Scientists have developed groundbreaking chip technology that accurately replicates the interactions between cancer cells and blood vessels like a human-like environment, allowing a real-time analysis.
On March 14, the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) announced that its research team led by Professor Cho Yoon-Kyung from the Department of Biomedical Engineering has created the ODSEI chip, an innovative microfluidic chip designed for large-scale, real-time analysis of cancer cell-blood vessel interactions.
This cutting-edge ODSEI chip can analyze over 1,000 tumor spheroids cultured alongside vascular cells simultaneously.
Unlike conventional closed systems, the ODSEI chip boasts an open structure, allowing researchers to selectively retrieve specific spheroids at precise time points for genetic analysis.
This feature enables scientists to track how cancer cells interact with blood vessels and develop drug resistance. The research team utilized this technology to study the resistance development process of tamoxifen, a common breast cancer treatment.
Through advanced single-cell RNA sequencing and protein analysis, the team identified crucial biomarkers, IL-8 and TIMP-1, which can enhance the efficiency of drug delivery to blood vessels.
Furthermore, they uncovered the mechanisms by which these signaling molecules activate survival pathways in cancer cells and suppress their response to treatments, leading to drug resistance.
Lead author and student researcher No Joo Young explained that the chip’s design incorporates a specially coated double-layer porous membrane, allowing it to maintain an open structure while accurately simulating a human-like environment.
The innovative design physically separates cancer cells and vascular cells while allowing signaling molecules to move freely between them. This structure enables mutual influence between the cell types. Each cancer spheroid is cultured in individual wells, facilitating independent observation and analysis without interference from neighboring spheroids.
Professor Cho expressed enthusiasm about the implications of this research, stating that they have paved the way for more effective studies of drug resistance under conditions that closely mimic the tumor microenvironment. This technology has the potential to become a crucial platform for developing personalized cancer treatments.
This groundbreaking research was supported by the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea. The findings were published on April 3 in the prestigious international journal Advanced Science, where it was selected as the cover paper and recognized as a hot topic in the field of microfluidic chip technology.