Characterization of cancer spheroids formed on polymer thin film surfaces with different surface wettability

Abstract

Since cancer spheroids can mimic the characteristics of in vivo tumor such as cell-cell, cell-ECM interactions and biochemical gradients, it is emerging as a next-generation platform for various applications including high-throughput drug screening. Currently, numerous methods for cancer spheroid culture have been developed. Conventional methods commonly utilize hydrophilic surface, while our research group has developed a hydrophobic polymer surface which can induce more tumorigenic cancer spheroids. On this point, here, we hypothesize that surface wettability has a significant effect on the characteristics of cancer spheroids. Hydrophilic polymer poly hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA) and hydrophobic polymer poly cyclohexyl methacrylate (pCHMA) were deposited via initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD), and the cancer spheroids induced by these two surfaces were characterized from various perspectives. In particular, we explain tumorigenicity and the related mechanism in relation to the inner structure, thereby suggesting the ideal structure of cancer spheroids.