Deciphering hepatoma cell resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors: insights from a Liver-on-a-Chip model unveiling tumor endothelial cell mechanisms

Abstract

Liver cancer represents a significant global burden in terms of cancer-related mortality, with resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs such as Sorafenib and Lenvatinib presenting a formidable challenge. Tumor angiogenesis, characterized by the formation of new blood vessels within tumors, plays a pivotal role in cancer progression and metastasis. Tumor endothelial cells, specialized endothelial cells lining tumor blood vessels, exhibit unique phenotypic and functional traits that drive aberrant vessel formation and contribute to therapy resistance. CD105, a cell-surface glycoprotein that is highly expressed on endothelial cells during angiogenesis, including tumor endothelial cells, regulates endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and vessel formation by modulating transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathways. Elevated CD105 expression on tumor endothelial cells correlates with increased angiogenic activity and poor prognosis in cancer patients. Targeting CD105 with antibodies presents a promising strategy to inhibit tumor angiogenesis and disrupt tumor vasculature, offering potential therapeutic benefits by interfering with the tumor microenvironment and inhibiting its progression. This study investigates tumor angiogenesis through a three-dimensional (3D) microfluidic co-culture system incorporating endothelial cells and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The primary focus is on the role of CD105 expression within the liver tumor microenvironment and its contribution to increased chemoresistance. Additionally, this research examines the influence of CD105 expression on the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and its pivotal function in facilitating angiogenesis in liver tumors. The proposed microfluidic chip model investigates liver cancer cell interactions within a microfluidic chip model designed to simulate aspects of liver tumor angiogenesis.