Ultrasound-induced Cavitation enhances the efficacy of Chemotherapy in a 3D Model of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma with its microenvironment

Sci Rep. 2019 Dec 12;9(1):18916. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-55388-0.

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is supported by a complex microenvironment whose physical contribution to chemoresistance could be overcome by ultrasound (US) therapy. This study aims to investigate the ability of US-induced inertial cavitation in association with chemotherapy to alter tumor cell viability via microenvironment disruption. For this purpose, we used a 3D-coculture PDAC model partially mimicking the tumor and its microenvironment. Coculture spheroids combining DT66066 cells isolated from KPC-transgenic mice and murine embryonic fibroblasts (iMEF) were obtained by using a magnetic nanoshuttle method. Spheroids were exposed to US with incremental inertial cavitation indexes. Conditions studied included control, gemcitabine, US-cavitation and US-cavitation + gemcitabine. Spheroid viability was assessed by the reduction of resazurin and flow cytometry. The 3D-coculture spheroid model incorporated activated fibroblasts and produced type 1-collagen, thus providing a partial miniature representation of tumors with their microenvironment. Main findings were: (a) Gemcitabine (5 μM) was significantly less cytotoxic in the presence of KPC/iMEFs spheroids compared with KPC (fibroblast-free) spheroids; (b) US-induced inertial cavitation combined with Gemcitabine significantly decreased spheroid viability compared to Gemcitabine alone; (c) both cavitation and chemotherapy affected KPC cell viability but not that of fibroblasts, confirming the protective role of the latter vis-à-vis tumor cells. Gemcitabine toxicity is enhanced when cocultured spheroids of KPC and iMEF are exposed to US-cavitation. Although the model used is only a partial representation of PDAC, this experience supports the hypothesis that US-inertial cavitation can enhance drug penetration and cytotoxicity by disrupting PDAC microenvironment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal* / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal* / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal* / therapy
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxycytidine / pharmacology
  • Gemcitabine
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neoplasms, Experimental* / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Experimental* / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental* / therapy
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Spheroids, Cellular / metabolism
  • Spheroids, Cellular / pathology
  • Tumor Microenvironment / drug effects*
  • Ultrasonic Therapy*

Substances

  • Deoxycytidine
  • Gemcitabine