Three-dimensional alginate hydrogels for radiobiological and metabolic studies of cancer cells

Publication date: Available online 18 June 2018Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: BiointerfacesAuthor(s): Graham H. Read, Natsuko Miura, Jenna L. Carter, Kelsey T. Kines, Kazutoshi Yamamoto, Nallathamby Devasahayam, Jason Y. Cheng, Kevin A. Camphausen, Murali C. Krishna, Aparna H. KesarwalaAbstractThe purpose of this study is to demonstrate calcium alginate hydrogels as a system for in vitro radiobiological and metabolic studies of cancer cells. Previous studies have established calcium alginate as a versatile three-dimensional (3D) culturing system capable of generating areas of oxygen heterogeneity and modeling metabolic changes in vitro. Here, through dosimetry, clonogenic and viability assays, and pimonidazole staining, we demonstrate that alginate can model radiobiological responses that monolayer cultures do not simulate. Notably, alginate hydrogels with radii greater than 500 µm demonstrate hypoxic cores, while smaller hydrogels do not. The size of this hypoxic region correlates with hydrogel size and improved cell survival following radiation therapy. Hydrogels can also be utilized in hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy and extracellular flux analysis. Alginate therefore offers a reproducible, consistent, and low-cost means for 3D culture of cancer cells for radiobiological studies that simulates important in vivo parameters such as regional hypoxia, as well as enables long-term culturing and in vitro metabolic studies.Graphical abstract
Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research