A novel chemotherapeutic sensitivity-testing system based on collagen gel droplet embedded 3D-culture methods for hepatocellular carcinoma

• Published in: BMC cancer Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 729
• Main Authors: Hou, Jun, Hong, Zhixian, Feng, Fan, Chai, Yantao, Zhang, Yunkai, Jiang, Qiyu, Hu, Yan, Wu, Shunquan, Wu, Yingsong, Gao, Xunian, Chen, Qiong, Wan, Yong, Bi, Jingfeng, Zhang, Zheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 08.11.2017; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Chemotherapies; Chemotherapy; Collagen gel droplet embedded 3D–culture system; Development and progression; Drug therapy; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Methods; Multi-drug resistance; Prognosis; China; Collagen gel droplet embedded 3D–culture system; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Multi-drug resistance; Chemotherapies
• ISSN: 1471-2407; 1471-2407
• DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3706-6

Patients suffering from advanced stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often exhibit a poor prognosis or dismal clinical outcomes due to ineffective chemotherapy or a multi-drug resistance (MDR) process. Thus, it is urgent to develop a new chemotherapeutic sensitivity testing system for HCC treatment. The presence study investigated the potential application of a novel chemotherapeutic sensitivity-testing system based on a collagen gel droplet embedded 3D-culture system (CD-DST). Primary cells were separating from surgical resection specimens and then tested by CD-DST. To identify whether HCC cell lines or cells separating from clinical specimens contain MDR features, the cells were treated with an IC (half maximal inhibitory concentration) or IC (maximal inhibitory concentration) concentration of antitumor agents, e.g., 5-furuolouracil (5-FU), paclitaxel (PAC), cisplatin (CDDP), epirubicin (EPI), or oxaliplatin (L-OHP), and the inhibitory rates (IRs) were calculated. HepG2 cells were sensitive to 5-FU, PAC, CDDP, EPI, or L-OHP; the IC value is 0.83 ± 0.45 μg/ml, 0.03 ± 0.02 μg/ml, 1.15 ± 0.75 μg/ml, 0.09 ± 0.03 μg/ml, or 1.76 ± 0.44 μg/ml, respectively. Only eight (8/26), nine (9/26), or five (5/26) patients were sensitive to the IC concentration of CDDP, EPI, or L-OHP; whereas only three (3/26), four (4/26), or two (2/26) patients were sensitive to the IC concentration of CDDP, EPI, or L-OHP. No patients were sensitive to 5-FU or PAC. The in vitro drug sensitivity exanimation revealed the MDR features of HCC and examined the sensitivity of HCC cells from clinical specimens to anti-tumor agents. CD-DST may be a useful method to predict the potential clinical benefits of anticancer agents for HCC patients.