Harvestable tumour spheroids initiated in a gelatin-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel for cancer targeting and imaging with fluorescent gold nanoclusters

Abstract Cancer cell spheroids are the simplest 3D in vitro cancer models and have been extensively used for research. More recently, becoming complex, with introduction of a matrix non-cancer types to mimic specific tumour aspects. However, applying drugs or agents matrix-embedded can be problematic. Most matrices impede also bind visualizing non-specifically, vicinity embedded spheroids. This may interfere imaging further analysis without breaking apart model into its constituents. Here, we developed combined gelatin-carboxymethyl cellulose (G-CMC) hydrogel initiating that enabled intact harvesting pre/post treatment investigation, such as targeting imaging. We CMC (1.25%) gelatin (2.5%) at 25 °C initiated polymerisation after autoclaving (121 °C) obtain mechanical strength (sheer stress) 38 Pas versus 1.28 alone. These conditions facilitated separation from G-CMC, using low centrifugation (100 g). described growth colorectal breast within G-CMC (with average diameters 220 mm 180 μm representative lines HT29 MCF7 10 days, respectively). As cells express surface biomarker calreticulin (CRT), manufactured anti-calreticulin IgG (anti-CRT) conjugated fluorescent gold nanoclusters (anti-CRT-AuNC) probe. harvested incubated live nanoclusters. Imaging demonstrated strong binding CRT-targeted AuNCs compared control AuNCs. novel preserves spheroid integrity upon isolation is well suited targeted drug delivery 3D.