Method for culturing primary cancer cells through simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming and applications thereof
12577537 ยท 2026-03-17
Assignee
Inventors
- Haiquan LU (Jinan, CN)
- Jia LIU (Jinan, CN)
- Guangyu JI (Jinan, CN)
- Zhaoxue YU (Jinan, CN)
- Ziliang NIE (Jinan, CN)
Cpc classification
C12N2525/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N2509/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
International classification
Abstract
A cultivation method for simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming of primary cancer cells and related culture media and reagents are in the field of biotechnology. A multi-directional G-force generator is used to simulate a 10.sup.3 g microgravity environment, inducing reprogramming of cancer/cancer-adjacent tissue cells derived from patients, maintaining stemness of primary cell populations, and achieving rapid, long-term, high-fidelity cultivation of tissue cells from patients. Using this cultivation method, 10.sup.6 cells can be obtained within 7 days from a 1 mm.sup.3 tissue block acquired during surgery for drug screening. Specially formulated culture media, washing solutions, and digestion solutions are also provided, effectively solving problems of contamination susceptibility and difficult digestion of clinical samples. The established cancer cell models maintain highly similar genetic characteristics to the original tissue and can reflect differences in drug sensitivity between different patients, providing a powerful tool for precision cancer treatment.
Claims
1. A method for simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming of primary cancer cells, comprising: obtaining cancerous tissue from a patient with cancer, digesting the cancerous tissue with a digestion solution and washing the cancerous tissue with washing solutions to obtain cancer cells for cultivation, cultivating the cancer cells in a culture medium using a multi-directional G-force generator to simulate a space microgravity environment, wherein the microgravity environment is 10.sup.3 g with a fluctuation range of plus or minus 10%, wherein a cultivation duration in the microgravity environment is 6.5-7.5 days; wherein the culture medium used in the method comprises: 310-350 ml Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM), 100-120 ml Ham's F12 nutrient mixture, 40-60 ml fetal bovine serum (FBS), 4-6 ml 200 mM glutamine solution, 4-6 ml penicillin-streptomycin mixture with penicillin at a concentration of 10 kU/ml and streptomycin at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, 400-600 L hydrocortisone/epidermal growth factor (EGF) solution, 240-260 L 10 mg/ml insulin, 4-6 L 25 mg/ml amphotericin B, 90-110 L 50 mg/ml gentamicin, 0.5-1.5 L 5 mg/ml cholera toxin, and 480-520 L 10 mM Y-27632; wherein hydrocortisone/EGF solution is prepared by combining 25 L of 0.1 mg/ml EGF solution with 19 ml of DMEM and 1 ml of 0.5 mg/ml hydrocortisone; wherein the cancer is breast cancer; wherein the washing solutions used for washing comprise solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D, wherein the solution A comprises: 400-600 ml phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), 4-6 ml penicillin-streptomycin mixture with penicillin at a concentration of 10 kU/ml and streptomycin at a concentration of 10 mg/ml, and 4-6 l 25 mg/ml amphotericin B; the solution B comprises: 400-600 ml of the aforementioned culture medium and 8-12 ml penicillin-streptomycin mixture with penicillin at a concentration of 10 kU/ml and streptomycin at a concentration of 10 mg/ml; the solution C is penicillin-streptomycin mixture with penicillin at a concentration of 10 kU/ml and streptomycin at a concentration of 10 mg/ml; and the solution D is 0.04-0.06 wt % trypsin solution.
2. The method for simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming of primary cancer cells according to claim 1, wherein the method employs a gravity control system, and wherein the gravity control system is configured with an outer shaft rotation speed of maximum 8 rpm and minimum 6 rpm for a rotating frame, and an inner shaft rotation speed of maximum 5 rpm and minimum 3 rpm.
3. The method for simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming of primary cancer cells according to claim 1, wherein the washing comprises the following steps: S1: centrifuging a tumor tissue sample after digestion, discarding a resulting tissue digestion solution, thoroughly washing resulting cells using the solution A; centrifuging and discarding the solution A; resuspending the cells in the solution Band culturing; S2: observing the next day, if the culture medium is turbid but no obvious fungal hyphae are present: aspirating and discarding the solution B from flask; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution A; aspirating and discarding the solution A; repeating the above operations 2-4 times, then continuing cultivation using the solution B; if the culture medium is turbid and obvious fungal hyphae are present: aspirating and discarding the solution B from flask; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution A; aspirating and discarding the solution A; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution C; aspirating and discarding the solution C; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution D for 1-3 min; aspirating and discarding the solution D; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution A; aspirating and discarding the solution A; repeating the above operations 2-4 times, then continuing cultivation using the solution B; S3: observing daily and repeating the above S2 operation, until the cells recover to a sterile state after three days, then using the culture medium for cultivation.
4. The method for simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming of primary cancer cells according to claim 1, wherein a digestion solution used for digestion comprises: 800-1000 L Collagenase/Hyaluronidase DMEM solution prepared from a 10 Collagenase/hyaluronidase in DMEM, 7800-8400 L of the aforementioned culture medium, and 2-5 ml of Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) solution of dispase, wherein a concentration of the dispase in HBSS is 4-6 U/ml.
5. The method for simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming of primary cancer cells according to claim 1, further comprising obtaining cancer-adjacent tissue from the same patient, and washing the cancer-adjacent tissue with the washing solutions to obtain cancer-adjacent cells for cultivation.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The drawings described herein are provided to offer further understanding of the present application, constituting a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute improper limitations on the present application. In the drawings:
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(21) The present application will be described in detail in conjunction with embodiments below, but the present application is not limited to these embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, the materials and catalysts in the embodiments of the present application are all purchased through commercial channels.
(22) Tumor cell models are indispensable core elements in cancer research and drug development. However, the currently widely used tumor cell line models cannot reflect characteristics such as tumor heterogeneity and tumor microenvironment, and can no longer meet the needs of the era of precision cancer treatment. Therefore, developing new individualized tumor models is of great significance for promoting precision cancer treatment. With the development of space science and technology, the effects of microgravity environment on human physiological functions are becoming research hotspots in the biomedical field. Space biology research indicates that gravity changes can lead to changes in various biological properties of tumor cells, including changes in tumor cell stemness. Through research, the inventors discovered that adherent breast cancer cells, after being cultured in a microgravity environment for a period of time, can suspend in the culture medium and self-assemble into 3D spheroid structures, and these 3D spheroids have biological properties similar to those of tumor stem cells.
(23) Based on this discovery, the inventors further explored the phenotypic basis for simulated microgravity environment inducing reprogramming of primary breast cancer cells into breast cancer stem cells. Based on these studies, the inventors believe that simulated microgravity environment can induce reprogramming of primary breast cancer cells, promote the transformation of breast cancer cells into breast cancer stem cells, and by using simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming cultivation method, through increasing the proportion of stem cells in the breast cancer cell population, maintain the viability of cancer cell populations, thereby achieving long-term in vitro expansion of primary breast cancer cells derived from patients.
(24) In the present application, starting from the 3D spheroids with properties similar to tumor stem cells that can be obtained through cultivation in simulated microgravity environment, the inventors successfully established a new primary cancer/cancer-adjacent tissue cell cultivation method based on simulated microgravity-induced reprogramming, and analyzed the molecular mechanism of simulated microgravity inducing reprogramming of primary cancer cells, explored the clinical application of microgravity-induced reprogramming, breaking through the predicament that existing tumor models cannot meet the needs of precision cancer treatment, promoting the process of precision cancer treatment at the source. The research pathway of the inventors is shown in
(25) Different from the currently existing mature in vitro cell models, the cell models in the present application are obtained through microgravity environment cultivation based on patient cancer/cancer-adjacent tissue samples from surgery. On one hand, the growth state and conditions of tissue cells from patients themselves may differ greatly. For example, ovarian cancer tissue requires open abdominal operations during surgery, and cancer tissue growth may develop to close to bacterial environments (such as the vagina), so the tissue or cells obtained after surgery are very susceptible to bacterial contamination. On the other hand, cancer/cancer-adjacent tissue samples from patients are very rare and small in quantity, and cannot be repeatedly obtained, so these samples are very precious. Therefore, the processing and cultivation conditions are very strict, requiring high stability of successful cultivation. Lastly, the present application focuses on cultivation of cancer tissue/cancer-adjacent tissue in a microgravity environment, which differs from conventional cultivation conditions, so there are different requirements for culture medium and cultivation conditions.
(26) The chemical reagent specifications involved in the present application are shown in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.
(27) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Sources of Culture Medium Reagents Name Brand Catalog Number DMEM Vivacell C3113 Ham's F-12 nutrient mixture Gibco 11765054 Fetal bovine serum (FBS) Gibco 10091148 L-glutamine (200 mM) Solarbio G0200 Penicillin-streptomycin mixture Solarbio P1400 (100) Hydrocortisone/EGF solution Hydrocortisone purchased Hydrocortisone catalog number: from MCE; EGF HY-N0583, EGF catalog purchased from Stemcell number: 78006.1 Insulin Procell PB180432 Amphotericin B MCE HY-K1052 Gentamicin sulfate solution Solarbio L1312 Cholera toxin MCE HY-P1446 Y-27632 ENZO ALX-270-333-M025
(28) Wherein, preparation steps of the hydrocortisone/EGF solution are as follows: mixing 100 mg of hydrocortisone powder with 10 mL of anhydrous ethanol to prepare 10 mg/mL hydrocortisone solution; taking 1 mL of the above 10 mg/mL hydrocortisone solution, adding 19 mL of anhydrous ethanol to obtain 20 mL of 0.5 mg/mL hydrocortisone solution; combining 100 g EGF with 1 mL of water to obtain 0.1 mg/mL EGF solution; taking 25 L of the above EGF solution, adding 19 mL of DMEM to obtain EGF solution. Finally, combining 1 mL of 0.5 mg/mL hydrocortisone with 19 mL of EGF solution to prepare 20 mL of hydrocortisone/EGF solution, aliquoting and storing at 20 C. for later use.
(29) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Sources of Washing Solution Reagents Name Brand Catalog Number 1 PBS buffer (pH7.2~7.4) Solarbio P1020 Penicillin-streptomycin mixture (100) Solarbio P1400 Amphotericin B MCE HY-K1052 0.05% Trypsin Beyotime C0202
(30) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Sources of Digestion Solution Reagents Name Brand Catalog Number 10X Collagenase/hyaluronidase in DMEM Stemcell 07912 5 U/mL dispase in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution Stemcell 07913
(31) Wherein, penicillin-streptomycin mixture is a commonly used reagent in this field. In the present application, penicillin-streptomycin mixture contains penicillin at a concentration of 10 kU/mL and streptomycin at a concentration of 10 mg/mL; PBS buffer is a commonly used reagent in this field. In the present application, main components and concentrations in PBS buffer are KH.sub.2PO.sub.4 1.8 mM, Na.sub.2HPO.sub.4.Math.12H.sub.2O 8.0 mM, NaCl 137.0 mM.
Example 1: Optimization of Microgravity Cultivation Conditions
(32) The present application induced reprogramming of primary cancer cells derived from patients through a simulated microgravity environment to achieve long-term in vitro cultivation. To obtain optimal cultivation effects, the inventors first systematically optimized key parameters of microgravity cultivation. The following optimization experiments were mainly conducted using primary breast cancer cells obtained from surgical patients to ensure that the optimization results had direct reference value for clinical samples.
(33) 1) Selection and Parameter Setting of Microgravity Simulation System
(34) The present application employed the Gravite gravity control system for microgravity environment simulation. This system generated simulated microgravity effects in Earth's gravity environment through a rotation mechanism. After multiple experimental comparisons, the optimal rotation parameters were determined to be: outer shaft rotation speed of the rotating frame set to maximum 8 rpm and minimum 6 rpm, inner shaft rotation speed set to maximum 5 rpm and minimum 3 rpm, controlling the microgravity environment at 10.sup.3 g, with fluctuations controlled within 10% range.
(35) The basic steps of microgravity cultivation were as follows: primary breast cancer cells that had undergone digestion treatment were inoculated into T25 culture flasks, allowed to completely adhere to the wall after static culture for 24 hours in a conventional CO.sub.2 cell incubator, then the culture flasks were fixed on the rotating frame of the Gravite gravity control system and placed in a CO.sub.2 cell incubator for microgravity cultivation. Throughout the entire cultivation process, the incubator temperature was maintained at 37 C., CO.sub.2 concentration at 5%, and relative humidity at 95%.
(36) 2) Optimization of Cultivation Duration
(37) When cultivating primary breast cancer cells in a microgravity environment, the inventors found that cultivation duration had the most significant impact on the final results.
(38) As shown in
(39) To verify the universal applicability of this optimization result, the inventors also conducted similar experiments using primary ovarian cancer cells and lung cancer cells. The results similarly indicated that a cultivation duration of around 7 days was optimal, confirming that this parameter was applicable to various types of primary cancer cells.
(40) The inventors speculated that the reason for this result was: 3 days of cultivation was not sufficient to complete the reprogramming process, and cells could not fully acquire stem cell characteristics; while cultivation durations exceeding 7 days would lead to excessive growth of cell spheres, insufficient internal nutrition and oxygen supply, ultimately resulting in poor cell condition or even apoptosis. The cultivation time of around 7 days was just right to allow primary cancer cells to complete the reprogramming process while maintaining good growth conditions.
(41) Through the optimization of microgravity cultivation conditions described above, standardized experimental parameters were provided for subsequent cancer cell cultivation, ensuring the stability and reproducibility of cultivation results. Based on this, the culture medium formulation screening, optimization of washing solutions and digestion solutions, and cultivation experiments of different types of cancer cells in subsequent examples all utilized the optimized microgravity cultivation conditions mentioned above.
Example 2: Culture Medium Formulations and Experiments
(42) Based on the microgravity cultivation conditions determined in Example 1 (outer shaft rotation speed of the Gravite gravity control system at maximum 8 rpm and minimum 6 rpm, inner shaft rotation speed at maximum 5 rpm and minimum 3 rpm, microgravity environment at 10.sup.3 g with fluctuation range of 10%, cultivation duration of 6.57.5 days), the inventors further investigated culture medium formulations suitable for culturing tumor cells in a microgravity environment. Through extensive experimentation and repeated optimization, the inventors obtained the following culture medium formulations and their comparative effects.
(43) Culture Medium 1 #
(44) A culture medium for culturing cancer cells in a microgravity environment, comprising: 330 mL DMEM, 110 mL Ham's F12 nutrient mixture, 50 mL fetal bovine serum (FBS), 5 mL 200 mM glutamine solution, 5 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture, 500 L hydrocortisone/epidermal growth factor solution, 250 L 10 mg/mL insulin, 5 L 25 mg/mL amphotericin B, 100 L 50 mg/mL gentamicin, 1 L 5 mg/mL cholera toxin, and 500 L 10 mM Y-27632.
(45) Culture Medium 2 #
(46) A culture medium for culturing cancer cells in a microgravity environment, comprising: 310 mL DMEM, 100 mL Ham's F12 nutrient mixture, 60 mL fetal bovine serum (FBS), 4 mL 200 mM glutamine solution, 6 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture, 400 L hydrocortisone/epidermal growth factor solution, 260 L 10 mg/mL insulin, 4 L 25 mg/mL amphotericin B, 110 L 50 mg/mL gentamicin, 1.5 L 5 mg/mL cholera toxin, and 480 L 10 mM Y-27632.
(47) Culture Medium 3 #
(48) A culture medium for culturing cancer cells in a microgravity environment, comprising: 350 mL DMEM, 120 mL Ham's F12 nutrient mixture, 40 mL fetal bovine serum (FBS), 6 mL 200 mM glutamine solution, 4 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture, 600 L hydrocortisone/epidermal growth factor solution, 240 L 10 mg/mL insulin, 6 L 25 mg/mL amphotericin B, 90 L 50 mg/mL gentamicin, 0.5 L 5 mg/mL cholera toxin, and 520 L 10 mM Y-27632.
(49) Comparative Culture Medium D1 #
(50) BLM culture medium from patent CN109355261B, comprising: DMEM and serum-free medium SFM mixed at a volume ratio of 1:3, with the addition of 5% (v/v) fetal bovine serum, as well as 5 g/mL insulin, 25 ng/ml hydrocortisone, 0.1 nM cholera toxin, 0.125 ng/mL epidermal growth factor, 10 mg/mL gentamicin, 250 ng/ml amphotericin B, 1 M A83-01 selective inhibitor, 5 M Y-27632, 3 M isoproterenol, filtered through a 0.22 m pore size filter membrane.
(51) Comparative Culture Medium D2 #
(52) Culture medium from patent CN114736870B, comprising: Advanced DMEM/F12, and the following components based on Advanced DMEM/F12: 1 v % penicillin-streptomycin, 1 v % GlutaMAX, 1 v % HEPES buffer, 100 ng/mL fibroblast growth factor, 50 ng/mL EGF, 0.1 mol/L A83-01, 500 ng/mL Wnt3a recombinant protein, 0.1 g/mL Noggin recombinant protein, 0.1 g/mL R-spondin-1 recombinant protein, 1 mMol/L N-acetylcysteine, 10 mmol/L Nicotinamide, 2 v % B27 supplement, 1 mol/L dexamethasone, 1 v % N-2 supplement, 10 mol/L Y-27632.
(53) Comparative Culture Medium D3 #
(54) FM culture medium from patent WO 2021/179354, comprising: 65 v % DMEM culture medium, 10 v % fetal bovine serum, 25 v % Ham's F12 nutrient solution, 25 ng/mL hydrocortisone, 0.125 ng/mL epidermal growth factor, 5 g/mL insulin, 250 ng/ml amphotericin B, 10 g/mL gentamicin, 0.1 nM cholera toxin, 10 M Y27632.
(55) Comparative Culture Medium D4 #
(56) HCCM culture medium from patent WO2021/179354, comprising: 1% (v/v) N-2, 10 ng/mL epidermal growth factor, 20 ng/mL hepatocyte growth factor, 20 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor, 250 ng/mL R-spondin1, 250 ng/mL glutamine, 1 M non-essential amino acids, 5 ng/ml insulin, 10 M Y27632, 5 ng/ml IL-6, 90 v % DMEM/F12 culture medium, 10 v % fetal bovine serum, 400 ng/ml hydrocortisone, 1 v % streptomycin-penicillin, 0.1 v % Primocin, 2% (v/v) B27.
(57) Comparative Culture Medium D5 #
(58) Human colorectal cancer organoid culture medium from patent CN112195152B, comprising: B27, N-2, GlutaMAX, 515 nM Gastrin, 0.51.5 mM N-acetyl cysteine, 90110 g/mL gentamicin, 11.5 g/mL amphotericin B, 90110 g/mL primocin, 815 M SB202190, 515 UM Y-27632, 4555 ng/mL EGF, 46 ng/mL FGF, 46% (v/v) FBS DMEM/F12 culture medium.
(59) Culture Medium Screening and Comparison Experiments
(60) Culture Medium 1 # and Comparative Culture Media D1 #D5 # were used to conduct cultivation comparisons under microgravity conditions on samples from the same breast cancer patient. The specific steps were as follows: breast cancer cells that had undergone digestion treatment were inoculated into T25 culture flasks containing different culture media, allowed to completely adhere to the wall after static culture for 24 hours in a conventional CO.sub.2 incubator, then each culture flask was fixed on the rotating frame of the Gravite gravity control system and cultured for 7 days under the microgravity conditions determined in Example 1, followed by observation and comparison of cell growth conditions. As shown in
(61) The reasons for the different performances of various culture media in a microgravity environment were analyzed as follows: in D1 #, 1 M A83-01 selective inhibitor was added. A83-01 is an effective inhibitor of TGF- type I receptor kinase ALK5, as well as ALK4 and ALK7, which can effectively reduce cell adhesion increased by TGF-1. According to the results shown in
(62) In D2 # and D4 #, 100 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml of fibroblast growth factor were added, respectively. Fibroblast growth factor, as a polypeptide secreted by the pituitary and hypothalamus, can promote fibroblast mitosis, while the proliferation of fibroblasts inhibits the growth of cancer cells. The inventors speculated that the fibroblast factors added therein led to the failure to achieve tumor cell cultivation in a microgravity environment.
(63) D3 # had components relatively similar to culture medium 1 #, but the proportions of DMEM culture medium and F12 nutrient solution were different. In addition, D3 # did not contain penicillin-streptomycin mixture and glutamine solution, which might be the reason for the significantly fewer cells cultured in a microgravity environment in the D3 # results compared to culture medium 1 #.
(64) In D5 #, the culture medium was human colorectal cancer organoid culture medium, so using it to culture non-colorectal cancer cells resulted in cells being unable to proliferate in vitro or death.
(65) Through the above culture medium screening experiments, it was confirmed that the culture medium formulations provided by the present application (culture media 1 #, 2 #, 3 #) were particularly suitable for cultivating primary cancer cells in a microgravity environment, could effectively support the growth and reprogramming of cancer cells under microgravity conditions, and provided a critical cultivation foundation for the subsequent establishment of cancer cell models.
Example 3: Washing Solution Formulations and Decontamination Experiments
(66) During the process of cultivating primary cancer cells in a microgravity environment, contamination of tissue samples presented a significant challenge. Fungal contamination was particularly problematic because culture media contaminated with fungi typically remained clear and transparent, and did not exhibit the major outbreak pattern seen with bacterial infections, making it difficult to detect in the early stages. When observed under a microscope, fungal contamination sometimes appeared filamentous, sometimes coral-like, and as cultivation time extended, very fine black filaments gradually developed.
(67) In conventional cultivation processes, once fungal contamination was observed under the microscope, the culture was typically discarded directly, and the cultivation environment thoroughly disinfected and sterilized. However, the tumor cells cultivated in the present application came from precious tumor samples from patients after surgery. These samples were typically difficult to obtain and could not be repeatedly acquired, making them extremely valuable. At the same time, tumor samples collected during surgery were prone to fungal contamination due to factors such as the surgical process and the environment where tumor cells grew. Therefore, developing an effective washing solution and washing method was crucial for ensuring the success rate of microgravity cultivation.
(68) Washing Solution 1 #
(69) A cancer cell washing solution, comprising: solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D; wherein the solution A comprised: 500 mL PBS buffer, 5 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture, and 5 L 25 mg/ml amphotericin B; the solution B comprised: 500 mL of culture medium 1 # from Example 1 and 10 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture; the solution C was penicillin-streptomycin mixture; the solution D was 0.05 wt % trypsin solution.
(70) Washing Solution 2 #
(71) A cancer cell washing solution, comprising: solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D; wherein the solution A comprised: 600 mL PBS buffer, 4 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture, and 4 L 25 mg/ml amphotericin B; the solution B comprised: 400 mL of culture medium 1 # from Example 1 and 8 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture; the solution C was penicillin-streptomycin mixture; the solution D was 0.04 wt % trypsin solution.
(72) Washing Solution 3 #
(73) A cancer cell washing solution, comprising: solution A, solution B, solution C, and solution D; wherein the solution A comprised: 400 mL PBS buffer, 6 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture, and 6 L 25 mg/ml amphotericin B; the solution B comprised: 600 mL of culture medium 1 # from Example 1 and 12 mL penicillin-streptomycin mixture; the solution C was penicillin-streptomycin mixture; the solution D was 0.06 wt % trypsin solution.
(74) Washing Method
(75) A cancer tissue washing method, using washing solution from washing solution 1 #, comprising the following steps: S1: after tissue digestion and centrifugation, discarding the tissue digestion solution, thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using 1 mL of the solution A; centrifuging and discarding the solution A; resuspending cells in an appropriate amount of the solution B and transferring to a T25 cell culture flask for cultivation. S2: Observation and Assessment
(76) Observing the next day, if the culture medium was turbid but no obvious fungal hyphae were present: aspirating and discarding the solution B from the flask; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution A; aspirating and discarding the solution A; repeating the above operations 24 times, then continuing cultivation using the solution B.
(77) If the culture medium was turbid and obvious fungal hyphae were present: aspirating and discarding the solution B from the flask; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution A; aspirating and discarding the solution A; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution C; aspirating and discarding the solution C; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution D for 13 min; aspirating and discarding the solution D; thoroughly washing cells by pipette trituration using the solution A; aspirating and discarding the solution A; repeating the above operations 24 times, then continuing cultivation using the solution B. S3: Observing daily and repeating the above operations until the cells recovered to a normal sterile state after three days, i.e., the culture medium was clear, and no bacteria or fungal hyphae were observed in the field of view under the microscope, then adding culture medium 1 # for routine cultivation.
Washing Effect Test
(78) The inventors studied the decontamination effect of washing solution 1 # on fungi under microgravity cultivation conditions, observing the decontamination effect through the above washing method.
(79) The results are shown in
(80) Analysis of Washing Solution Mechanism
(81) The mechanism of action for each component in the washing solution of the present application was as follows: in the washing solution of the present application, the penicillin-streptomycin mixture added in the solution A effectively removed bacteria, while amphotericin B effectively removed fungi.
(82) In the solution B, the volume fraction of penicillin-streptomycin was doubled compared to normal, and relevant results showed that this effectively inhibited microbial growth while having minimal impact on cell proliferation.
(83) The penicillin-streptomycin stock solution in the solution C could rapidly eliminate microorganisms at high concentrations in a short time.
(84) The trypsin solution in the solution D could rapidly digest cells in poor condition due to microbial infection at high concentrations in a short time, thus eliminating potential pathogens.
(85) Through this multi-step washing method, the present application successfully solved the contamination problem in the microgravity cultivation of primary cancer cells, greatly improved the cultivation success rate, and provided an important guarantee for the effective utilization of precious tumor samples from patients.
Example 4: Digestion Solution Formulations and Digestion Methods
(86) In establishing microgravity cultivation models of cancer cells derived from patients, the digestion treatment of tissues was a crucial step. Tissue blocks obtained from patient surgeries needed to be separated into single cell suspensions through effective digestion methods before subsequent cultivation could be performed. Selecting appropriate digestion solutions and optimizing digestion methods played a decisive role in obtaining sufficient quantities and good quality primary cancer cells.
(87) Digestion Solution 1 #
(88) A cancer cell digestion solution, comprising: 900 L Collagenase/Hyaluronidase DMEM solution, 8100 L of culture medium 1 # from Example 1, and 3 mL of dispase HBSS solution, wherein a concentration of dispase in HBSS was 5 U/mL.
(89) Digestion Solution 2 #
(90) A cancer cell digestion solution, comprising: 1000 L Collagenase/Hyaluronidase DMEM solution, 7800 L of culture medium 1 # from Example 1, and 2 mL of dispase HBSS solution, wherein a concentration of dispase in HBSS was 6 U/mL.
(91) Digestion Solution 3 #
(92) A cancer cell digestion solution, comprising: 800 L Collagenase/Hyaluronidase DMEM solution, 8400 L of culture medium 1 # from Example 1, and 5 mL of dispase HBSS solution, wherein a concentration of dispase in HBSS was 4 U/mL.
(93) Digestion Method 1 #
(94) A cancer cell digestion method, using digestion solution 1 #, comprising the following steps: S1: pouring 80 mL of anhydrous ethanol into a 100 ml beaker, placing ophthalmic forceps and blades in the beaker, placing the beaker in a clean bench, and thoroughly sterilizing the ophthalmic forceps and blades; S2: transferring the prepared digestion solution into 15 mL centrifuge tubes, 6 mL per tube; S3: using the ophthalmic forceps to clamp tissue, placing the tissue in a 10 mL sterile culture dish, and subsequently cutting the tissue into millet-sized pieces using the blade; S4: transferring the minced tissue mash into a centrifuge tube containing tissue digestion solution, clearly marking the tissue source, such as patient name, on the tube cap and tube body, tightening the tube cap, wrapping with sealing film, and placing on a 37 C. shaker at a speed of 220 rpm for 4 h to thoroughly digest the tissue. The digestion conditions could be fine-tuned, such as placing on a 371 C. shaker at a speed of 200250 rpm for 3.54.5 h to thoroughly digest the tissue.
Comparative Digestion Method D1 #
(95) This comparison was basically the same as digestion method 1 #, with the difference being a use of 0.25% trypsin on a 37 C. shaker at 220 rpm for 4 h digestion.
(96) Comparative Digestion Method D2 #
(97) This comparison was basically the same as digestion method 1 #, with the difference being a use of collagenase IV on a 37 C. shaker at 220 rpm for 4 h digestion.
(98) Digestion Effect Comparison Experiment
(99) Digestion method 1 # was the digestion method of the present application, while the comparative methods D1 # and D2 # are enzyme-based protocols commonly used in laboratories for isolating primary cancer tissues. The enzymes used and their application protocols differ from those of the present invention. To confirm the digestion effect of digestion method 1 #, the inventors digested cancer tissue from the same patient using the operation methods described in digestion method 1 # and comparative digestion methods D1 # and D2 #.
(100) As shown in
(101) Analysis of Differences in Digestion Effects
(102) Trypsin is currently the most widely used cell/tissue digestion reagent, but it is suitable for digesting soft tissues with relatively little interstitial cells. Cancer tissues contain many interstitial cells, and most cancer tissues are relatively hard, which may be the reason why trypsin digestion did not produce a considerable number of cells.
(103) Collagenase only had digestive effects on interstitial cells but minimal impact on epithelial cells, which resulted in epithelial cancer cells in cancer tissues not being digested down. Therefore, even with a relatively large initial number of cells, it was still impossible to expand cells in a microgravity environment.
(104) In contrast, the digestion method provided by the present application combined the advantages of multiple enzymes. Collagenase/Hyaluronidase DMEM solution effectively decomposed collagen and hyaluronic acid, dispase could further digest connections between cells, and the culture medium provided in Example 2 provided nutritional support for cells during the digestion process. This combined digestion method could both ensure cell quantity and quality, making cancer cells maximally separated to facilitate growth and cultivation, while maintaining high cell viability. The cultivation effect was good, significantly improving the success rate of subsequent microgravity cultivation.
(105) Through the optimization of the above digestion solutions and digestion methods, a reliable preliminary processing method was provided for the subsequent microgravity cultivation of various types of cancer cells, ensuring efficient conversion from tissue samples to single cell suspensions, and laying the foundation for establishing stable cancer cell models.
Example 5: Cultivation of Breast Cancer Cell Models
(106) Based on the microgravity cultivation conditions, culture medium formulations, washing solutions, and digestion solutions optimized in Examples 1 to 4, this example describes in detail the establishment, cultivation, and performance verification process of breast cancer cell models.
(107) 1) Breast Cancer Patient Tissue Sampling and Pretreatment
(108) Breast cancer/cancer-adjacent tissues were obtained from the breast surgery department of medical institutions. Sample acquisition and use processes had received relevant clinical ethics approval. Breast cancer/cancer-adjacent tissues of approximately 1 mm.sup.3 in volume were obtained during surgery, digested according to digestion method 1 # in Example 4 to obtain a single cell suspension. Then, according to the cell growth state, washing treatment was performed according to the washing method in Example 3. The obtained breast cancer/cancer-adjacent tissue single cell suspension was inoculated into a T25 culture flask and allowed to stand for 24 hours in a CO.sub.2 cell incubator until the cells completely adhered to the wall.
(109) 2) Simulated Microgravity-Induced Reprogramming (SMGIR) Cell Cultivation
(110) The T25 culture flask with adherent cells from the previous step was fixed on the rotating frame of the Gravite gravity control system and placed entirely in a conventional CO.sub.2 cell incubator for cultivation. The Gravite gravity control system was set with an outer shaft rotation speed of maximum 8 rpm and minimum 6 rpm for the rotating frame, inner shaft rotation speed of maximum 5 rpm and minimum 3 rpm, controlling the microgravity environment within the range of 10.sup.3 g with 10% fluctuation, with a microgravity environment cultivation duration of 6.57.5 days.
(111) 3) Similarity Verification Between SMGIR Cells and Patient Original Tumor Tissues
(112) SMGIR cells and conditionally reprogrammed cells (CRC) of the 3rd, 6th, and 10th generations were collected separately. Whole exome sequencing was performed using the Illumina platform, and the results were compared with the sequencing results of the patient's original tumor tissue to analyze somatic mutations occurring during SMGIR and CRC cultivation.
(113)
(114) 4) SMGIR Cell Tumorigenicity Experiment
(115) SMGIR cells were collected and inoculated into the mammary fat pads of immunodeficient mice. Tumor formation was checked regularly, and tumor size was recorded.
(116) The part of
(117) 5) SMGIR Cell Stemness Analysis
(118) Cells from the 2nd to 10th generations of SMGIR were collected separately. Through Aldefluor assay and mammosphere formation assay, the proportion of breast cancer stem cells in each generation of SMGIR was detected and compared with the proportion of breast cancer stem cells in the original tumor tissue from the same patient. Changes in breast cancer stem cells during the SMGIR cultivation process were monitored generation by generation.
(119)
(120) 6) Effects of SMGIR Cultivation on the Expression of Cell Pluripotency Factors
(121)
(122) 7) Effects of SMGIR Cultivation on Cell Telomerase Activity
(123)
(124) 8) Comparison of SMGIR Cultivation Results with CRC Technology
(125)
(126) Through the above verification experiments, it was demonstrated that the SMGIR method of the present application could successfully establish stable breast cancer cell models. These models maintained high consistency with the patient's original tumor tissue, while possessing good stem cell characteristics and proliferation ability, providing reliable cell models for subsequent drug screening and mechanism research.
Example 6: Cultivation of Ovarian Cancer Cell Models
(127) Based on the microgravity cultivation conditions, culture medium formulations, washing solutions, and digestion solutions optimized in Examples 1 to 4, this example describes in detail the establishment and cultivation process of ovarian cancer cell models. Due to the special nature of the ovarian cancer surgical process and the characteristics of its tissue source environment, ovarian cancer samples were typically more susceptible to contamination than breast cancer samples, therefore requiring special attention to washing and decontamination steps during processing.
(128) 1) Ovarian Cancer Patient Tissue Sampling and Pretreatment
(129) Ovarian cancer/cancer-adjacent tissues were obtained from the gynecology department of medical institutions. Sample acquisition and use processes had received relevant clinical ethics approval. Ovarian cancer/cancer-adjacent tissues of approximately 1 mm.sup.3 in volume were obtained during surgery and digested according to digestion method 1 # in Example 4. After being digested into a single cell suspension and centrifuged, the tissue digestion solution was discarded, and cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A from washing solution 1 # in Example 3. After centrifugation, the solution A was discarded, and cells were resuspended in the solution B from washing solution 1 #, and allowed to stand for 24 hours in a CO.sub.2 cell incubator until the cells completely adhered to the wall.
(130) 2) Contamination Detection and Decontamination Treatment
(131) The next day, if the culture medium was turbid but no obvious fungal hyphae were present: the solution B in the flask was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A; the solution A was aspirated and discarded; the above operations were repeated 24 times, then cultivation was continued using the solution B.
(132) If the culture medium was turbid and obvious fungal hyphae were present: the solution B in the flask was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A; the solution A was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution C from washing solution 1 # in Example 3; the solution C was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution D from washing solution 1 # in Example 3 for 13 min; the solution D was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A; the solution A was aspirated and discarded; the above operations were repeated 24 times, then cultivation was continued using the solution B.
(133) Daily observation and repetition of the above operations were performed until the cells recovered to a normal sterile state after three days, then routine cultivation was conducted using culture medium.
(134) 3) Simulated Microgravity-Induced Reprogramming (SMGIR) Cultivation
(135) The T25 culture flask of ovarian cancer cells treated through the above steps was fixed on the rotating frame of the Gravite gravity control system and cultivated according to the microgravity cultivation conditions determined in Example 1 (outer shaft rotation speed of the rotating frame set to maximum 8 rpm and minimum 6 rpm, inner shaft rotation speed set to maximum 5 rpm and minimum 3 rpm, controlling the microgravity environment within the range of 10.sup.3 g with 10% fluctuation), with a cultivation duration of 6.57.5 days.
(136) 4) Ovarian Cancer SMGIR Cultivation Results
(137) SMGIR successfully cultivated primary ovarian cancer cells derived from patients.
(138) As shown in
(139) Through this example, it was demonstrated that the SMGIR method was not only applicable to breast cancer cells but also to the long-term cultivation of ovarian cancer cells. Particularly in solving the problem of easy contamination of ovarian cancer tissues, the washing method provided by the present application could effectively preserve precious patient samples, showing significant advantages. This provided a unified technology platform for establishing various types of cancer cell models.
Example 7: Cultivation of Lung Cancer Cell Models
(140) Based on the microgravity cultivation conditions, culture medium formulations, washing solutions, and digestion solutions optimized in Examples 1 to 4, this example describes in detail the establishment and cultivation process of lung cancer cell models. Due to the special nature of lung cancer tissues and potential contamination risks during clinical sample acquisition, this example focuses on the processing and cultivation characteristics of lung cancer cells.
(141) 1) Lung Cancer Patient Tissue Sampling and Pretreatment
(142) Lung cancer/cancer-adjacent tissues were obtained from medical institutions. Sample acquisition and use processes had received relevant clinical ethics approval. Lung cancer/cancer-adjacent tissues of approximately 1 mm.sup.3 in volume were obtained during surgery and digested according to digestion method 1 # in Example 4. After being digested into a single cell suspension and centrifuged, the tissue digestion solution was discarded, and cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A from washing solution 1 # in Example 3. After centrifugation, the solution A was discarded, and cells were resuspended in the solution B from washing solution 1 #, and allowed to stand for 24 hours in a CO.sub.2 cell incubator until the cells completely adhered to the wall.
(143) 2) Contamination Detection and Decontamination Treatment
(144) The next day, if the culture medium was turbid but no obvious fungal hyphae were present: the solution B in the flask was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A; the solution A was aspirated and discarded; the above operations were repeated 24 times, then cultivation was continued using the solution B.
(145) If the culture medium was turbid and obvious fungal hyphae were present: the solution B in the flask was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A; the solution A was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution C from washing solution 1 # in Example 3; the solution C was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution D from washing solution 1 # in Example 3 for 13 min; the solution D was aspirated and discarded; cells were thoroughly washed by pipette trituration using the solution A; the solution A was aspirated and discarded; the above operations were repeated 24 times, then cultivation was continued using the solution B.
(146) Daily observation and repetition of the above operations were performed until the cells recovered to a normal sterile state after three days, then routine cultivation was conducted using culture medium.
(147) 3) Simulated Microgravity-Induced Reprogramming (SMGIR) Cultivation
(148) The T25 culture flask of lung cancer cells treated through the above steps was fixed on the rotating frame of the Gravite gravity control system and cultivated according to the microgravity cultivation conditions determined in Example 1 (outer shaft rotation speed of the rotating frame set to maximum 8 rpm and minimum 6 rpm, inner shaft rotation speed set to maximum 5 rpm and minimum 3 rpm, controlling the microgravity environment within the range of 10.sup.3 g with 10% fluctuation), with a microgravity environment cultivation duration of 6.57.5 days.
(149) 4) Lung Cancer SMGIR Cultivation Results
(150) SMGIR successfully cultivated primary lung cancer cells derived from patients.
(151) As shown in
(152) Through the results of this example, the effectiveness of the SMGIR method in the cultivation of primary lung cancer cells was further verified, expanding the application range of this technology in the cultivation of different types of cancer cells. Due to the environmental influence of lung cancer cell/tissue growth and operational influences during surgery, the obtained lung cancer cell/tissues were also very susceptible to contamination. Therefore, extra attention needed to be paid to the washing steps in the processing of lung cancer cells/tissues. The washing method provided by the present application was of significant importance for preserving precious lung cancer patient samples. This provided a new technical approach for establishing lung cancer cell models, which was of great significance for basic research and drug screening for lung cancer.
Example 8: Testing the Repeated Cultivation Ability of Cell Models
(153) This example aimed to evaluate the repeated cultivation ability of cancer cell models cultivated using the SMGIR method, to verify whether cell models obtained by this method could withstand cryopreservation and resuscitation operations while maintaining stable proliferation ability, meeting the needs of clinical research and drug screening.
(154) 1) Testing the Cultivation Ability of Cancer Cell Models Established from Fresh Tissues
(155) As shown in the left panel of
(156) 2) Testing the Cultivation Ability after Resuscitation of Cryopreserved Tissues
(157) As shown in the middle panel of
(158) 3) Testing the Cultivation Ability after Cryopreservation of Passaged Cells
(159) As shown in the right panel of
(160) The above results indicated that the tumor cell model cultivation method provided by the present application could enable tumor cell models to undergo repeated cultivation, thereby meeting the needs for drug testing on tumor cells or other requirements in clinical settings.
(161) 4) Comparison with Existing Technologies
(162) In existing technologies, such as the published articles Cancer cell lines for drug discovery and development (Wilding, J. L. & Bodmer, W. F. Cancer Res. 74, 2377-2384 (2014)) and The two-stage mechanism controlling cellular senescence and immortalization (Wright, W. E. & Shay, J. W. Exp. Gerontol. 27, 383-389 (1992)), primary cultivation was directly performed on most post-surgical patient tumor blocks. However, regardless of the method used to cultivate them, they were difficult to maintain because they had limited lifespans, gradually reduced proliferation, and eventually led to senescence.
(163) In contrast, the method provided by the present application successfully prepared cancer cell tumor models. For example, through 7 days of cultivation, the cell number could reach the level of millions, and as a cell model, it had the characteristic of being able to be repeatedly utilized for cultivation. Using these cultivated cells and applying the microgravity environment cultivation method of the present application, millions of tumor cells could still be obtained after 7 days. Therefore, long-term in vitro proliferation of cells derived from patients could be achieved, meeting usage needs.
(164) 5) Comparison with Other Tumor Model Methods
(165) Although PDX models could well cultivate primary cells derived from patients in vitro, because PDX was established through subcutaneous xenografts in mice, the normal tissue counterparts and surrounding interacting stroma of each patient were missing. Additionally, the PDX models were expensive, difficult to develop, and not suitable for high-throughput platforms. Furthermore, the success rate of this model was relatively low, only 30-50%.
(166) In contrast, the present method could successfully cultivate cancer-adjacent cells in vitro as controls for cancer cells, thereby effectively evaluating drug safety. Moreover, this method was suitable for high-throughput drug screening and could directly use 96-well plates/384-well plates for drug screening, with a success rate also far higher than that of the PDX models.
(167) Organoids were a type of 3D culture derived from patient cells, and this model could support the growth of normal tissues and cancer tissues, but it was not easily adaptable to high-throughput screening. In contrast, the present method was suitable for high-throughput drug screening and could directly use 96-well plates/384-well plates for drug screening, with more convenient and reliable result reading.
(168) Through the results of this example, it was demonstrated that cancer cell models obtained by the SMGIR method possessed good repeated cultivation ability and stability, and could support the establishment of long-term stable cell models from relatively small amounts of patient tissue samples, providing reliable cell sources for cancer research and drug screening.
Example 9: Drug Effect Testing
(169) This example aimed to verify the application value of cancer cell models obtained through the SMGIR method in drug screening, exploring whether they could accurately reflect the differential responses of different patients and different cell types to drugs, providing experimental basis for precision treatment of cancer.
(170) 1) Drug Screening Experiment Design
(171) The inventors conducted drug-related experiments using the cancer cell models prepared by the method of the present application.
(172) 2) Drug Sensitivity Test Results
(173) Using the cancer cell models constructed by the present application, the inventors were able to conduct drug administration experiments and evaluations, providing clinical basis for patient treatment. As shown in
(174) Specifically, the epirubicin test results (
(175) 3) Clinical Significance of Drug Screening
(176) Based on the above results, it could be clearly understood that in clinical treatment, precise drug administration should be targeted to different cancer cells and specific situations of different patients, which could both reduce treatment side effects and improve treatment effectiveness. For example, for patients highly sensitive to epirubicin, lower dose treatment regimens could be considered to reduce side effects; while for patients insensitive to this drug, alternative treatment drugs or adjusted treatment strategies might need to be considered.
(177) Particularly noteworthy was that by simultaneously testing the responses of a patient's cancer cells and cancer-adjacent tissue cells to drugs, the therapeutic window of the drug could be assessed, i.e., the dose range in which the drug was effective against cancer cells but had minimal impact on normal tissue cells. This was of great significance for optimizing treatment regimens and reducing toxic side effects.
(178) 4) Advantages of SMGIR Cell Models in Drug Screening
(179) The SMGIR cell models provided by the present application exhibited several obvious advantages in drug screening: they could maintain the genetic characteristics and drug response properties of the patient's original tissue; they could simultaneously cultivate cancer cells and cancer-adjacent cells, providing more comprehensive drug evaluation; they had a short cultivation cycle (sufficient numbers of cells could be obtained in 7 days); they were suitable for high-throughput screening platforms; and they possessed good stability and reproducibility.
(180) These characteristics made SMGIR cell models ideal tools for drug screening in individualized cancer treatment, capable of providing more accurate drug sensitivity information for clinical treatment decisions, guiding clinicians in formulating individualized treatment plans.
(181) The results of this example indicated that the cancer cell model construction method provided by the present application had important application value and significance for precision treatment of tumors. By rapidly screening the sensitivity of patient cancer cells to different drugs in vitro, the trial and error process in clinical practice could be avoided, improving the precision and effectiveness of treatment while reducing patients' economic burden and unnecessary toxic side effects, providing important support for precision medicine in cancer.
(182) All of the above descriptions are merely embodiments of the present application, and the scope of protection of the present application is not limited by these specific embodiments, but is determined by the claims of the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application can have various changes and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the technical ideas and principles of the present application should be included within the scope of protection of the present application.