Tumor spheroid assembly on hyaluronic acid-based structures: A review.
Two-dimensional (2D) cell culture is the main methodology used for screening anticancer therapeutics. However, these 2D cellular models misrepresent the architecture of native tumors, leading, in some cases, to unsuccessful prediction of cancer cell response to drugs. To overcome such limitations, cell growth in three dimensions (3D) arises as an alternative to reproduce in vitro the cellular arrangement found in tumors. Among the 3D cancer models developed so far, spheroids are the most attractive since these are cellular aggregates that broadly mimic many features of solid tumors affecting humans, like cell-cell interactions. One of the most applied techniques for producing spheroids is the liquid overlay technique, in which cells aggregate due to their limited adhesion to certain biomaterials, usually agarose or agar. Recently, the suitability of hyaluronic acid (HA) for spheroids assembly and HA-cell surface receptor interactions has been investigated. Ergo, this review gathers a summary of different studies where HA-based structures were developed and used for tumor spheroids production in order to be used in vitro as reliable 3D tumor models for therapeutic screening purposes.
CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
Marco P
MP
Carvalho
CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
Elisabete C
EC
Costa
CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
Sónia P
SP
Miguel
CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address: icorreia@fcsaude.ubi.pt.
Ilídio J
IJ
Correia
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000187:drug effects
D006820:Hyaluronic Acid
CD44; HA-based structure; Hyaluronic acid; Tumor extracellular matrix; Tumor spheroid