Exploring the Potential of PEG-Heparin Hydrogels to Support Long-Term Ex Vivo Culture of Patient-Derived Breast Explant Tissues
Koch, Maria K, Ravichandran, Akhilandeshwari, Murekatete, Berline, Clegg, Julien, Joseph, Mary Teresa, Hampson, Madison, Jenkinson, Mitchell, Bauer, Hannah S, Snell, Cameron, Liu, Cheng, Gough, Madeline, Thompson, Erik W, Werner, Carsten, Hutmacher, Dietmar W, Haupt, Larisa M, & Bray, Laura J (2023) Exploring the Potential of PEG-Heparin Hydrogels to Support Long-Term Ex Vivo Culture of Patient-Derived Breast Explant Tissues. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 12(14), Article number: 2202202.
Open access copy at publisher website
Description
Breast cancer is a complex, highly heterogenous, and dynamic disease and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Evaluation of the heterogeneity of breast cancer and its various subtypes is crucial to identify novel treatment strategies that can overcome the limitations of currently available options. Explant cultures of human mammary tissue have been known to provide important insights for the study of breast cancer structure and phenotype as they include the context of the surrounding microenvironment, allowing for the comprehensive exploration of patient heterogeneity. However, the major limitation of currently available techniques remains the short-term viability of the tissue owing to loss of structural integrity. Here, an ex vivo culture model using star-shaped poly(ethylene glycol) and maleimide-functionalized heparin (PEG-HM) hydrogels to provide structural support to the explant cultures is presented. The mechanical support allows the culture of the human mammary tissue for up to 3 weeks and prevent disintegration of the cellular structures including the epithelium and surrounding stromal tissue. Further, maintenance of epithelial phenotype and hormonal receptors is observed for up to 2 weeks of culture which makes them relevant for testing therapeutic interventions. Through this study, the importance of donor-to-donor variability and intra-patient tissue heterogeneity is reiterated.
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| ID Code: | 237289 | ||||||||||
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| Item Type: | Contribution to Journal (Journal Article) | ||||||||||
| Refereed: | Yes | ||||||||||
| ORCID iD: |
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| Additional Information: | Acknowledgements: M.K.K. and A.R. contributed equally to this work. This work was supported in part by the National Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia (PF-16-004; awarded to L.J.B.) with supplementary funding from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Rapid Applied Research Translation Program (Centre for Personalised Analysis of Cancers; CPAC: GA59729) awarded to E.W.T., L.J.B., L.M.H., and D.W.H. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for funding of an ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies (IC190100026). The Mater-QUT Breast Cancer Research Biobank is co-funded by Mater Research and QUT. The authors would like to thank Gillian Jagger, Honor Hugo, and Rebecca Rogers for their role in consent form and tissue collection. They are grateful to all patients who donated their tissue for research and the support of the staff of the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) and the Mater Hospital in Brisbane. Open access publishing facilitated by Queensland University of Technology, as part of the Wiley - Queensland University of Technology agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. | ||||||||||
| Measurements or Duration: | 15 pages | ||||||||||
| Keywords: | breast cancer; ex vivo cultures; hydrogels; patient-derived explants. | ||||||||||
| DOI: | 10.1002/adhm.202202202 | ||||||||||
| ISSN: | 2192-2640 | ||||||||||
| Pure ID: | 122095968 | ||||||||||
| Divisions: | Current > Research Centres > Centre for Behavioural Economics, Society & Technology Current > Research Centres > Centre for Biomedical Technologies Current > Research Centres > Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Business & Law Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Engineering Current > Schools > School of Mechanical, Medical & Process Engineering Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Health Current > Schools > School of Biomedical Sciences |
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| Funding Information: | M.K.K. and A.R. contributed equally to this work. This work was supported in part by the National Breast Cancer Foundation of Australia (PF‐16‐004; awarded to L.J.B.) with supplementary funding from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Rapid Applied Research Translation Program (Centre for Personalised Analysis of Cancers; CPAC: GA59729) awarded to E.W.T., L.J.B., L.M.H., and D.W.H. acknowledge the Australian Research Council for funding of an ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies (IC190100026). The Mater‐QUT Breast Cancer Research Biobank is co‐funded by Mater Research and QUT. The authors would like to thank Gillian Jagger, Honor Hugo, and Rebecca Rogers for their role in consent form and tissue collection. They are grateful to all patients who donated their tissue for research and the support of the staff of the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) and the Mater Hospital in Brisbane. | ||||||||||
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| Copyright Owner: | 2023 The Authors | ||||||||||
| Copyright Statement: | This work is covered by copyright. Unless the document is being made available under a Creative Commons Licence, you must assume that re-use is limited to personal use and that permission from the copyright owner must be obtained for all other uses. If the document is available under a Creative Commons License (or other specified license) then refer to the Licence for details of permitted re-use. It is a condition of access that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. If you believe that this work infringes copyright please provide details by email to qut.copyright@qut.edu.au | ||||||||||
| Deposited On: | 23 Jan 2023 06:25 | ||||||||||
| Last Modified: | 18 Jun 2025 12:08 |
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