Scientists create new cancer research tool based on lotus leaves
Bioengineers at Rice University have developed a novel system for culturing cancer cell clusters, inspired by the unique properties of lotus leaves. The new zinc oxide-based culturing surface replicates the structure of a lotus leaf, providing a highly adaptable platform for generating three-dimensional nanoscale tumor models. This innovative approach could potentially revolutionize our understanding of complex tumor characteristics, and significantly advance cancer research.
A new tool in cancer research
The Superhydrophobic Array Device (SHArD), designed by Rice bioengineer Michael King and his team, can be used to create physiologically relevant models for studying cancer progression. This includes metastasis—the stage when cancer cells spread from the primary tumor site to other parts of the body. "The study of metastasis poses a particular challenge due to the difficulty of developing accurate, high-throughput models," said King, who is also the author on an ACS Nano story describing this new culturing platform.
Potential in understanding cancer spread
Currently, scientists and clinicians rely on blood samples that contain circulating tumor cells (CTCs), to understand the properties of primary tumors and what causes the cancer to spread. However, this approach often does not yield enough data for comprehensive studies of metastatic processes. "Safety in numbers unfortunately also applies to cancer cells circulating in the bloodstream," said Alexandria Carter, a researcher in King's lab who is a co-author of the study.
SHArD's role in cancer cell cluster research
Cancer cells that travel alone are more likely to succumb to shear stress destruction or immune cell attacks. However, when they travel in groups, their chances of successfully reaching and settling in other parts of the body increase. "Those few lone cancer cells in a single blood draw are already rare, so isolating enough clusters for a detailed study is especially challenging. This is why SHArD is an exciting new tool for understanding primary and metastatic cancer," Carter said.
SHArD's development and future applications
The King lab had earlier succeeded in creating nanorod layers of halloysite. It is a naturally occurring substance with a texture that promotes adhesion of circulating tumor cells while simultaneously repelling blood cells. "When Kalana Jayawardana joined our lab as a new postdoctoral fellow in 2018, he started to experiment with growing zinc oxide nanorod surfaces," said King. The project was later taken over by Maria Lopez-Cavestany, a doctoral student in the King lab.
