arXiv subjects

Neda Ghousifam

Publications and source records attributed to Neda Ghousifam.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2020

In Vitro Vascularized Tumor Platform for Modeling Tumor-Vasculature Interactions of Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare form of breast cancer associated with increased angiogenesis and metastasis, is largely driven by tumor-stromal interactions with the vasculature and the extracellular matrix (ECM). However, there is currently a lack of understanding of the role these interactions play in initiation and progression of the disease. In this study, we developed the first three-dimensional, in vitro, vascularized, breast tumor platform to quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of tumor-vasculature and tumor-ECM interactions specific to IBC. Platforms consisting of collagen type 1 ECM with an endothelialized blood vessel were cultured with IBC cells, MDA-IBC3 (HER2+) or SUM149 (triple negative), and for comparison to non-IBC cells, MDA-MB-231 (triple negative). An acellular collagen platform with an endothelial blood vessel served as control. SUM149 and MDA-MB-231 platforms exhibited a significantly (p<0.05) higher vessel permeability and decreased endothelial coverage of the vessel lumen compared to the control. Both IBC platforms, MDA-IBC3 and SUM149, expressed higher levels of VEGF (p<0.05) and increased collagen ECM porosity compared to non-IBC MDA-MB-231 (p<0.05) and control (p<0.01) platforms. Additionally, unique to the MDA-IBC3 platform, we observed progressive sprouting of the endothelium over time resulting in viable vessels with lumen. The newly sprouted vessels encircled clusters of MDA-IBC3 cells replicating a feature of in vivo IBC. The IBC in vitro vascularized platforms introduced in this study model well-described in vivo and clinical IBC phenotypes and provide an adaptable, high throughout tool for systematically and quantitatively investigating tumor-stromal mechanisms and dynamics of tumor progression.

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arXiv2019

Effects of Local Concentration Gradients of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) on Monocytes Adhesion and Transendothelial Migration in a Three-Dimensional (3D) In Vitro Vascular Tissue Model

Objective: The main objective of this study was to investigate the formation of MCP-1 concentration gradients within the subendothelial ECM and determine the effect on monocytes migration in response to inflammation. To meet this objective, monocytes migration in a 3D vascular tissue model, containing a matrix where concentration gradients may form, was compared to that in a 2D cell culture model results. Materials: The 3D vascular tissue model consists of human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) grown on the surface of a collagen matrix. The HAEC form an endothelium and the collagen is used to mimic the subendothelial ECM. The 2D cell culture model consisted of HAEC grown on a porous membrane of a Transwell culture insert. Results: An overall greater monocytes adhesion and transendothelial migration was observed in the 3D model compared to the 2D model after 24 h stimulation. Conclusion: MCP-1 transport is different in the 3D vascular tissue model than the 2D microporous membrane model, which results in a difference in monocytes transendothelial migration between the two models. This research will provide new information about the relationship between the MCP-1 concentration gradient and monocytes transendothelial migration.

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arXiv2018

In Vitro Vascularized Liver and Tumor Tissue Microenvironments on a Chip for Dynamic Determination of Nanoparticle Transport and Toxicity

This paper presents the development of a vascularized breast tumor and healthy or tumorigenic liver microenvironments-on-a-chip connected in series. This is the first description of a vascularized multi tissue-on-a-chip microenvironment for modeling cancerous breast and cancerous/healthy liver microenvironments, to allow for the study of dynamic and spatial transport of particles. This device enables the dynamic determination of vessel permeability, the measurement of drug and nanoparticle transport, and the assessment of the associated efficacy and toxicity to the liver. The platform is utilized to determine the effect of particle size on the spatiotemporal diffusion of particles through each microenvironment, both independently and in response to the circulation of particles in varying sequences of microenvironments. The results show that when breast cancer cells were cultured in the microenvironments they had a 2.62-fold higher vessel porosity relative to vessels within healthy liver microenvironments. Hence, the permeability of the tumor microenvironment increased by 2.35- and 2.77-fold compared to a healthy liver for small and large particles, respectively. The ECM accumulation rate of larger particles was 2.57-fold lower than smaller particles in a healthy liver. However, the accumulation rate was 5.57-fold greater in the breast tumor microenvironment. These results are in agreement with comparable in vivo studies. Ultimately, the platform could be utilized to determine the impact of the tissue or tumor microenvironment, or drug and nanoparticle properties, on transport, efficacy, selectivity, and toxicity in a dynamic, and high throughput manner for use in treatment optimization.

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