DLM–GelMA/tumor slice sandwich structured tumor on a chip for drug efficacy testing

Abstract

The in vitro recapitulation of tumor microenvironment is of great interest to preclinical screening of drugs. Compared with culture of cell lines, tumor organ slices can better preserve the complex tumor architecture and phenotypic activity of native cells, but are limited by their exposure to fluid shear and gradual degradation under perfusion culture. Here, we established a decellularized liver matrix (DLM)–GelMA “sandwich” structure and a perfusion-based microfluidic platform to support long-term culture of tumor slices with excellent structural integrity and cell viability over 7 days. The DLM–GelMA was able to secrete cytokines and growth factors while providing shear protection to the tumor slice via the sandwich structure, leading to the preservation of the tumor microenvironment where immune cells (CD3, CD8, CD68), tumor-associated fibroblasts (α-SMA), and extracellular matrix components (collagen I, fibronectin) were well maintained. Furthermore, this chip presented anti-tumor efficacy at cisplatin (20 μM) on tumor patients, demonstrating our platform's efficacy to design patient-specific treatment regimens. Taken together, the successful development of this DLM–GelMA sandwich structure on the chip could faithfully reflect the tumor microenvironment and immune response, accelerating the screening process of drug molecules and providing insights for practical medicine.