3D microengineere d vascularize d tumor spheroids for drug delivery and efficacy testing

Tumor angiogenesis is regarded as a promising target for limiting cancer progression because tumor-associated vasculature supplies blood and provides a path for metastasis. Thus, in vitro recapitulation of vascularized tumors is critical to understand the pathology of cancer and identify the mechanisms by which tumor cells proliferate, metastasize, and respond to drugs. In this study, we microengineered a vascularized tumor spheroid (VTS) model to reproduce the pathological features of solid tumors. We first generated tumor-EC hybrid spheroids with self-assembled intratumoral vessels, which enhanced the uni-formity of the spheroids and peritumoral angiogenic capacity compared to spheroids composed only with cancer cells. Notably, the hybrid spheroids also exhibited expression profiles associated with aggressive behavior. The blood vessels sprouting around the hybrid spheroids on the VTS chip displayed the distinc-tive characteristics of leaky tumor vessels. With the VTS chip showing a progressive tumor phenotype, we validated the suppressive effects of axitinib on tumor growth and angiogenesis, which depended on exposure dose and time, highlighting the significance of tumor vascularization to predict the efficacy of anticancer drugs. Ultimately, we effectively induced both lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis around the tumor spheroid by promoting interstitial flow. Thus, our VTS model is a valuable platform with which to investigate the interactions between tumor microenvironments and explore therapeutic strategies in cancer.Statement of significanceWe conducted an integrative study within a vascularized tumor spheroid (VTS) model. We first gener-ated tumor-EC hybrid spheroids with self-assembled intratumoral vessels, which enhanced the unifor-mity of the spheroids and peritumoral angiogenic capacity compared to spheroids composed only with cancer cells. Through RNA sequencing, we elucidated that the tumor-EC hybrid spheroids exhibited expression profiles associated with aggressive behavior such as cancer progression, invasion and metastasis. The blood vessels sprouting around the hybrid spheroids on the VTS chip displayed the distinctive characteristics of leaky tumor vessels. We further validated the suppressive effects of axitinib on tumor growth and angiogenesis, depending on exposure dose and time. Ultimately, we effectively induced both lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis around the tumor spheroid by promoting interstitial flow.& COPY; 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Acta Materialia Inc.