Summary
Published in Theranostics (2012), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Ho, Don N., et al. Penetration of Endothelial Cell Coated Multicellular Tumor Spheroids by Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Penetration of Endothelial Cell Coated Multicellular Tumor Spheroids by Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Research Overview
Iron oxide nanoparticles serve as diagnostic contrast agents with therapeutic potential, but their many tunable parameters demand a robust biological model for assessment. This study built one that goes beyond a bare tumor spheroid: a glioma tumor mass coated with a leaky endothelium, mimicking the vasculature nanoparticles must cross in vivo.
Iron oxide nanoparticles targeting tumor vasculature via the tumstatin peptide showed penetration and selective targeting to the endothelial coating on the tumor in this 3D model — demonstrating that vascular targeting can be assessed in vitro with tissue-like architecture.
Key Discoveries
- 3D model added a leaky endothelial coating around a glioma tumor mass
- Tumstatin-targeted iron oxide nanoparticles selectively bound the tumor endothelium
- Provides a robust in vitro platform for assessing vascular-targeted nanoparticles
