A 3D in vitro model of patient-derived prostate cancer xenograft for controlled interrogation of in vivo tumor-stromal interactions.

ABSTRACT: Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models better represent human cancer than traditional cell lines. However, the complex in vivo environment makes it challenging to employ PDX models to investigate tumor-stromal interactions, such as those that mediate prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastasis. Thus, we engineered a defined three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel system capable of supporting the co-culture of PCa PDX cells and osteoblastic cells to recapitulate the PCa-osteoblast unit within the bone metastatic microenvironment in vitro. Our 3D model not only maintained cell viability but also preserved the typical osteogenic phenotype of PCa PDX cells. Additionally, co-culture cellularity was maintained over that of either cell type cultured alone, suggesting that the PCa-osteoblast cross-talk supports

SUBMITTER: Fong EL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4684431 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature