Poly(Ethylene glycol)-poly(l-alanine)/hyaluronic acid complex as a 3d platform for understanding cancer cell migration in the tumor microenvironment

Jooyoung Sim, Hyun Jung Lee, Byeongmoon Jeong, Min Hee Park

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cancer progression and migration in the tumor microenvironment are related to cell types and three-dimensional (3D) matrices. Therefore, developing biomimetic tumor models, including co-culture systems and a tunable 3D matrix, could play an essential role in understanding the cancer environment. Here, multicellular spheroids using human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) and breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) within the 3D matrix were used as a tumor microenvironment (TME) mimicking platform. The amphiphilic peptide block copolymer and hyaluronic acid (HA) formed a self-assembled structure, which provides a biocompatible 3D environment for the cells. Multicellular spheroids were formed on the optimized plate and were observed as cell migration from a spheroid within a 3D matrix, such as the invasive and metastatic cancer of TME. This study suggests a new 3D platform using polymer complexes and the importance of tumor complexities, including various cell types and microenvironments.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1042
JournalPolymers
Volume13
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Apr 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Keywords

  • 3D matrix
  • Migration
  • Multicellular spheroid
  • Polymer complex
  • Tumor microenvironment

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