Modeling the photodynamic effect in 2D versus 3D cell culture under normoxic and hypoxic conditions

Malgorzata Kucinska; Adam Plewinski; Wojciech Szczolko; Mariusz Kaczmarek; Tomasz Goslinski; Marek Murias

doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.10.304

Modeling the photodynamic effect in 2D versus 3D cell culture under normoxic and hypoxic conditions

Free Radic Biol Med. 2021 Jan:162:309-326. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.10.304. Epub 2020 Oct 23.

Authors

Malgorzata Kucinska¹, Adam Plewinski², Wojciech Szczolko³, Mariusz Kaczmarek⁴, Tomasz Goslinski³, Marek Murias⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Dojazd 30 Street, 60-631, Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: kucinska@ump.edu.pl.
² Centre for Advanced Technologies, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytet Poznanski 10 Street, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
³ Department of Chemical Technology of Drugs, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Grunwaldzka 6 Street, 60-780, Poznan, Poland.
⁴ Department of Cancer Immunology, Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Garbary 15 Street, 61-866, Poznan, Poland; Department of Cancer Diagnostics and Immunology, Gene Therapy Unit, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Garbary 15 Street, 61-866, Poznan, Poland.
⁵ Department of Toxicology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Dojazd 30 Street, 60-631, Poznan, Poland; Centre for Advanced Technologies, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytet Poznanski 10 Street, 61-614, Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: marek.murias@ump.edu.pl.

PMID: 33141030
DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.10.304

Abstract

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT), mainly as a combined therapy, can still be considered a promising technology for targeted cancer treatment. Besides the several and essential benefits of PDT, there are some concerns and limitations, such as complex dosimetry, tumor hypoxia, and other mechanisms of resistance. In this study, we present how the cell culture model and cell culture conditions may affect the response to PDT treatment. It was studied by applying two different 3D cell culture, non-scaffold, and hydrogel-based models under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. In parallel, a detailed mechanism of the action of zinc phthalocyanine M2TG3 was presented.

Methods: Hydrogel-based and tumor spheroids consisting of LNCaP cells, were used as 3D cell culture models in experiments performed under normoxic and hypoxic (1% of oxygen) conditions. Several analyses were performed to compare the activity of M2TG3 under different conditions, such as cytotoxicity, the level of proapoptotic and stress-related proteins, caspase activity, and antioxidant gene expression status. Additionally, we tested bioluminescence and fluorescence assays as a useful approach for a hydrogel-based 3D cell culture.

Results: We found that M2TG3 might lead to apoptotic cancer cell death and is strongly dependent on the model and oxygen availability. Moreover, the expression of the genes modulated in the antioxidative system in 2D and 3D cell culture models were presented. The tested bioluminescence assay revealed several advantages, such as repetitive measurements on the same sample and simultaneous analysis of different parameters due to the non-lysing nature of this assay.

Conclusions: It was shown that M2TG3 can effectively cause cancer cell death via a different mechanism, depending on cell culture conditions such as the model and oxygen availability.

Keywords: 3D cell culture; Hydrogels; Hypoxia; Oxidative stress; Photodynamic therapy; Phthalocyanines; Spheroids.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Apoptosis
Cell Culture Techniques
Cell Line, Tumor
Humans
Hypoxia
Photochemotherapy*