Diseases (Sep 2024)

A 3D Bio-Printed-Based Model for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

  • Claire Godier,
  • Zakaria Baka,
  • Laureline Lamy,
  • Varvara Gribova,
  • Philippe Marchal,
  • Philippe Lavalle,
  • Eric Gaffet,
  • Lina Bezdetnaya,
  • Halima Alem

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases12090206
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 9
p. 206

Abstract

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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a disease with a very poor prognosis, characterized by incidence rates very close to death rates. Despite the efforts of the scientific community, preclinical models that faithfully recreate the PDAC tumor microenvironment remain limited. Currently, the use of 3D bio-printing is an emerging and promising method for the development of cancer tumor models with reproducible heterogeneity and a precisely controlled structure. This study presents the development of a model using the extrusion 3D bio-printing technique. Initially, a model combining pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1) and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) encapsulated in a sodium alginate and gelatin-based hydrogel to mimic the metastatic stage of PDAC was developed and comprehensively characterized. Subsequently, efforts were made to vascularize this model. This study demonstrates that the resulting tumors can maintain viability and proliferate, with cells self-organizing into aggregates with a heterogeneous composition. The utilization of 3D bio-printing in creating this tumor model opens avenues for reproducing tumor complexity in the future, offering a versatile platform for improving anti-cancer therapy models.

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