Effect of doxorubicin on a MCF-7 cell line multicellular tumor spheroid model: An electronmicroscopic study [Doksorubisinin multisellüler spheroid hücre kültü rlerinde MCF-7 hücreleri üzerine etkisi: Elektronmikroskobik çalişma]

Objective: Many properties of human tumor cells that propagate in three-dimensional multicellular spheroids (e.g., drug sensitivity, junctional complexes, and invasive capabilities) differ from those exhibited in monolayer cell cultures. Multicellular spheroids may offer convenient in vitro experimental models capable of occupying a niche between monolayer cell cultures and in vivo tumors. In the present study, the effects of doxorubicin on human breast cancer cells were investigated ultrastructurally with the aid of spheroids. Material and Methods: We employed the liquid overlay technique of obtaining spheroids. MCF-7 breast cancer cell spheroids were then electron-microscopically examined for the effects of subsequently applied doxorubicin. Results: Tumor cells exhibiting evidence of the apoptotic process were seen in spheroid centers. Conclusion: In this study, in addition to annotating the physiological and pathological changes manifested in the formation of tumors, many of the effects of chemotherapy on tumor cells were elucidated. The spheroid method was determined to be useful in the assessment of treatment efficacy with various chemotherapeutic agents. Copyright © 2005 by Türkiye Klinikleri.