Summary
Published in Advanced Science (2024), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Viegas, Juliana, et al. Patient‐Derived Melanoma Immune‐Tumoroids as a Platform for Precise High throughput Drug Screening
Patient‐Derived Melanoma Immune‐Tumoroids as a Platform for Precise High throughput Drug Screening
Research Overview
In vitro cancer models are only clinically useful if they faithfully mimic real tumors. This study developed melanoma quadruple multicellular tumoroids combining tumor cells, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and monocytes to replicate tumor architecture, microenvironment, and secretome.
The ~300 µm tumoroids secreted keratin and collagen, with complexity scaling with the cell combination, and closely resembled in vivo tumors in cell organization, growth, progression, and immune behavior. Drug screening on the tumoroids demonstrated their potential as patient-derived platforms for precision medicine.
Key Discoveries
- Quadruple tumoroids of melanoma cells, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and monocytes at ~300 µm diameter
- Secreted keratin and collagen and reproduced in vivo organization, growth, and immune behavior
- Drug screening demonstrated a patient-derived precision-medicine platform
