Polysaccharides and Structural Proteins as Components in Three-Dimensional Scaffolds for Breast Cancer Tissue Models: A Review

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and even though treatments are available, efficiency varies with the patients. In vitro 2D models are commonly used to develop new treatments. However, 2D models overestimate drug efficiency, which increases the failure rate in later phase III clinical trials. New model systems that allow extensive and efficient drug screening are thus required. Three-dimensional printed hydrogels containing active components for cancer cell growth are interesting candidates for the preparation of next generation cancer cell models. Macromolecules, obtained from marine- and land-based resources, can form biopolymers (polysaccharides such as alginate, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and cellulose) and bioactive components (structural proteins such as collagen, gelatin, and silk fibroin) in hydrogels with adequate physical properties in terms of porosity, rheology, and mechanical strength. Hence, in this study attention is given to biofabrication methods and to the modification with biological macromolecules to become bioactive and, thus, optimize 3D printed structures that better mimic the cancer cell microenvironment. Ink formulations combining polysaccharides for tuning the mechanical properties and bioactive polymers for controlling cell adhesion is key to optimizing the growth of the cancer cells.

Silk Fibroin Materials: Biomedical Applications and Perspectives

“…Breast Implants Biomedical implants for the treatment of breast cancer are progressively taking a leading role, not only in respect to regenerative medicine but also for advancements in cancer treatment and esthetic applications. Surgeries, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy are being extensively employed for the treatment of oncological conditions, but the efficiency of a specific therapy deeply changes in relation to the patient(s) being treated [228,229].…”

Recent Progress in Nanotechnology Improving the Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenols for Cancer

“…These materials can be designed to encapsulate and release therapeutic agents into tumor cells, mainly as polymer nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanospheres, polymer micelles, and dendrimers, resulting in better treatment outcomes [7]. Some polymeric materials applied in cancer therapy include biodegradable polymers such as poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(caprolactone) (PCL), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and their copolymers [48,49], in addition to polysaccharide-based biopolymers, such as chitosan, sodium alginate, hyaluronic acid, and proteins (such as albumin, gelatin, casein, and elastin) [50,51]. These nanomaterials can still be functionalized for a specific targeted delivery and have been extensively investigated for chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy applications [52].…”

Three-Dimensional Bioprinting in Soft Tissue Engineering for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

“…Furthermore, both materials are printable. In addition, silk fibroin has been shown to promote cellular behavior and host-implant integration [9,[11][12][13].…”