Novel Nanomaterials Enable Biomimetic Models of the Tumor Microenvironment

Abstract

In the complex tumor microenvironment, chemical and mechanical signals from tumor cells, stromal cells, and the surrounding extracellular matrix in uence all aspects of disease progression and response to treatment. Modeling the physical properties of the tumor microenvironment has been a signi cant e ort in the biomaterials eld. One challenge has been the di culty in altering the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix without simultaneously impacting other factors that in uence cell behavior. e development of novel materials based on nanotechnology has enabled recent innovations in tumor cell culture models. Here, we review the various approaches by which the tumor cell microenvironment has been engineered using natural and synthetic gels. We describe new studies that rely on the unique temporal and spatial control a orded by nanomaterials to produce culture platforms that mimic dynamic changes in tumor matrix mechanics. In addition, we look at the frontier of nanomaterial-hydrogel composites to review new approaches for perturbation of mechanochemical control in the tumor microenvironment.

Phenotypic Basis for Matrix Stiffness-Dependent Chemoresistance of Breast Cancer Cells to Doxorubicin

“…This causes calcium (green) to leak from the liposomes and form additional alginate cross-links, thereby stiffening the hydrogel. The above figure was adapted from Joyce et al ( 35 ).…”

The future of cancer therapy: exploring the potential of patient-derived organoids in drug development

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Bioengineered 3D collagen-alginate interpenetrating network (IPN) to elucidate phenotypic switching of cancer associated fibroblasts

“…especially mimicking the bone using bioglass nanoparticles. [95] On the other hand, Zhu et al have also developed a novel biomimetic bone microenvironment using chitosan-based hydrogel incorporated with hydroxyapatite to study structure and crystallinity of the hydroxyapatite on the bone metastasis in breast cancer. Findings show that amorphous-HA and nano-HA induced higher cell adhesion and proliferation compared to macro-HA.…”