초록 |
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a lethal cancer with rapid metastasis and chemoresistance. Existence of cancer stem cell (CSC), a self-renewing cancer cell, may explain aggressive tumor development and relapse but its physiology is not fully understood. Recent studies show that tumor microenvironment plays a crucial role in CSC formation in SCLC. Hence,we hypothesize that mechanical property of 3D matrix affects CSC phenotype of SCLC cells. NCI-H69 cells were encapsulated in a hybrid hydrogel via photo-crosslinking of methacrylated decellularized extracellular matrix of pulmonary tissue and hyaluronic acid. Expression of diverse CSC markers and invasiveness were assessed at varying gel stiffness with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). As a result, the gel stiffness largely affected CSC phenotypes in 3D, and HGF treatment caused even higher upregulation of CSC marker and migration. These findings indicate that the pulmonary ECM-based matrix is a good candidate to study CSC of SCLC. |