MDA-MB-231 Cell Beads Surrounded by Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells for the In Vitro Study of Tumor Cell Intravasation

Abstract

Tumor metastasis is a major cause of mortality in many patients with melanoma. Intravasation and cancer cell entry into the blood stream are vital processes in cancer metastasis. Here, we developed a collagen bead system based co-culture model, which allows investigation of breast cancer cell transmigration through an endothelium layer. MDA-MB-231 cells encapsulated by collagen microspheres remained viable after encapsulation and for the duration of the study period. This collagen microsphere based co-culture model provided the imaging capability of counting cell transmigration using cell-tracker staining. Furthermore, the stimulatory effect of hydrogen peroxide and vascular endothelial growth factor on tumor transendothelial migration was confirmed. Curcumin was used to inhibit the transendothelial migration process. The number of intravasated cells in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and vascular endothelial growth factor in the curcumin treatment group was 4.06 times and 4.73 times lower than in the control group, respectively. These results demonstrate the efficacy of our novel cell bead based co-culture model as a drug screening platform and a promising tool to analyze molecular pathways involved in the intravasation cancer metastasis cancer biology.