Yeon, Ju Hun Jeong, Hyo Eun Seo, Hyemin Cho, Siwoo Kim, Kimin Na, Dokyun Chung, Seok Park, Jaesung Choi, Nakwon Kang, Ji Yoon 2024-01-19T22:04:17Z 2024-01-19T22:04:17Z 2021-09-03 2018-08 1742-7061 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/121118 Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivotal role in tumor growth, but very little has been known about its characteristics and origin. Recently, cancer-derived exosome has been suggested to transdifferentiate CAFs, by a new mechanism of endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT), initiating angiogenic processes and triggering metastatic evolution. However, an enabling tool in vitro is yet to be developed to investigate complicated procedures of the EndMT and the transdifferentiation under reconstituted tumor microenvironment. Here we proposed an in vitro microfluidic model which enables to monitor a synergetic effect of complex tumor microenvironment in situ, including extracellular matrix (ECM), interstitial flow and environmental exosomes. The number of CAFs differentiated from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) increased with melanoma-derived exosomes, presenting apparent morphological and molecular changes with pronounced motility. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes were found to suppress EndMT, induce angiogenesis and maintain vascular homeostasis, while cancer-derived exosomes promoted EndMT. Capabilities of the new microfluidic model exist in precise regulation of the complex tumor microenvironment and therefore successful reconstitution of 3D microvasculature niches, enabling in situ investigation of EndMT procedure between various cell types. Statement of Significance This study presents an in vitro 3D EndMT model to understand the progress of the CAF generation by recapitulating the 3D tumor microenvironment in a microfluidic device. Both cancer-derived exosomes and interstitial fluid flow synergetically played a pivotal role in the EndMT and consequent formation of CAFs through a collagen-based ECM. Our approach also enabled the demonstration of a homeostatic capability of MSC-derived exosomes, ultimately leading to the recovery of CAFs back to endothelial cells. The in vitro 3D EndMT model can serve as a powerful tool to validate exosomal components that could be further developed to anti-cancer drugs. (C) 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. English ELSEVIER SCI LTD CARCINOMA-ASSOCIATED FIBROBLASTS TUMOR-GROWTH MYOFIBROBLAST DIFFERENTIATION INTERSTITIAL FLOW CELL DISEASE PROLIFERATION ANGIOGENESIS PLASTICITY MIGRATION Cancer-derived exosomes trigger endothelial to mesenchymal transition followed by the induction of cancer-associated fibroblasts Article 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.07.001 1 ACTA BIOMATERIALIA, v.76, pp.146 - 153 ACTA BIOMATERIALIA 76 146 153 scie scopus 000442055600015 2-s2.0-85049579473 Engineering, Biomedical Materials Science, Biomaterials Engineering Materials Science Article CARCINOMA-ASSOCIATED FIBROBLASTS TUMOR-GROWTH MYOFIBROBLAST DIFFERENTIATION INTERSTITIAL FLOW CELL DISEASE PROLIFERATION ANGIOGENESIS PLASTICITY MIGRATION Cancer-derived exosomes Endothelial to mesenchymal transition Cancer-associated fibroblasts Interstitial flow Microfluidic culture