Monitoring small molecules from a colon cancer spheroid model in 3D using MALDI MSI

Organoids and spheroids are attractive 3D cell culture models because they mimic specific in vivo physiological conditions, can be developed from human cells, and contribute towards animal-free research. Their analysis brings light on cell-cell and cell-microenvironment molecular composition and interactions, which creates opportunities in cancer research and drug screening. However, 3D molecular characterization is required for a complete understanding of the molecular composition and chemical changes of the entire system.

Our workflow enables studying cell-cell interactions, invasive cell migration, tumor progression, and other spatially relevant interactions within 3D cell culture models which could be monitored in 3D using MALDI MSI. We analyzed a colon cancer-fibroblast co-culture spheroid model developed by Prof. Rüdiger Rudolf and team, and were able to distinguish between cell type specific small molecules in an unbiased manner and high throughput. Therefore, our 3D technology could enable the identification of desirable markers for studying biological mechanisms typical to each cell type, which could lay the grounds for developing 3D-MSI based drug screenings.

Presenter: Stefania-Alexandra Iakab, Ph.D. (Team Leader Spatialomics, Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany)

Stefania-Alexandra Iakab received her Ph.D. from the Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, Spain. She developed gold and silicon-based nanostructured surfaces for multimodal imaging combining matrix-free mass spectrometry imaging and surface assisted Raman spectroscopy. She is currently leading the Spatialomics team at CeMOS, Germany. Her research focuses on developing MSI workflows for pharma applications on 3D cell culture models.

Presenter: Janina Oetjen, Ph.D. (Application Specialist MALDI Imaging, Bruker Daltonics, Bremen, Germany)

Janina Oetjen did her Ph.D. in molecular microbiology at the University of Bremen in 2009. As employee at the MALDI Imaging Lab of the University of Bremen, she provided analytical service in the field of mass spectrometry imaging. At SCiLS, she headed the SCiLS™ Analytical Services division and acted as a consultant for the software development. Since summer 2018, she joined Bruker as Application Scientist for MALDI Imaging and is responsible for timsTOF fleX and timsTOF fleX MALDI-2 demos.