Biology subjects

Apu, E. H.

Publications and source records attributed to Apu, E. H..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

An Innervated and Vascularized HNSCC-on-a-Chip Model Built on Defined and Tunable Engineered Extracellular Matrices

Understanding the tumor microenvironment (TME) requires experimental platforms that faithfully recapitulate its key components. Here, we present an innervated and vascularized head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)-on-a-chip platform built with fully defined and tunable engineered extracellular matrices (eECMs). In a stepwise increase of complexity, we first co-cultured patient-derived HNSCC cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells within tailored eECMs, revealing matrix-dependent differences in self-organization and chemotherapeutic sensitivity. We then integrated these 3D constructs into a cancer-vasculature-interface, which enabled analysis of eECM-dependent directional collective migration and metastatization. Finally, we incorporated HNSCC-specific innervation through injectable 3D human bioengineered trigeminal ganglia, establishing a chip-based innervation-tumor-vasculature tri-interface. Together, this all-human platform captures fundamental determinants of HNSCC progression, including a fully defined ECM, vasculature, and innervation, within a single modular system that is broadly adaptable for interrogating how the tumor microenvironment shapes solid tumor behavior and therapeutic responses. TeaserHNSCC-on-a-chip integrates defined ECM, vasculature, and innervation to investigate tumor behavior and therapeutic responses.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2023

Flavinated SDHA Underlies the Change in Intrinsic Optical Properties of Oral Cancers

The molecular basis of reduced autofluorescence in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells relative to normal cells has been speculated to be due to lower levels of free flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). This speculation, along with differences in the intrinsic optical properties of extracellular collagen, lie at the foundation of the design of currently-used clinical optical detection devices. Here, we report that free FAD levels may not account for differences in autofluorescence of OSCC cells, but that the differences relate to FAD as a co-factor for flavination. Autofluorescence from a 70 kDa flavoprotein, succinate dehydrogenase A (SDHA), was found to be responsible for changes in optical properties within the FAD spectral region with lower levels of flavinated SDHA in OSCC cells. Since flavinated SDHA is required for functional complexation with succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB), decreased SDHB levels were observed in human OSCC tissue relative to normal tissues. Accordingly, the metabolism of OSCC cells was found to be significantly altered relative to normal cells, revealing vulnerabilities for both diagnosis and targeted therapy. Optimizing non-invasive tools based on optical and metabolic signatures of cancers will enable more precise and early diagnosis leading to improved outcomes in patients.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2022

Harnessing insect olfactory neural circuits for noninvasive detection of human cancer

There is overwhelming evidence that metabolic processes are altered in cancer cells and these changes are manifested in the volatile organic compound (VOC) composition of exhaled breath. Here, we take a novel approach of an insect olfactory neural circuit-based VOC sensor for cancer detection. We combined an in vivo antennae-attached insect brain with an electrophysiology platform and employed biological neural computation rules of antennal lobe circuitry for data analysis to achieve our goals. Our results demonstrate that three different human oral cancers can be robustly distinguished from each other and from a non-cancer oral cell line by analyzing individual cell culture VOC composition-evoked olfactory neural responses in the insect antennal lobe. By evaluating cancer vs. non-cancer VOC-evoked population neural responses, we show that olfactory neurons response-based classification of oral cancer is sensitive and reliable. Moreover, this brain-based cancer detection approach is very fast (detection time ~ 250 ms). We also demonstrate that this cancer detection technique is effective across changing chemical environments mimicking natural conditions. Our brain-based cancer detection system comprises a novel VOC sensing methodology that will spur the development of more forward engineering technologies for noninvasive detection of cancer.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2021

A New Bioink For Improved 3D Bioprinting Of Bone-Like Constructs

Bone tissue loss can occur due to disease, trauma or following surgery, in each case treatment involving the use of bone grafts or biomaterials is usually required. Recent development of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting (3DBP) has enabled the printing of customized bone substitutes. Bioinks used for bone 3DBP employ various particulate phases such as ceramic and bioactive glass particles embedded in the bioink creating a composite. When composite bioinks are used for 3DBP based on extrusion, particles are heterogeneously distributed causing damage to cells due to stresses created during flow in the matrix of the composite. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop cell-friendly osteopromotive bioink mitigating the risk of cell damage due to the flow of particles. Towards this end, we have linked organic and inorganic components, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and Ag-doped bioactive glass (Ag-BaG), to produce a hybrid material, GelMA-Ag-BaG (GAB). The distribution of the elements present in the Ag-BaG in the resulting hybrid GAB structure was examined. Rheological properties of the resulting hydrogel and its printability, as well as the degree of swelling and degradation over time, were also evaluated. GAB was compared to GelMA alone and GelMA-Ag-BaG nanocomposites. Results showed the superiority of the hybrid GAB bioink in terms of homogenous distribution of the elements in the structure, rheological properties, printability, and degradation profiles. Accordingly, this new bioink represents a major advance for bone 3DBP.

bioengineering↗