ABSTRACT
Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a tumor microcirculation model found in melanoma in the last 20 years, is a vascular channel-like structure composed of tumor cells, but without endothelial cells, that stains positive for periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and negative staining for CD31. VM provides, to the highly aggressive malignant tumor cells, adequate oxygen and nutrient supply for tumor growth and subsequent metastasis process and its presence are related to poor prognosis in patients. VM is independent of endothelial cells, which may partly explain why angiogenesis drug inhibitors have not achieved the expected success for cancer treatment.
Subject(s)
Melanoma , Neovascularization, Pathologic , Endothelial Cells/pathology , Humans , Melanoma/pathology , Microcirculation , Neovascularization, Pathologic/pathologyABSTRACT
Increasing studies on vasculogenic mimicry (VM) have shown that the hypoxic microenvironment and the presence of endothelial cell play an important role in regulating tumor phenotype and aggressiveness. Thus, the representation of these factors in vitro becomes necessary to mimic VM. This chapter provides a protocol for mimicking VM in vitro in a more robust 3D model that includes the presence of 3D matrix, melanoma cells, a hypoxia-inducing agent, and endothelial cells.
Subject(s)
Endothelial Cells , Neovascularization, Pathologic , Cell Line, Tumor , Endothelial Cells/pathology , Humans , Hypoxia , Neovascularization, Pathologic/pathologyABSTRACT
Spheroids are 3D spherical cell aggregates, which, cultivated in vitro, behave differently than regular monolayer cellular cultures. Cancer spheroids share many characteristics with in vivo solid tumors, making them a powerful tool in cancer research. The use of cancer spheroids makes it possible to identify the potential of new anticancer pharmacological targets, leading them to be widely used in preclinical oncology research. 3D in vitro models allow the study in detail of many important aspects of the cellular transformation process, such as cell morphology, gene expression, cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions, angiogenesis, and vasculogenic mimicry.In this chapter, the importance of studies using spheroids for current cancer research is described, focusing on vasculogenic mimicry, its morphological structure, and the different methods used in the formation of spheroids. The main method uses agarose to produce the molds for the cancer spheroids, is known as the non-adherent hydrogel micro-mold method, and is being covered in more detail below.