Name: anticancer efficacy of photodynamic therapy with lung cancer-targeted nanoparticles
Uploaded: 2016-12-01T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Anticancer Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy with Lung Cancer-Targeted Nanoparticles at JoVE.com

This study was supported by grant no. 14-2014-017 from the SNUBH Research Fund.
The authors are indebted to J. Patrick Barron, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo Medical University and Adjunct Professor, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital for his pro bono editing of this manuscript.

NOTE: All animal study protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (BA1308-134/072-01).
1. Synthesis of Hyaluronic Acid-Ceramide (HACE)
<ol>
	<li>Solubilize 12.21 mmol of hyaluronic acid (HA) oligomer and 9.77 mmol of tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide (TBA) in 60 ml of double-distilled water (DDW). Stir for 30 min.</li>
	<li>To synthesize the DS-Y30 linker, dissolve 8.59 mmol of DS-Y30 ceramide and 9.45 mmol of triethylamine in 2...

<ol>
	<li>Shang, L., Zhou, N., Gu, Y., Liu, F., Zeng, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparative+study+on+killing+effect+of+esophageal+cancer+cell+line+between+hypocrellin+B-photodynamic+therapy+and+hematoporphyrin+derivative-photodynamic+therapy.">Comparative study on killing effect of esophageal cancer cell line between hypocrellin B-photodynamic therapy and hematoporphyrin derivative-photodynamic therapy.</a> Chin J Cancer Prev Treat. 12, 1139-1142 (2005).</li><li>Huisman, C., 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=Paclitaxel+triggers+cell+death+primarily+via+caspase-independent+routes+in+the+non-small+cell+lung+cancer+cell+line+NCI-H460.">Paclitaxel triggers cell death primarily via caspase-independent routes in the non-small cell lung cancer cell line NCI-H460.</a> Clin Cancer Res. 8 (2), 596-606 (2002).</li><li>Dolmans, D. E., Fukumura, D., Jain, R. K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photodynamic+therapy+for+cancer.">Photodynamic therapy for cancer.</a> Nat Rev Cancer. 3 (5), 380-387 (2003).</li><li>Pass, H. I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photodynamic+therapy+in+oncology:+mechanisms+and+clinical+use.">Photodynamic therapy in oncology: mechanisms and clinical use.</a> J Natl Cancer Inst. 85 (6), 443-456 (1993).</li><li>Sutedja, T. G., Postmus, P. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photodynamic+therapy+in+lung+cancer.+A+review+.">Photodynamic therapy in lung cancer. A review .</a> J. Photochem. Photobiol. 36 (2), 199-204 (1996).</li><li>Peng, C. L., Shieh, M. J., Tsai, M. H., Chang, C. C., Lai, P. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Self-assembled+star-shaped+chlorin-core+poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene+glycol)+diblock+copolymer+micelles+for+dual+chemo-photodynamic+therapies.">Self-assembled star-shaped chlorin-core poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymer micelles for dual chemo-photodynamic therapies.</a> Biomaterials. 29 (26), 3599-3608 (2008).</li><li>Chen, B., Pogue, B. W., Hasan, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Liposomal+delivery+of+photosensitising+agents.">Liposomal delivery of photosensitising agents.</a> Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2 (3), 477-487 (2005).</li><li>Lee, S. J., 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=Comparative+study+of+photosensitizer+loaded+and+conjugated+glycol+chitosan+nanoparticles+for+cancer+therapy.">Comparative study of photosensitizer loaded and conjugated glycol chitosan nanoparticles for cancer therapy.</a> J Control Release. 152 (1), 21-29 (2011).</li><li>Chang, J. E., 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=Anticancer+efficacy+of+photodynamic+therapy+with+hematoporphyrin-modified,+doxorubicin-loaded+nanoparticles+in+liver+cancer.">Anticancer efficacy of photodynamic therapy with hematoporphyrin-modified, doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles in liver cancer.</a> J. Photochem. Photobiol. 140, 49-56 (2014).</li><li>Chang, J. E., Cho, H. J., Yi, E., Kim, D. D., Jheon, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hypocrellin+B+and+paclitaxel-encapsulated+hyaluronic+acid-ceramide+nanoparticles+for+targeted+photodynamic+therapy+in+lung+cancer.">Hypocrellin B and paclitaxel-encapsulated hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles for targeted photodynamic therapy in lung cancer.</a> J. Photochem. Photobiol. 158, 113-121 (2016).</li><li>Wang, A. Z., Langer, R., Farokhzad, O. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nanoparticle+delivery+of+cancer+drugs.">Nanoparticle delivery of cancer drugs.</a> Annu. Rev. Med. 63, 185-198 (2012).</li><li>Matsumura, Y., Maeda, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+new+concept+for+macromolecular+therapeutics+in+cancer+chemotherapy:+mechanism+of+tumoritropic+accumulation+of+proteins+and+the+antitumor+agent+smancs.">A new concept for macromolecular therapeutics in cancer chemotherapy: mechanism of tumoritropic accumulation of proteins and the antitumor agent smancs.</a> Cancer Res. 46 (12 Pt 1), 6387-6392 (1986).</li><li>Penno, M. B., 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=Expression+of+CD44+in+human+lung+tumors.">Expression of CD44 in human lung tumors.</a> Cancer Res. 54 (5), 1381-1387 (1994).</li><li>Wilkins, R., Kutzner, B., Truong, M., Sanchez-Dardon, J., McLean, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Analysis+of+radiation-induced+apoptosis+in+human+lymphocytes:+Flow+cytometry+using+Annexin+V+and+propidium+iodide+versus+the+neutral+comet+assay.">Analysis of radiation-induced apoptosis in human lymphocytes: Flow cytometry using Annexin V and propidium iodide versus the neutral comet assay.</a> Cytometry. 48 (1), 14-19 (2002).</li><li>Bannas, P., 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=Validation+of+nanobody+and+antibody+based+in+vivo+tumor+xenograft+NIRF-imaging+experiments+in+mice+using+ex+vivo+flow+cytometry+and+microscopy.">Validation of nanobody and antibody based in vivo tumor xenograft NIRF-imaging experiments in mice using ex vivo flow cytometry and microscopy.</a> J Vis Exp. (98), e52462 (2015).</li><li>Fischer, A. H., Jacobson, K. A., Rose, J., Zeller, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hematoxylin+and+eosin+staining+of+tissue+and+cell+sections.">Hematoxylin and eosin staining of tissue and cell sections.</a> Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. (5), (2008).</li><li>Lam, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photodynamic+therapy+of+lung+cancer.">Photodynamic therapy of lung cancer.</a> Semin Oncol. 21 (6 Suppl 15), 15-19 (1994).</li><li>Simone, C. B., 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=Photodynamic+therapy+for+the+treatment+of+non-small+cell+lung+cancer.">Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.</a> J Thorac Dis. 4 (1), 63-75 (2012).</li></ol>

The most critical step in this study is selecting the proper laser conditions: wavelength, power, and irradiation time. The proper wavelength of light suitable for the specific photosensitizer is necessary for the PDT. We used a 630-nm laser that was appropriate for hypocrellin B. The output power was another important factor, which was set at 400 mW/cm2 based on many pilot studies. Output powers exceeding 400 mW/cm2 damaged the cells or the skin surface of the animals due to the irradiation itself,...

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is composed of three major factors: photosensitizers, light, and oxygen. PDT is reported as a promising treatment for various cancers3. When the photosensitizers are administered into the cancer patient, they selectively accumulate in the tumor tissues. When the proper wavelength of light is applied, the highly reactive singlet oxygen and other free radicals lead to tumor cell damage4. 
Lung cancer was introduced as one of the first applications for PDT in the early 1980s5. PDT provides several advantages in treating lung cancer. Since PDT is a non-invasive and non-surgical treatment, it is an attractive alternative choice for the patients in whom surgical resection is inappropriate.
There have been many challenges to enhance the cancer-targeting efficacy of the photosensitizers. Increasing photosensitizer accumulation in cancer sites and decreasing accumulation in normal tissues are the identical goals for the cancer-targeting studies. A variety of targeted drug delivery systems, such as polymers, liposomes, and nanoparticles are adopted as photosensitizer carriers6-8. In our previous studies, nanoparticles effectively increased the cancer-targeting abilities of the photosensitizers9,10. Nanoparticles are ideal cancer-targeting carriers since they possess both passive and active targeting abilities. The leaky tumor vessels provide opportunity for nano-sized carriers to accumulate easily in tumors, which is well-known as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect11,12. The interaction between the nanoparticles and the specific receptors on cancer cells enables active cancer targeting. In this study, we prepared hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticles to interact with CD44, the major hyaluronic acid receptor that is overexpressed on lung cancer cells13. 
To maximize the anticancer efficacy, a combination of PDT and chemotherapy is adopted in the present study. This combination concept may permit an increased therapeutic effect. Furthermore, decreased doses of both the photosensitizer and the anticancer drug can diminish adverse effects. We selected hypocrellin B (HB) as a novel photosensitizer in the present study. HB is isolated from Chinese medicinal fungus Hypocrella bambuase. Shang et al. reported that HB-based PDT possesses a higher anticancer efficacy when compared to hematoporphyrin derivative-based PDT1. Paclitaxel was selected as the anticancer drug since it has proven to be a potential treatment for various cancers, including lung cancer2. 
Herein, we compared the anticancer efficacies of photosensitizer (hypocrellin B, HB) solution, photosensitizer-encapsulated hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles (HB-NPs), and both photosensitizer- and anticancer agent (paclitaxel)-encapsulated hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles (HB-P-NPs) after PDT. The in vitro phototoxicity in A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) cells and the in vivo antitumor efficacy in A549 tumor-bearing mice were evaluated.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>oligo hyaluronic acid</td>
			<td>Bioland Co., Ltd.</td>
			<td>_</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DS-Y30 (ceramide 3B; mainly N-oleoyl-phytosphingosine)</td>
			<td>Doosan Biotech Co., Ltd.</td>
			<td>_</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>adipic acid dihydrazide</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>A0638</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N&#8242;-ethylcarbodiimide</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>39391</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4-(chloromethyl)benzoyl chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>270784</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tween 80</td>
			<td>Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.</td>
			<td>T0546</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>syringe filter</td>
			<td>Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH</td>
			<td>17762</td>
			<td>15 mm, RC, PP, 0.45 &#181;m</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>triethylamine</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>T0886</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mini-GeBAflex tubes</td>
			<td>Gene Bio-Application Ltd.</td>
			<td>D070-12-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paclitaxel</td>
			<td>Taihua Corporations</td>
			<td>_</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RPMI-1640</td>
			<td>Gibco Life Technologies, Inc.</td>
			<td>11875</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin&#8211;streptomycin</td>
			<td>Gibco Life Technologies, Inc.</td>
			<td>15070</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal bovine serum</td>
			<td>Gibco Life Technologies, Inc.</td>
			<td>16140071</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Celite (Filter agent)</td>
			<td>Sigma Aldrich</td>
			<td>6858</td>
			<td>See step 1.4</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

anticancer efficacy of photodynamic therapy with lung cancer-targeted nanoparticles

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive and non-surgical method representing an attractive alternative choice for lung cancer treatment. Photosensitizers selectively accumulate in tumor tissue and lead to tumor cell death in the presence of oxygen and the proper wavelength of light.
To increase the therapeutic effect of PDT, we developed both photosensitizer- and anticancer agent-loaded lung cancer-targeted nanoparticles. Both enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect-based passive targeting and hyaluronic-acid-CD44 interaction-based active targeting were applied. CD44 is a well-known hyaluronic acid receptor that is often introduced as a biomarker of non-small cell lung cancer. 
In addition, a combination of PDT and chemotherapy is adopted in the present study. This combination concept may increase anticancer therapeutic effects and reduce adverse reactions. 
We chose hypocrellin B (HB) as a novel photosensitizer in this study. It has been reported that HB causes higher anticancer efficacy of PDT compared to hematoporphyrin derivatives1. Paclitaxel was selected as the anticancer drug since it has proven to be a potential treatment for lung cancer2. 
The antitumor efficacies of photosensitizer (HB) solution, photosensitizer encapsulated hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles (HB-NPs), and both photosensitizer- and anticancer agent (paclitaxel)-encapsulated hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles (HB-P-NPs) after PDT were compared both in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro phototoxicity in A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) cells and the in vivo antitumor efficacy in A549 tumor-bearing mice were evaluated.
The HB-P-NP treatment group showed the most effective anticancer effect after PDT. In conclusion, the HB-P-NPs prepared in the present study represent a potential and novel photosensitizer delivery system in treating lung cancer with PDT.

We prepared both HB-NPs and HB-P-NPs with the techniques mentioned above. The mean diameters of HB-NPs and HB-P-NPs were 220.9 &#177; 3.2 nm and 211.9 &#177; 1.6 nm, respectively.
The cell viability of A549 cells after 4 hr of incubation with PBS, empty NPs, HB-NPs, and HB-P-NPs followed by light irradiation (0 to 16 J/cm2) is shown in Figure 1. Without light, the HB-NP treatment group showed no cytot...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Anticancer Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy with Lung Cancer-Targeted Nanoparticles at JoVE.com

Anticancer Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy with Lung Cancer-Targeted Nanoparticles

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an alternative choice for lung cancer treatment. To increase the therapeutic effect of PDT, lung cancer-targeted nanoparticles combined with chemotherapy were developed. Both in vitro and in vivo anticancer efficacies of PDT with prepared nanoparticles were evaluated.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive and non-surgical method representing an attractive alternative choice for lung cancer treatment. ...

The overall goal of this experiment is to increase the therapeutic effect of photodynamic therapy in treating lung cancer by using both photosensitizer and anticancer drug-loaded, lung cancer-targeted nanoparticles. This method can help answer key questions in the photodynamic therapy field such as what are the proper agent conditions for in vitro and in vivo studies. Since photodynamic therapies are widely used in the cancer fields, pre-cancer studies with normal photosensitizers or new indications may be performed with this technique.The implications of this technique extended towards therapy of various diseases such as tuberculosis, ulcers and dermatology fields using different annual modules. To begin, synthesize hyaluronic acid ceramide as described in the accompanying text protocol. Purify the product using a 3.5 kilodalton dialysis membrane and myophalize it.Next, prepare hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles by themselves. Hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles along with a photosensitizer and hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles with an anticancer agent and the photosensitizer. Seed the lung cancer cell line, A549, into the wells of a 24-well cell culture plate at a density of one time 10 to the fifth cells per well and incubate the cells for 24 hours.The next day, remove the medium and wash the cells with one milliliter of PBS. Then, dissolve the prepared nanoparticles in PBS to a final concentration of two micromoles per milliliter of the photosensitizer Hypocrellin B by vortexing. Into four wells each and one milliliter of PBS, one milliliter of the empty hyaluronic acid-ceramide nanoparticles, one milliliter of the nanoparticles containing the photosensitizer and one milliliter of the nanoparticles containing both the photosensitizer and the anticancer drug.When finished, cover the plate and incubate it at 37 degrees Celsius for four hour in the dark to allow for nanoparticle uptake into the cells. Then, remove all of the solution and wash the cells by adding one milliliter of cold PBS. Repeat the washing step once more and then add fresh culture medium.Next, place the 24-well culture plate under a photodynamic therapy fiber and position the fiber one centimeter from the first well. The distensae from the photodynamic therapy fiber to the cells was the critical factor in this study. It was important to find out the optimal distance which can cover the whole cell with the light.Then, put on safety glasses and turn out the lights. Illuminate the cells with the laser in the dark for between five and 40 seconds to activate highly reactive singlet oxygen and other free radicals in the photosensitizer containing nanoparticles. Following light exposure, incubate the cells in the dark for 24 hours.Next, aspirate the culture medium and wash the cells with one milliliter of cold PBS. Repeat the wash step once more and then add 100 microliters of media and 10 microliters of cytotoxicity measuring solution to each well. Incubate cells in the solution for two hours in the dark and then move all the samples to a 96-well plate.Measure the absorbance at 450 nanometers using a microplate reader. Harvest A549 cells and re-suspend one million cells in 0.1 milliliters of RPMI-1640 medium. Place the re-suspended cells on ice.Next, prepare a BALB/C male nude mouse for injection. Then, load the cells into a one-milliliter syringe equipped with a 26-gauge needle and inject them into the left flank of the mouse. Measure the tumor size with calipers every day.When the tumor size reaches approximately 200 cubed millimeters in volume, start the experiment by first weighting each mouse. Then, dissolve the nanoparticles in PBS to a final concentration of two milligrams per milliliter and load one microliter of the suspension per gram of mouse into a one-milliliter syringe equipped with a 26-gauge needle. Inject the nanoparticles via tail vein injection on day zero and seven.24 hours after each injection, anesthetize the mouse and place the tumor site under the photodynamic therapy fiber so that it is one centimeter from the fiber. It is important to cover the entire tumor surface with the light in order to achieve the best results. Put on the laser safety glasses, turn off the room switch and illuminate the tumor with a photodynamic therapy laser for 500 seconds on both days one and eight.Following laser treatment, maintain the mice in their cages in the dark for 24 hours. Visually monitor the tumor volume and the changes of the tumor site every day. Use calipers to measure the tumor's size and take pictures of the tumor sites every day to check for surface alterations.Lung cancer cell viability is shown here after four hours of incubation with the nanoparticles followed by light irradiation. Without light, the cells exposed to the nanoparticles containing only photosensitizer showed no sign of toxicity at all, while cells exposed to nanoparticles containing both the photosensitizer and paclitaxel showed about an 81%cell viability. With increasing irradiation time, the cell viability was decreased in both treatment groups with the photosensitizer.The treatment group also containing paclitaxel showed the greatest amount of phototoxicity. This was also reflected in the tumor model study as the tumor volume in mice treated with these two treatment groups were lower than the controls. In addition, the group treated with the paclitaxel and photosensitizer containing nanoparticles was significantly lower than all the other groups.Although the tumor size was significantly smaller, the mice treated with nanoparticles having both the photosensitizer and paclitaxel showed severe hemorrhaging and the fastest development of necrosis. After the development, this technique paved the way for laser treats in the field of photodynamic therapy to explore cancer treatment in in vitro and in vivo systems. After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to purport photodynaic therapy in vitro and in vivo systems.

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Research

JoVE Journal

Cancer Research

Fluorescent Orthotopic Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the cancers for which survival has not improved substantially in the last few decades. Only 7% of diagnosed patients will survive longer than five years. In order to understand and mimic the microenvironment of pancreatic tumors, we utilized a murine orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer that allows non-invasive imaging of tumor progression in real time. Pancreatic cancer cells expressing green fluorescent protein (PANC-1 GFP) were suspended in basement membrane matrix, high concentration, (e.g., Matrigel HC) with serum-free media and then injected into the tail of the pancreas via laparotomy. The cell suspension in the high concentration basement membrane matrix becomes a gel-like substance once it reaches room temperature; therefore, it gels when it comes in contact with the pancreas, creating a seal at the injection site and preventing any cell leakage. Tumor growth and metastasis to other organs are monitored in live animals by using fluorescence. It is critical to use the appropriate filters for excitation and emission of GFP. The steps for the orthotopic implantation are detailed in this article so researchers can easily replicate the procedure in nude mice. The main steps of this protocol are preparation of the cell suspension, surgical implantation, and whole body fluorescent in vivo imaging. This orthotopic model is designed to investigate the efficacy of novel therapeutics on primary and metastatic tumors.

A procedure to implant green fluorescent protein-expressing pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1 GFP) orthotopically into the pancreas of Balb-c Ola Hsd-Fox1nu mice to assess tumor progression and metastasis is presented here.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the cancers for which survival has not improved substantially in the last few decades. Only 7% of diagnosed patients will ...

Long-term High-Resolution Intravital Microscopy in the Lung with a Vacuum Stabilized Imaging Window

Metastasis to secondary sites such as the lung, liver and bone is a traumatic event with a mortality rate of approximately 90% 1. Of these sites, the lung is the most difficult to assess using intravital optical imaging due to its enclosed position within the body, delicate nature and vital role in sustaining proper physiology. While clinical modalities (positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT)) are capable of providing noninvasive images of this tissue, they lack the resolution necessary to visualize the earliest seeding events, with a single pixel consisting of nearly a thousand cells. Current models of metastatic lung seeding postulate that events just after a tumor cell&#39;s arrival are deterministic for survival and subsequent growth. This means that real-time intravital imaging tools with single cell resolution 2 are required in order to define the phenotypes of the seeding cells and test these models. While high resolution optical imaging of the lung has been performed using various ex vivo preparations, these experiments are typically single time-point assays and are susceptible to artifacts and possible erroneous conclusions due to the dramatically altered environment (temperature, profusion, cytokines, etc.) resulting from removal from the chest cavity and circulatory system 3. Recent work has shown that time-lapse intravital optical imaging of the intact lung is possible using a vacuum stabilized imaging window 2,4,5 however, typical imaging times have been limited to approximately 6 hr. Here we describe a protocol for performing long-term intravital time-lapse imaging of the lung utilizing such a window over a period of 12 hr. The time-lapse image sequences obtained using this method enable visualization and quantitation of cell-cell interactions, membrane dynamics and vascular perfusion in the lung. We further describe an image processing technique that gives an unprecedentedly clear view of the lung microvasculature.

This protocol describes the use of multiphoton microscopy to perform long-term high-resolution, single cell imaging of the intact lung in real time using a vacuum stabilized imaging window.

Metastasis to secondary sites such as the lung, liver and bone is a traumatic event with a mortality rate of approximately 90% 1. Of these sites, the lung ...

Two-dimensional Gel Electrophoresis Coupled with Mass Spectrometry Methods for an Analysis of Human Pituitary Adenoma Tissue Proteome

Human pituitary adenoma (PA) is a common tumor that occurs in the human pituitary gland in the hypothalamus-pituitary-targeted organ axis systems, and may be classified as either clinically functional or nonfunctional PA (FPA and NFPA). NFPA is difficult for early stage diagnosis and therapy due to barely elevating hormones in the blood compared to FPA. Our long-term goal is to use proteomics methods to discover reliable biomarkers for clarification of PA molecular mechanisms and recognition of effective diagnostic, prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. Effective two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) methods were presented here to analyze human PA proteomes, including preparation of samples, 2D gel electrophoresis, protein visualization, image analysis, in-gel trypsin digestion, peptide mass fingerprint (PMF), and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). 2-Dimensional gel electrophoresis matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry PMF (2DE-MALDI MS PMF), 2DE-MALDI MS/MS, and 2DE-liquid chromatography (LC) MS/MS procedures have been successfully applied in an analysis of NFPA proteome. With the use of a high-sensitivity mass spectrometer, many proteins were identified with the 2DE-LC-MS/MS method in each 2D gel spot in an analysis of complex PA tissue to maximize the coverage of human PA proteome.

Here, we present a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) to separate and identify human pituitary adenoma tissue proteome, which presents a good and reproducible 2DE pattern. Many proteins are observed in each 2DE spot when analyzing complex cancer proteome with the use of high-sensitivity MS.

Human pituitary adenoma (PA) is a common tumor that occurs in the human pituitary gland in the hypothalamus-pituitary-targeted organ axis systems, and may ...

The Establishment of a Lung Colonization Assay for Circulating Tumor Cell Visualization in Lung Tissues

Metastasis is the major cause of cancer death. The role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in promoting cancer metastasis, in which lung colonization by CTCs critically contributes to early lung metastatic processes, has been vigorously investigated. As such, animal models are the only approach that captures the full systemic process of metastasis. Given that problems occur in previous experimental designs for examining the contributions of CTCs to blood vessel extravasation, we established an in vivo lung colonization assay in which a long-term-fluorescence cell-tracer, carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE), was used to label suspended tumor cells and lung perfusion was performed to clear non-specifically trapped CTCs prior to lung removal, confocal imaging, and quantification. Polymeric fibronectin (polyFN) assembled on CTC surfaces has been found to mediate lung colonization in the final establishment of metastatic tumor tissues. Here, to specifically test the requirement of polyFN assembly on CTCs for lung colonization and extravasation, we performed short term lung colonization assays in which suspended Lewis lung carcinoma cells (LLCs) stably expressing FN-shRNA (shFN) or scramble-shRNA (shScr) and pre-labeled with 20 &#956;M of CFSE were intravenously inoculated into C57BL/6 mice. We successfully demonstrated that the abilities of shFN LLC cells to colonize the mouse lungs were significantly diminished in comparison to shScr LLC cells. Therefore, this short-term methodology may be widely applied to specifically demonstrate the ability of CTCs within the circulation to colonize the lungs.

An animal model is needed to decipher the role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in promoting lung colonization during cancer metastasis. Here, we established and successfully performed an in vivo assay to specifically test the requirement of polymeric fibronectin (polyFN) assembly on CTCs for lung colonization.

Metastasis is the major cause of cancer death. The role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in promoting cancer metastasis, in which lung colonization by ...

Potentiation of Anticancer Antibody Efficacy by Antineoplastic Drugs: Detection of Antibody-drug Synergism Using the Combination Index Equation

Potentiation of hostile monoclonal antibodies (mAb) by chemotherapeutic agents constitutes a valuable strategy for designing effective and safer therapy against cancer. Here we provide a protocol to identify a rational combination at the preclinical step. First, we describe a cell-based assay to assess the synergism between anticancer mAb and cytotoxic drugs, that uses the combination index equation of Chou and Talalay1. This includes the measurement of tumor cell drug- and antibody-sensitivity using an MTT assay, followed by an automated computer analysis to calculate the combination index (CI) values. CI values of &lt;1 indicate synergism between tested mAbs and cytotoxic agents1. To corroborate the in vitro findings in vivo, we further describe a method to assess the combination regimen efficacy in a xenograft tumor model. In this model, the combined regimen significantly delays tumor growth, which results in a significant extended survival in comparison to single-agent controls. Importantly, the in vivo experimentation reveals that the combination regimen is well tolerated. This protocol allows the effective evaluation of anticancer drug combinations in preclinical models and the identification of rational combination to evaluate in clinical trials.

This protocol describes how to assess synergism between an anticancer antibody and antineoplastic drugs in preclinical models by using the combination index equation of Chou and Talalay.

Potentiation of hostile monoclonal antibodies (mAb) by chemotherapeutic agents constitutes a valuable strategy for designing effective and safer therapy ...

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Isolation from Pulp Tissue and Co-Culture with Cancer Cells to Study Their Interactions

Cancer as a multistep process and complicated disease is not only regulated by individual cell proliferation and growth but also controlled by tumor environment and cell-cell interactions. Identification of cancer and stem cell interactions, including changes in extracellular environment, physical interactions, and secreted factors, might enable the discovery of new therapy options. We combine known co-culture techniques to create a model system for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cancer cell interactions. In the current study, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and PC-3 prostate cancer cell interactions were examined by direct and indirect co-culture techniques. Condition medium (CM) obtained from DPSCs and 0.4 &#181;m pore sized trans-well membranes were used to study paracrine activity. Co-culture of different cell types together was performed to study direct cell-cell interaction. The results revealed that CM increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis in prostate cancer cell cultures. Both CM and trans-well system increased cell migration capacity of PC-3 cells. Cells stained with different membrane dyes were seeded into the same culture vessels, and DPSCs participated in a self-organized structure with PC-3 cells under this direct co-culture condition. Overall, the results indicated that co-culture techniques could be useful for cancer and MSC interactions as a model system.

We provide protocols for evaluation of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from dental pulp and prostate cancer cell interactions based on direct and indirect co-culture methods. Condition medium and trans-well membranes are suitable to analyze indirect paracrine activity. Seeding differentially stained cells together is an appropriate model for direct cell-cell interaction.

Cancer as a multistep process and complicated disease is not only regulated by individual cell proliferation and growth but also controlled by tumor ...

Establishment and Characterization of Three Afatinib-resistant Lung Adenocarcinoma PC-9 Cell Lines Developed with Increasing Doses of Afatinib

Acquired resistance to molecular target inhibitors is a severe problem in cancer therapy. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in most countries. The discovery of "oncogenic driver mutations," such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-activating mutations, and subsequent development of molecular targeted agents of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (gefitinib, erlotinib, afatinib, dacomitinib, and osimertinib) have dramatically altered lung cancer treatment in recent decades. However, these drugs are still not effective in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) carrying EGFR-activating mutations. Following acquired resistance, the systemic progression of NSCLC remains a significant obstacle in treating patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC. Here, we present a stepwise dose escalation method for establishing three independent acquired afatinib-resistant cell lines from NSCLC PC-9 cells harboring EGFR-activating mutations of 15-base pair deletions in EGFR exon 19. Methods for characterizing the three independent afatinib-resistance cell lines are briefly presented. The acquired resistance mechanisms to EGFR TKIs are heterogeneous. Therefore, multiple cell lines with acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs must be examined. Ten to twelve months are required to obtain cell lines with acquired resistance using this stepwise dose escalation approach. The discovery of novel acquired resistance mechanisms will contribute to the development of more effective and safe therapeutic strategies.

A method for establishing afatinib-resistance cell lines from lung adenocarcinoma PC-9 cells was developed, and resistant cells were characterized. The resistant cells can be used to investigate epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor-resistance mechanisms, applicable for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Acquired resistance to molecular target inhibitors is a severe problem in cancer therapy. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in ...

In Vivo Targeting of Xenografted Human Cancer Cells with Functionalized Fluorescent Silica Nanoparticles in Zebrafish

Developing nanoparticles capable of detecting, targeting, and destroying cancer cells is of great interest in the field of nanomedicine. In vivo animal models are required for bridging the nanotechnology to its biomedical application. The mouse represents the traditional animal model for preclinical testing; however, mice are relatively expensive to keep and have long experimental cycles due to the limited progeny from each mother. The zebrafish has emerged as a powerful model system for developmental and biomedical research, including cancer research. In particular, due to its optical transparency and rapid development, zebrafish embryos are well suited for real-time in vivo monitoring of the behavior of cancer cells and their interactions with their microenvironment. This method was developed to sequentially introduce human cancer cells and functionalized nanoparticles in transparent Casper zebrafish embryos and monitor in vivo recognition and targeting of the cancer cells by nanoparticles in real time. This optimized protocol shows that fluorescently labeled nanoparticles, which are functionalized with folate groups, can specifically recognize and target metastatic human cervical epithelial cancer cells labeled with a different fluorochrome. The recognition and targeting process can occur as early as 30 min postinjection of the nanoparticles tested. The whole experiment only requires the breeding of a few pairs of adult fish and takes less than 4 days to complete. Moreover, zebrafish embryos lack a functional adaptive immune system, allowing the engraftment of a wide range of human cancer cells. Hence, the utility of the protocol described here enables the testing of nanoparticles on various types of human cancer cells, facilitating the selection of optimal nanoparticles in each specific cancer context for future testing in mammals and the clinic.

Described here is a method for utilizing zebrafish embryos to study the ability of functionalized nanoparticles to target human cancer cells in vivo. This method allows for the evaluation and selection of optimal nanoparticles for future testing in large animals and in clinical trials.

Developing nanoparticles capable of detecting, targeting, and destroying cancer cells is of great interest in the field of nanomedicine. In vivo animal ...

Intratibial Osteosarcoma Cell Injection to Generate Orthotopic Osteosarcoma and Lung Metastasis Mouse Models

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer in children and adolescents, with lungs as the most common metastatic site. The five-year survival rate of osteosarcoma patients with pulmonary metastasis is less than 30%.Therefore, the utilization of mouse models mimicking the osteosarcoma development in humans is of great significance for understanding the fundamental mechanism of osteosarcoma carcinogenesis and pulmonary metastasis to develop novel therapeutics. Here, detailed procedures are reported to generate the primary osteosarcoma and pulmonary metastasis mouse models via&#160;intratibia injection of osteosarcoma cells. Combined with the bioluminescence or X-ray live imaging system, these living mouse models are utilized to monitor and quantify osteosarcoma growth and metastasis. To establish this model, a basement membrane matrix containing osteosarcoma cells was loaded in a micro-volume syringe and injected into one tibia of each athymic mouse after being anesthetized. The mice were sacrificed when the primary osteosarcoma reached the size limitation in the IACUC-approved protocol. The legs bearing osteosarcoma and the lungs with metastasis lesions were separated. These models are characterized by a short incubation period, rapid growth, severe lesions, and sensitivity in monitoring the development of primary and pulmonary metastatic lesions. Therefore, these are ideal models for exploring the functions and mechanisms of specific factors in osteosarcoma carcinogenesis and pulmonary metastasis, the tumor microenvironment, and evaluating the therapeutic efficacy in vivo.

The present protocol describes intratibia osteosarcoma cell injection to generate mouse models bearing orthotopic osteosarcoma and pulmonary metastasis lesions.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer in children and adolescents, with lungs as the most common metastatic site. The five-year survival ...

Quail Chorioallantoic Membrane - A Tool for Photodynamic Diagnosis and Therapy

The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of an avian embryo is a thin, extraembryonic membrane that functions as a primary respiratory organ. Its properties make it an excellent in vivo experimental model to study angiogenesis, tumor growth, drug delivery systems, or photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). At the same time, this model addresses the requirement for the replacement of experimental animals with a suitable alternative. Ex ovo cultivated embryo allows easy substance application, access, monitoring, and documentation. The most frequently used is chick CAM; however, this article describes the advantages of the Japanese quail CAM as a low-cost and high-throughput model. Another advantage is the shorter embryonic development, which allows higher experimental turnover. The suitability of quail CAM for PDD and PDT of cancer and microbial infections is explored here. As an example, the use of the photosensitizer hypericin in combination with lipoproteins or nanoparticles as a delivery system is described. The damage score from images in white light and changes in fluorescence intensity of the CAM tissue under violet light (405 nm) was determined, together with analysis of histological sections. The quail CAM clearly showed the effect of PDT on the vasculature and tissue. Moreover, changes like capillary hemorrhage, thrombosis, lysis of small vessels, and bleeding of larger vessels could be observed. Japanese quail CAM is a promising in vivo model for photodynamic diagnosis and therapy research, with applications in studies of tumor angiogenesis, as well as antivascular and antimicrobial therapy.

The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the avian embryo is a very useful and applicable tool for various areas of research. A special ex ovo model of Japanese quail CAM is suitable for photodynamic treatment investigation.

The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of an avian embryo is a thin, extraembryonic membrane that functions as a primary respiratory organ. Its properties ...