Poly(ethylene glycol)-cross linked poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid)hydrogels for three-dimensional human ovarian cancer cell culture

In this work, three kinds of poly(ethylene glycol)-cross linked poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic acid) hydrogels, Gel-1, Gel-2, and Gel-3 with different elastic modulus of 105,100 Pa, 12,020 Pa, and 2191 Pa were designed for simulating respectively the mechanical strength of stiffer metastasis bone sites, cancerous soft tissue, and BME or collagen, and were evaluated in three-dimensional (3D) culture of human ovarian cancer cell line HO8910. The proliferation, adhesion, migration, and invasion of ovarian cells HO8910 in these three kinds of hydrogels were systematically investigated and compared with two commercial hydrogels BME and collagen I. Hydrogels Gel-1 and Gel-2 with higher elastic modulus showed a better cytocompatibility and remarkably supported the proliferation of ovarian cancer cell line HO8910 and the formation of multicellular spheroids (MCS) in a 3D model. The mechanical properties of hydrogels played a crucial role in responses of HO8910 cells. The hydrogels Gel-1 and Gel-2 are also the potential 3D culture matrix materials for cancer cell culture.

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► Ovarian cancer cell line HO8910 can form multicellular spheroids (MCS) in PEG-cross linked PMVE-co-MA hydrogel.
► Elastic modulus G′ of hydrogel can remarkably influence the proliferation of HO8910; the higher elastic modulus is more beneficial to the adhesion and proliferation of HO8910.
► PMVE-co-MA-based hydrogel is potential 3D cell culture matrix.