An improved 3T3-L1 adipocyte model of inflammation and insulin resistance.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)/hypoxia-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes have been used to model inflamed and insulin-resistant adipose tissue: this study examines gaps in the model. We tested whether modulating TNF-α/hypoxia treatment time could reduce cell death while still inducing inflammation and insulin resistance. Adipocytes were treated with TNF-α (12 h or 24 h) and incubated in a hypoxic chamber for 24 h.

Establishment of a tissue-engineered colon cancer model for comparative analysis of cancer cell lines.

To overcome the limitations of in vitro two-dimensional (2D) cancer models in mimicking the complexities of the native tumor milieu, three-dimensional (3D) engineered cancer models using biomimetic materials have been introduced to more closely recapitulate the key attributes of the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, for colorectal cancer (CRC), a few studies have developed 3D engineered tumor models to investigate cell-cell interactions or efficacy of anti-cancer drugs. However, recapitulation of CRC cell line phenotypic differences within a 3D engineered matrix has not been systematically investigated.

Consensus molecular subtype differences linking colon adenocarcinoma and obesity revealed by a cohort transcriptomic analysis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and worldwide. Obesity-a worldwide public health concern-is a known risk factor for cancer including CRC. However, the mechanisms underlying the link between CRC and obesity have yet to be fully elucidated in part because of the molecular heterogeneity of CRC.