3D Bone Morphology Alters Gene Expression, Motility, and Drug Responses in Bone Metastatic Tumor Cells

Patients with advanced skeletal metastases arising from primary cancers including breast, lung, and prostate suffer from extreme pain, bone loss, and frequent fractures. While the importance of interactions between bone and tumors is well-established, our understanding of complex cell–cell and cell–microenvironment interactions remains limited in part due to a lack of appropriate 3D bone models. To improve our understanding of the influence of bone morphometric properties on the regulation of tumor-induced bone disease (TIBD), we utilized bone-like 3D scaffolds in vitro and in vivo. Scaffolds were seeded with tumor cells, and changes in cell motility, proliferation, and gene expression were measured. Genes associated with TIBD significantly increased with increasing scaffold rigidity. Drug response differed when tumors were cultured in 3D compared to 2D. Inhibitors for Integrin β3 and TGF-β Receptor II significantly reduced bone-metastatic gene expression in 2D but not 3D, while treatment with the Gli antagonist GANT58 significantly reduced gene expression in both 2D and 3D. When tumor-seeded 3D scaffolds were implanted into mice, infiltration of myeloid progenitors changed in response to pore size and rigidity. This study demonstrates a versatile 3D model of bone used to study the influence of mechanical and morphometric properties of bone on TIBD.