Multimodal Phasor Approach to study breast cancer cells invasion in 3D spheroid model

Tedeschi, G.; Palomba, F.; Scipioni, L.; Digman, M. A.

doi:10.1101/2024.06.10.598307

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.06.10.598307

Multimodal Phasor Approach to study breast cancer cells invasion in 3D spheroid model

Tedeschi, G.·Palomba, F.·Scipioni, L.·Digman, M. A.

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Abstract

We implemented a multimodal set of functional imaging techniques optimized for deep-tissue imaging to investigate how cancer cells invade surrounding tissues and how their physiological properties change in the process. As a model for cancer invasion of the extracellular matrix, we created 3D spheroids from triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells (MCF-10A). We analyzed multiple hallmarks of cancer within the same spheroid by combining a number of imaging techniques, such as metabolic imaging of NADH by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (NADH-FLIM), hyperspectral imaging of a solvatochromic lipophilic dye (Nile Red) and extracellular matrix imaging by Second Harmonic Generation (SHG). We included phasor-based bioimage analysis of spheroids at three different time points, tracking both morphological and biological properties, including cellular metabolism, fatty acids storage, and collagen organization. Employing this multimodal deep-imaging framework, we observed and quantified cancer cell plasticity in response to changes in the environment composition.

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Tedeschi, G., Palomba, F., Scipioni, L., Digman, M. A.. 2024-06-12. Multimodal Phasor Approach to study breast cancer cells invasion in 3D spheroid model. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.10.598307

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