tumors of 400&#8211;600 mm3 were harvested per approved autopsy procedure and cleaned to remove the adjacent non-tumor tissues. They were dissociated per protocol using a tissue dissociator into single-cell suspensions, followed by staining with designated panels of fluorescently-labeled antibodies for various markers of different immune cells (lymphoid, myeloid and NK, DCs). The stained samples were analyzed using multi-color FACS to determine numbers of immune cells of different lineages, as well as their relative percentage within tumors. The immune profiles of orthotopic tumors were then compared to those of SC tumors. The preliminary data demonstrated significantly elevated infiltrating TILs/TAMs in tumors over the pancreas, and higher B-cell infiltration into orthotopic rather than SC tumors.

Immunophenotyping of Orthotopic Homograft Syngeneic of Murine Primary KPC Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Flow Cytometry

The experimental procedure on the immunophenotyping of murine orthotopic PDAC homografts aims at profiling the tumor immuno-microenvironment. Tumors are orthotopically implanted via surgery. Tumors of 200&#8211;600 mm3 in size were harvested and dissociated to prepare single-cell suspensions, followed by multi-immune marker FACS analysis using different fluorescently-labeled antibodies.

Homograft (syngeneic) tumors are the workhorse of today&#39;s immuno-oncology (I/O) preclinical research. The tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly ...

Mimicking and Manipulating Pancreatic Acinar-to-Ductal Metaplasia in 3-dimensional Cell Culture

The differentiation of acinar cells to ductal cells during pancreatitis and in the early development of pancreatic cancer is a key process that requires further study. To understand the mechanisms regulating acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), ex vivo 3D culture and differentiation of primary acinar cells to ductal cells offers many advantages over other systems. With the technique herein, modulation of protein expression is simple and quick, requiring only one day to isolate, stimulate or virally infect, and begin culturing primary acinar cells to investigate the ADM process. In contrast to using basement membrane matrix, the seeding of acinar cell clusters in collagen I extracellular matrix, allows acinar cells to retain their acinar identity before manipulation. This is vital when testing the contribution of various components to the induction of ADM. Not only are the effects of cytokines or other ectopically administered factors testable through this technique, but the contribution of common mutations, increased protein expression, or knockdown of protein expression is testable via viral infection of primary acinar cells, using adenoviral or lentiviral vectors. Moreover, cells can be re-isolated from collagen or basement membrane matrix at the endpoint and analyzed for protein expression.

Primary acinar cell isolation, protein expression or activity modulation, culture, and down-stream applications are abundantly useful in the ex vivo study of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), an early event in the development of pancreatic cancer.

The differentiation of acinar cells to ductal cells during pancreatitis and in the early development of pancreatic cancer is a key process that requires ...

Patient-derived Heterogeneous Xenograft Model of Pancreatic Cancer Using Zebrafish Larvae as Hosts for Comparative Drug Assessment

Patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) and cell-derived tumor xenograft (CDX) are important techniques for preclinical assessment, medication guidance and basic cancer researches. Generations of PDX models in traditional host mice are time-consuming and only working for a small proportion of samples. Recently, zebrafish PDX (zPDX) has emerged as a unique host system, with the characteristics of small-scale and high efficiency. Here, we describe an optimized methodology for generating a dual fluorescence-labeled tumor xenograft model for comparative chemotherapy assessment in zPDX models. Tumor cells and fibroblasts were enriched from freshly-harvested or frozen pancreatic cancer tissue at different culture conditions. Both cell groups were labeled by lentivirus expressing green or red fluorescent proteins, as well as an anti-apoptosis gene BCL2L1. The transfected cells were pre-mixed and co-injected into the 2 dpf larval zebrafish that were then bred in modified E3 medium at 32 &#176;C. The xenograft models were treated by chemotherapy drugs and/or BCL2L1 inhibitor, and the viabilities of both tumor cells and fibroblasts were investigated simultaneously. In summary, this protocol allows researchers to quickly generate a large amount of zPDX models with a heterogeneous tumor microenvironment and provides a longer observation window and a more precise quantitation in assessing the efficiency of drug candidates.

This protocol describes optimization procedures in a virus-based dual fluorescence-labeled tumor xenograft model using larval zebrafish as hosts. This heterogeneous xenograft model mimics the tissue composition of pancreatic cancer microenvironment in vivo and serves as a more precise tool for assessing drug responses in personalized zPDX (zebrafish patient-derived xenograft) models.

Patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX) and cell-derived tumor xenograft (CDX) are important techniques for preclinical assessment, medication guidance and ...

Establishment of Gastric Cancer Patient-derived Xenograft Models and Primary Cell Lines

The use of preclinical models to advance our understanding of tumor biology and investigate the efficacy of therapeutic agents is key to cancer research. Although there are many established gastric cancer cell lines and many conventional transgenic mouse models for preclinical research, the disadvantages of these in vitro and in vivo models limit their applications. Because the characteristics of these models have changed in culture, they no longer model tumor heterogeneity, and their responses have not been able to predict responses in humans. Thus, alternative models that better represent tumor heterogeneity are being developed. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models preserve the histologic appearance of cancer cells, retain intratumoral heterogeneity, and better reflect the relevant human components of the tumor microenvironment. However, it usually takes 4-8 months to develop a PDX model, which is longer than the expected survival of many gastric patients. For this reason, establishing primary cancer cell lines may be an effective complementary method for drug response studies. The current protocol describes methods to establish PDX models and primary cancer cell lines from surgical gastric cancer samples. These methods provide a useful tool for drug development and cancer biology research.

The current protocol describes methods to establish patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and primary cancer cell lines from surgical gastric cancer samples. The methods provide a useful tool for drug development and cancer biology research.

The use of preclinical models to advance our understanding of tumor biology and investigate the efficacy of therapeutic agents is key to cancer research. ...

Ultrasound-Guided Orthotopic Implantation of Murine Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

The recent success of immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma and lung adenocarcinoma has galvanized the field of immuno-oncology as well as revealed the limitations of current treatments, as the majority of patients do not respond to immunotherapy. Development of accurate preclinical models to quickly identify novel and effective therapeutic combinations are critical to address this unmet clinical need. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a canonical example of an immune checkpoint blockade resistant tumor with only 2% of patients responding to immunotherapy. The genetically engineered KrasG12D+/-;Trp53R172H+/-;Pdx-1 Cre (KPC) mouse model of PDA recapitulates human disease and is a valuable tool for assessing therapies for immunotherapy resistant in the preclinical setting, but time to tumor onset is highly variable. Surgical orthotopic tumor implantation models of PDA maintain the immunobiological hallmarks of the KPC tissue-specific tumor microenvironment (TME) but require a time-intensive procedure and introduce aberrant inflammation. Here, we use an ultrasound-guided orthotopic tumor implantation model (UG-OTIM) to non-invasively inject KPC-derived PDA cell lines directly into the mouse pancreas. UG-OTIM tumors grow in the endogenous tissue site, faithfully recapitulate histological features of the PDA TME, and reach enrollment-sized tumors for preclinical studies by four weeks after injection with minimal seeding on the peritoneal wall. The UG-OTIM system described here is a rapid and reproducible tumor model that may allow for high throughput analysis of novel therapeutic combinations in the murine PDA TME.

We describe a protocol for the ultrasound guided implantation of murine-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines directly into the native tumor site. This approach resulted in pancreatic tumors detectable by ultrasound scanning within 2-4 weeks of injection, and significantly reduced the proportion tumor cell seeding on the peritoneal wall as compared to surgical orthotopic implantation.

The recent success of immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma and lung adenocarcinoma has galvanized the field of immuno-oncology as well as revealed the ...

Isolation of Proximal Fluids to Investigate the Tumor Microenvironment of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death, and soon to become the second. There is an urgent need of variables associated to specific pancreatic pathologies to help preoperative differential diagnosis and patient profiling. Pancreatic juice is a relatively unexplored body fluid, which, due to its close proximity to the tumor site, reflects changes in the surrounding tissue. Here we describe in detail the intraoperative collection procedure. Unfortunately, translating pancreatic juice collection to murine models of PDAC, to perform mechanistic studies, is technically very challenging. Tumor interstitial fluid (TIF) is the extracellular fluid, outside blood and plasma, which bathes tumor and stromal cells. Similarly to pancreatic juice, for its property to collect and concentrate molecules that are found diluted in plasma, TIF can be exploited as an indicator of microenvironmental alterations and as a valuable source of disease-associated biomarkers. Since TIF is not readily accessible, various techniques have been proposed for its isolation. We describe here two simple and technically undemanding methods for its isolation: tissue centrifugation and tissue elution.

Pancreatic juice is a precious source of biomarkers for human pancreatic cancer. We describe here a method for intraoperative collection procedure. To overcome the challenge of adopting this procedure in murine models, we suggest an alternative sample, tumor interstitial fluid, and describe here two protocols for its isolation.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death, and soon to become the second. There is an urgent need of variables ...

The Establishment and Utilization of Patient Derived Xenograft Models of Central Nervous System Metastasis

The development of novel therapies for central nervous system (CNS) metastasis has been hindered by the lack of preclinical models that accurately represent the disease. Patient derived xenograft (PDX) models of CNS metastasis have been shown to better represent the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of the human disease, as well as better reflect the heterogeneity and clonal dynamics of human patient tumors compared to historic cell line models. There are multiple sites that can be used to implant patient-derived tissue when setting up preclinical trials, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, and each suited for studying different aspects of the metastatic cascade. Here, the protocol describes how to establish PDX models and present three different approaches for utilizing CNS metastasis PDX models in pre-clinical studies, discussing each of their applications and limitations. These include flank implantation, orthotopic injection in the brain, and intracardiac injection. Subcutaneous flank implantation is the easiest to monitor and, therefore, most convenient for pre-clinical studies. In addition, metastases to brain and other tissues from flank implantation were observed, indicating that the tumor has undergone multiple steps of metastasis, including intravasation, extravasation, and colonization. Orthotopic injection in the brain is the best option for recapitulating the brain tumor microenvironment and is useful for determining the efficacy of biologics to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) but bypasses most steps of the metastatic cascade. Intracardiac injection facilitates metastasis to the brain and is also useful for studying organ tropism. While this method forgoes earlier steps of the metastatic cascade, these cells will still have to survive circulation, extravasate, and colonize. The utility of a PDX model, is therefore, impacted by the route of tumor inoculation and the choice of which one to utilize should be dictated by the scientific question and overall goals of the experiment.

Central nervous system metastasis PDX models represent the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of human metastasis, making them excellent models for preclinical studies. Described here is how to establish PDX models and the inoculation routes that are best used for preclinical studies.

The development of novel therapies for central nervous system (CNS) metastasis has been hindered by the lack of preclinical models that accurately ...

Establishment of Zebrafish Patient-Derived Xenografts from Pancreatic Cancer for Chemosensitivity Testing

Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, and the incidence of many types of cancer continues to increase. Much progress has been made in terms of screening, prevention, and treatment; however, preclinical models that predict the chemosensitivity profile of cancer patients are still lacking. To fill this gap, an in vivo patient-derived xenograft model was developed and validated. The model was based on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos at 2 days post fertilization, which were used as recipients of xenograft fragments of tumor tissue taken from a patient's surgical specimen. 
It is also worth noting that bioptic samples were not digested or disaggregated, in order to maintain the tumor microenvironment, which is crucial in terms of analyzing tumor behavior and the response to therapy. The protocol details a method for establishing zebrafish-based patient-derived xenografts (zPDXs) from primary solid tumor surgical resection. After screening by an anatomopathologist, the specimen is dissected using a scalpel blade. Necrotic tissue, vessels, or fatty tissue are removed and then chopped into 0.3 mm x 0.3 mm x 0.3 mm pieces. 
The pieces are then fluorescently labeled and xenotransplanted into the perivitelline space of zebrafish embryos. A large number of embryos can be processed at a low cost, enabling high-throughput in vivo analyses of the chemosensitivity of zPDXs to multiple anticancer drugs. Confocal images are routinely acquired to detect and quantify the apoptotic levels induced by chemotherapy treatment compared to the control group. The xenograft procedure has a significant time advantage, since it can be completed in a single day, providing a reasonable time window to carry out a therapeutic screening for co-clinical trials.

Preclinical models aim to advance the knowledge of cancer biology and predict treatment efficacy. This paper describes the generation of zebrafish-based patient-derived xenografts (zPDXs) with tumor tissue fragments. The zPDXs were treated with chemotherapy, the therapeutic effect of which was assessed in terms of cell apoptosis of the transplanted tissue.

Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, and the incidence of many types of cancer continues to increase. Much progress has been made in terms ...

Establishment and Characterization of Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models faithfully preserve the histological and genetic characteristics of the primary tumor and maintain its heterogeneity. Pharmacodynamic results based on PDX models are highly correlated with clinical practice. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is the most malignant subtype of thyroid cancer, with strong invasiveness, poor prognosis, and limited treatment. Although the incidence rate of ATC accounts for only 2%-5% of thyroid cancer, its mortality rate is as high as 15%-50%. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common head and neck malignancies, with over 600,000 new cases worldwide each year. Herein, detailed protocols are presented to establish PDX models of ATC and HNSCC. In this work, the key factors influencing the success rate of model construction were analyzed, and the histopathological features were compared between the PDX model and the primary tumor. Furthermore, the clinical relevance of the model was validated by evaluating the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of representative clinically used drugs in the successfully constructed PDX models.

The present protocol establishes and characterizes a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), as PDX models are rapidly becoming the standard in the field of translational oncology.