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The role of spatial variations of abiotic factors in mediating intratumour phenotypic heterogeneity

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posted on 2023-06-09, 18:32 authored by Tommaso Lorenzi, Chandrasekhar VenkataramanChandrasekhar Venkataraman, Alexander Lorz, Mark Chaplain
We present here a space- and phenotype-structured model of selection dynamics between cancer cells within a solid tumour. In the framework of this model, we combine formal analyses with numerical simulations to investigate in silico the role played by the spatial distribution of abiotic components of the tumour microenvironment in mediating phenotypic selection of cancer cells. Numerical simulations are performed both on the 3D geometry of an in silico multicellular tumour spheroid and on the 3D geometry of an in vivo human hepatic tumour, which was imaged using computerised tomography. The results obtained show that inhomogeneities in the spatial distribution of oxygen, currently observed in solid tumours, can promote the creation of distinct local niches and lead to the selection of different phenotypic variants within the same tumour. This process fosters the emergence of stable phenotypic heterogeneity and supports the presence of hypoxic cells resistant to cytotoxic therapy prior to treatment. Our theoretical results demonstrate the importance of integrating spatial data with ecological principles when evaluating the therapeutic response of solid tumours to cytotoxic therapy.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Accepted version

Journal

Journal of Theoretical Biology

ISSN

0022-5193

Publisher

Elsevier

Volume

451

Page range

101-110

Department affiliated with

  • Mathematics Publications

Research groups affiliated with

  • Mathematics Applied to Biology Research Group Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2019-07-31

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2019-07-31

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2019-07-30

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