Spheres Derived from Lung Adenocarcinoma Pleural Effusions: Molecular Characterization and Tumor Engraftment

Abstract

Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) could represent an excellent source to culture a wide variety of cancer cells from different donors. In this study, we set up culture conditions for cancer cells deriving from MPEs of several patients affected by the most frequent form of lung cancer, namely the subset of non small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) classified as Lung Adenocarcinomas (AdenoCa) which account for approximately 40% of lung cancer cases. AdenoCa malignant pleural effusions gave rise to in vitro cultures both in adherent and/or in spheroid conditions in almost all cases analyzed. We characterized in greater detail two samples which showed the most efficient propagation in vitro. In these samples we also compared gene profiles of spheroid vs adherent cultures and identified a set of differentially expressed genes. Finally we achieved efficient tumor engraftment in recipient NOD/SCID mice, also upon inoculation of small number of cells, thus suggesting indirectly the presence of tumor initiating cells.

Lung Cancer Stem Cell Lose Their Stemness Default State after Exposure to Microgravity

“…The capability to generate spheroids correlated with increased ALDH activity, as well as with Nanog and Oct-4 mRNA expression [19, 20]. …”

Immunomagnetic detection of cancer cells in pleural effusion of generalized cancer

“…The idea of identifying malignant cells in bodily fluid specimens to assess the stage of cancer patients more accurately is quite old [1,6,7]. The primary aim of this www.fhc.viamedica.pl short study was to isolate a pure cancer cell fraction from the MPE of patients as quickly as possible.…”

“…The cells are an enormous source of research material to be tested in relationship to guided oncological treatment [21]. Effusions may offer a unique in situ milieu to establish a 'pre-metastatic niche' [1]. We expect that thanks to our methodology it will be possible to test the chemosensitivity of the in vitro grown patients' MPE-enriched cells to recommend the most effective treatment.…”

“…Malignant pleural effusions (MPE) are common clinical problems in patients with neoplastic diseases (e.g. lung, breast, and ovary carcinoma, lymphomas, mesothelioma) [1].…”

“…MPEs gave rise to in vitro cultures both in adherent and/or in spheroid conditions [1,8] www.fhc.viamedica.pl SCID mice gave rise to metastasizing tumors, which suggests indirectly the presence of tumor initiating cells in the MPE [1].…”