ScholarWorks@중앙대학교

초록

An electrochemical detection platform holds immense potential as a non-invasive and non-destructive tool for evaluating drug efficacy and toxicity, particularly in three-dimensional cancer spheroids. However, conventional platforms with flat electrode surfaces often fail to generate spheroids with high sphericity, limiting their ability to accurately mimic the in vivo tumor microenvironment. In this study, we present a new method that enables the direct formation of highly spherical cancer spheroids on an electrochemical sensing platform, allowing real-time monitoring of drug-specific efficacy against cancer cells. By co-culturing fibroblasts, which provide essential extracellular matrix components and nutrients, with adenocarcinoma cells on a microwell-integrated gold nanostructured platform referred to as the bottom-up spheroid detection system, we successfully formed approximately 180 uniformly sized spheroids with high sphericity (> 0.9) directly on the chip surface. This process did not require external supplements or low-adhesion coatings. Following 24 h of drug exposure, 0.1 mg/mL of cisplatin reduced adenocarcinoma viability by up to 80 %, whereas the same concentration of hydroxyurea reduced viability by only 25 %. This finding demonstrates the exceptional sensitivity of the platform for evaluating drug-specific effects. Overall, the bottom-up spheroid detection system offers a powerful tool for research on cancer chemotherapy, drug resistance, and drug delivery applications. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.

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