Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sensitivity of breast tumors to anticancer drugs depends upon dynamic interactions between epithelial tumor cells and their microenvironment including stromal cells and extracellular matrix. To study drug-sensitivity within different...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Simon Wolfgang, Gerteis Andreas, Gutzeit Susanne, McClellan Monika, Sonnenberg Maike, Mürdter Thomas E, van der Kuip Heiko, Fritz Peter, Aulitzky Walter E
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2006-04-01
Series:BMC Cancer
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/6/86
_version_ 1818381688795824128
author Simon Wolfgang
Gerteis Andreas
Gutzeit Susanne
McClellan Monika
Sonnenberg Maike
Mürdter Thomas E
van der Kuip Heiko
Fritz Peter
Aulitzky Walter E
author_facet Simon Wolfgang
Gerteis Andreas
Gutzeit Susanne
McClellan Monika
Sonnenberg Maike
Mürdter Thomas E
van der Kuip Heiko
Fritz Peter
Aulitzky Walter E
author_sort Simon Wolfgang
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sensitivity of breast tumors to anticancer drugs depends upon dynamic interactions between epithelial tumor cells and their microenvironment including stromal cells and extracellular matrix. To study drug-sensitivity within different compartments of an individual tumor <it>ex vivo</it>, culture models directly established from fresh tumor tissues are absolutely essential.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We prepared 0.2 mm thick tissue slices from freshly excised tumor samples and cultivated them individually in the presence or absence of taxol for 4 days. To visualize viability, cell death, and expression of surface molecules in different compartments of non-fixed primary breast cancer tissues we established a method based on confocal imaging using mitochondria- and DNA-selective dyes and fluorescent-conjugated antibodies. Proliferation and apoptosis was assessed by immunohistochemistry in sections from paraffin-embedded slices. Overall viability was also analyzed in homogenized tissue slices by a combined ATP/DNA quantification assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We obtained a mean of 49 tissue slices from 22 breast cancer specimens allowing a wide range of experiments in each individual tumor. In our culture system, cells remained viable and proliferated for at least 4 days within their tissue environment. Viability of tissue slices decreased significantly in the presence of taxol in a dose-dependent manner. A three-color fluorescence viability assay enabled a rapid and authentic estimation of cell viability in the different tumor compartments within non-fixed tissue slices.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We describe a tissue culture method combined with a novel read out system for both tissue cultivation and rapid assessment of drug efficacy together with the simultaneous identification of different cell types within non-fixed breast cancer tissues. This method has potential significance for studying tumor responses to anticancer drugs in the complex environment of a primary cancer tissue.</p>
first_indexed 2024-12-14T02:38:34Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b6d84ab7d0824aef8609a4810e9318fd
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-2407
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T02:38:34Z
publishDate 2006-04-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Cancer
spelling doaj.art-b6d84ab7d0824aef8609a4810e9318fd2022-12-21T23:20:04ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072006-04-01618610.1186/1471-2407-6-86Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environmentSimon WolfgangGerteis AndreasGutzeit SusanneMcClellan MonikaSonnenberg MaikeMürdter Thomas Evan der Kuip HeikoFritz PeterAulitzky Walter E<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sensitivity of breast tumors to anticancer drugs depends upon dynamic interactions between epithelial tumor cells and their microenvironment including stromal cells and extracellular matrix. To study drug-sensitivity within different compartments of an individual tumor <it>ex vivo</it>, culture models directly established from fresh tumor tissues are absolutely essential.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We prepared 0.2 mm thick tissue slices from freshly excised tumor samples and cultivated them individually in the presence or absence of taxol for 4 days. To visualize viability, cell death, and expression of surface molecules in different compartments of non-fixed primary breast cancer tissues we established a method based on confocal imaging using mitochondria- and DNA-selective dyes and fluorescent-conjugated antibodies. Proliferation and apoptosis was assessed by immunohistochemistry in sections from paraffin-embedded slices. Overall viability was also analyzed in homogenized tissue slices by a combined ATP/DNA quantification assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We obtained a mean of 49 tissue slices from 22 breast cancer specimens allowing a wide range of experiments in each individual tumor. In our culture system, cells remained viable and proliferated for at least 4 days within their tissue environment. Viability of tissue slices decreased significantly in the presence of taxol in a dose-dependent manner. A three-color fluorescence viability assay enabled a rapid and authentic estimation of cell viability in the different tumor compartments within non-fixed tissue slices.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We describe a tissue culture method combined with a novel read out system for both tissue cultivation and rapid assessment of drug efficacy together with the simultaneous identification of different cell types within non-fixed breast cancer tissues. This method has potential significance for studying tumor responses to anticancer drugs in the complex environment of a primary cancer tissue.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/6/86
spellingShingle Simon Wolfgang
Gerteis Andreas
Gutzeit Susanne
McClellan Monika
Sonnenberg Maike
Mürdter Thomas E
van der Kuip Heiko
Fritz Peter
Aulitzky Walter E
Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment
BMC Cancer
title Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment
title_full Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment
title_fullStr Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment
title_full_unstemmed Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment
title_short Short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment
title_sort short term culture of breast cancer tissues to study the activity of the anticancer drug taxol in an intact tumor environment
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/6/86
work_keys_str_mv AT simonwolfgang shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT gerteisandreas shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT gutzeitsusanne shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT mcclellanmonika shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT sonnenbergmaike shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT murdterthomase shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT vanderkuipheiko shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT fritzpeter shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment
AT aulitzkywaltere shorttermcultureofbreastcancertissuestostudytheactivityoftheanticancerdrugtaxolinanintacttumorenvironment