Engineering a humanized bone organ model in mice to study bone metastases

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Laure C. Martine - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Boris M. Holzapfel - , Queensland University of Technology, University of Würzburg (Author)
  • Jacqui A. McGovern - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Ferdinand Wagner - , Queensland University of Technology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Verena M. Quent - , Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland (Author)
  • Parisa Hesami - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Felix M. Wunner - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Cedryck Vaquette - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Elena M. De-Juan-Pardo - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Toby D. Brown - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Bianca Nowlan - , Eindhoven University of Technology (Author)
  • Dan Jing Wu - , Queensland University of Technology, University of Toronto (Author)
  • Cosmo Orlando Hutmacher - , Queensland University of Technology (Author)
  • Davide Moi - , Eindhoven University of Technology (Author)
  • Tatiana Oussenko - , University of Queensland (Author)
  • Elia Piccinini - , University of Queensland (Author)
  • Peter W. Zandstra - , University of Queensland (Author)
  • Roberta Mazzieri - , Eindhoven University of Technology (Author)
  • Jean Pierre Lévesque - , University of Queensland, University of Würzburg (Author)
  • Paul D. Dalton - , Queensland University of Technology, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Anna V. Taubenberger - , Queensland University of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology (Author)
  • Dietmar W. Hutmacher - , Queensland University of Technology, Technical University of Munich (Author)

Abstract

Current in vivo models for investigating human primary bone tumors and cancer metastasis to the bone rely on the injection of human cancer cells into the mouse skeleton. This approach does not mimic species-specific mechanisms occurring in human diseases and may preclude successful clinical translation. We have developed a protocol to engineer humanized bone within immunodeficient hosts, which can be adapted to study the interactions between human cancer cells and a humanized bone microenvironment in vivo. A researcher trained in the principles of tissue engineering will be able to execute the protocol and yield study results within 4-6 months. Additive biomanufactured scaffolds seeded and cultured with human bone-forming cells are implanted ectopically in combination with osteogenic factors into mice to generate a physiological bone 'organ', which is partially humanized. The model comprises human bone cells and secreted extracellular matrix (ECM); however, other components of the engineered tissue, such as the vasculature, are of murine origin. The model can be further humanized through the engraftment of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that can lead to human hematopoiesis within the murine host. The humanized organ bone model has been well characterized and validated and allows dissection of some of the mechanisms of the bone metastatic processes in prostate and breast cancer.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)639-663
Number of pages25
JournalNature protocols
Volume12
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2017
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 28253234

Keywords