title: Spheroid formation of human thyroid cancer cells under simulated microgravity: a possible role of CTGF and CAV1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) formed scaffold-free under microgravity are of high interest for research and medicine. Their formation mechanism can be studied in space in real microgravity or on Earth using ground-based facilities (GBF), which simulate microgravity. On Earth, these experiments are more cost-efficient and easily performable. However, each GBF might exert device-specific and altered superimposingly gravity-dependent effects on the cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FTC-133 human thyroid cancer cells were cultivated on a 2D clinostat (CN) and a random positioning machine (RPM) and compared with corresponding 1 g control cells. Harvested cell samples were investigated by microscopy, quantitative realtime-PCR and Multi-Analyte Profiling. Spheroid formation and growth occurred during 72 h of cultivation on both devices. Cytokine secretion and gene activation patterns frequently altered in different ways, when the cells were cultured either on the RPM or the CN. A decreased expression of CAV1 and CTGF in MCTS compared to adherent cells was observed after cultivation on both machines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development of MCTS proceeds similarly on the RPM and the CN resembling the situation observed under real microgravity conditions, while no MCTS formation was observed at 1 g under identical experimental conditions. Simultaneously, changes in the regulation of CTGF and CAV1 appeared in a comparable manner on both machines. A relationship between these molecules and MCTS formation is discussed.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Warnke
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pietsch
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wehland
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Infanger
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Görög
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hemmersbach
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jayashree
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sahana
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Plastic, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany. daniela.grimm@farm.au.dk.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grimm
mesh_terms: D051242:Caveolin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014893:Weightlessness
chemical_list: C495540:CAV1 protein, human; C526317:CCN2 protein, human; D051242:Caveolin 1; D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor