Three-dimensional cell culture: Future scope in cancer vaccine development

• Published in: Drug discovery today 2024-09, Vol.29 (9), p.104114, Article 104114
• Main Authors: Rahman, Mahfoozur, Sahoo, Ankit, Almalki, Waleed H., Salman Almujri, Salem, Aodah, Alhussain, Alnofei, Abdulrahman A., Alhamyani, Abdulrahman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2D cell cultures; 3D cell cultures; cancer vaccines; cell-based vaccine; clinical trials; unmet need
• ISSN: 1359-6446; 1878-5832; 1878-5832
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104114

Three-dimensional cell culture: progress in vaccine development and challenges. [Display omitted] •3D cell culture is an in vitro method that lets live cells grow and interact with their surroundings in all three dimensions.•3D cell culture systems offer significant potential for cancer immunology research.•Due to 3D cell culture high cost, which prevents smaller research groups and individual researchers from gaining access.•The full potential of 3D cell culture can only be realized once several experimental and technical challenges are addressed. Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture techniques, which are superior to 2D methods in viability and functionality, are being used to develop innovative cancer vaccines. Tumor spheroids, which are structurally and functionally similar to actual tumors, can be developed using 3D cell culture. These spheroid vaccines have shown superior antitumor immune responses to 2D cell-based vaccines. Dendritic cell vaccines can also be produced more efficiently using 3D cell culture. Personalized cancer vaccines are being developed using 3D cell culture, providing substantial benefits over 2D methods. The more natural conditions of 3D cell culture might promote the expression of tumor antigens not expressed in 2D culture, potentially allowing for more targeted vaccines by co-culturing tumor cells with other cell types. Advanced cancer vaccines using 3D cell cultures are expected soon.