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Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (생화학분자생물학회)
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Deciphering the underlying mechanism of liver diseases through utilization of multicellular hepatic spheroid models

  • Sanghwa Kim (Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea) ;
  • Su-Yeon Lee (Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea) ;
  • Haeng Ran Seo (Advanced Biomedical Research Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea)
  • Received : 2023.01.20
  • Accepted : 2023.02.16
  • Published : 2023.04.30
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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very common form of cancer worldwide and is often fatal. Although the histopathology of HCC is characterized by metabolic pathophysiology, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, the focus of treatment has been on eliminating HCC. Recently, three-dimensional (3D) multicellular hepatic spheroid (MCHS) models have provided a) new therapeutic strategies for progressive fibrotic liver diseases, such as antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory drugs, b) molecular targets, and c) treatments for metabolic dysregulation. MCHS models provide a potent anti-cancer tool because they can mimic a) tumor complexity and heterogeneity, b) the 3D context of tumor cells, and c) the gradients of physiological parameters that are characteristic of tumors in vivo. However, the information provided by an multicelluar tumor spheroid (MCTS) model must always be considered in the context of tumors in vivo. This mini-review summarizes what is known about tumor HCC heterogeneity and complexity and the advances provided by MCHS models for innovations in drug development to combat liver diseases.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the National Research foundation of Korea (NRF) grant (NRF-2022R1A2C1005371) and Korea National Institute of Health (KNIH) 2022-ER-1304-01 grant funded by the Korea government.

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