TheMelanomamodelconsistsofhumanmalignantmelanomacells(A375),normal,human-derivedepidermalkeratinocytes(NHEK)andnormal,human-deriveddermalfibroblasts(NHDF)whichhavebeenculturedtoformamultilayered,highlydifferentiatedepidermiswithmelanomacellsatvariousstagesofCMmalignancy.Atdifferentstagesoftheculture,thetissueexhibitsrADIalgrowthphase(RGP),verticalgrowthphase(VGP),ormetastaticmelanomaphenotype.Thecellsareculturedoncellcultureinsertsusingserumfreemedium,andattainlevelsofdifferentiationonthecuttingedgeofinvitroskintechnology.Structurally,theMelanomamodelcloselyparallelstheprogressionofmelanomainvivo,thusprovidingavaluabletooltostudy,understand,anddeveloppreventativeandtherapeutictreatmentsforoneofthemostseriouscutaneousmalignancies.

TheMelanomamodelexhibitsinvivo-likemorphologicalandgrowthcharacteristicswhichareuniformandhighlyreproducIBLe.Epidermisofthisfullthicknessskinmodelconsistsoforganizedbasal,spinous,granular,andcornifiedepidermallayersanalogoustothosefoundinvivo.Thedermalcompartmentiscomposedofacollagenmatrixcontainingviablenormalhumandermalfibroblasts(NHDF).

TheprotocolsforusingtheMelanomatissuesareclearandstraightforward.MatTek’sMelanomatissueshavebeenutilizedwithanumberoftargetandanti-melanomadrugs.

Figure1.HumanMetastaticMelanomaCells(A375)inFullThicknessMelanomaSkinModel.A375cellsdevelopRGPmelanomanodesatdermal/epidermaljunction(Day11).Withextendedculturetime,melanomanodesadoptaVGPmorphology(Day18)andsubsequentlyisolatedclustersofcellsinvadethedermis(metastaticinvasion)(Day29).Longarrowsindicatemelanomacellclustersattheepidermal-dermaljunction.Shortarrowsshowseparatedmelanomacellclustersinfiltratingthedermis.

Figure2.UltrastructuralanalysisofMelanomaFTSkinModel.

Transmissionelectronmicrograph(TEM)ofthefullthicknessskinmelanomamodel(MLNM-FT-A375).A.Areaofinteractionofmelanomacells(M)andkeratinocytes(KC).B.Areaofinteractionofmelanomacellsandtheunderlyingdermalsubstrate(D).N,nucleus,n,nucleoli.Arrowindicatesapoptoticmelanomacells

Figure3.Fullthicknessskinmelanomamodel(MLNM-FT)containingmetastaticSK-Mel-28cells.S-100antibodystaining.Initiallysmallnestsofmelanomacellsformatthedermal/epidermaljunction(Day11).LaterVGPtumorsdevelop(Day25),andsubsequentlymetastasisintothedermisisobserved(Day29).Longarrowsindicatesomeofthemelanomacellclustersattheepidermal-dermaljunction.Shortarrowsshowindividualmelanomacellsinfiltratingthedermis.

Figure4.ExpressionofN-CadherinAdhesionMoleculeinMLNM-FT-A375FullThicknessMelanomaSkinModel.N-Cadherinantibodystaining,40X.NoteincreasedlevelofN-Cadherinexpressionwithtimeinculture.

TumorInvasionandAnti-MelanomaDrugScreening

MatTek’sMelanomatissueexhibitsradialgrowthphase,verticalgrowthphase,andmetastaticmelanomaphenotypes,parallelingtheprogressionofmelanomainvivo.Thismodelprovidesavaluabletoolforoncologistsandcancerresearcherstostudy,understand,anddeveloppreventativeandtherapeutictreatmentsforoneofthemostseriouscutaneousmalignancies.BrowseourMelanomareferencesintheMatTekReferenceLibrarytoseehowdoctorsandresearchershaveusedourMelanomatissue.

Tissue:

Kit:Fullthicknessmelanomaskinconstruct(MLNM-FT-A375kit)consistsof24tissues.(Tissue“kits”containtissues,asmallamountofculturemedium,andplasticware;contactMatTekforspecifickitcontents.)

Substrate:Singlewelltissuecultureplateinsertsareused(e.g.MillicellCMsinglewelltissuecultureplateinserts,poresize=0.4µm,surfacearea=0.6cm2).

Culture:Initiallysubmergedandthenattheairliquidinterface.

Histology:Epithelium:8-12epithelialcelllayersplusstratumcorneum(basal,spinous,andgranularlayers);Dermis:Collagengelcontainingfibroblasts.Atearlystagemelanomacellsformnodesatdermal/epidermaljunction.AtlaterstagesmelanomasprogresstoRGP(radialgrowthphase),VGP(verticalgrowthphase)andconsecutivelyinvadedermalcomponent.

Lotnumbers:Tissuelotsproducedeachweekareassignedaspecificlotnumber.Aletterofthealphabetisappendedtotheendofthelotnumbertodifferentiatebetweenindividualkitswithinagivenlotoftissues.Alltissuekitswithinalotareidenticalinregardstocells,medium,handling,cultureconditions,etc.

Shipment:Tissuesareshippedat4°Conmedium-supplemented,agarosegelsin6-wellplates.

Shipmentday:Monday.ShipmentonThursdayalsopossibleuponspecialrequest.

Delivery:TuesdaymorningviaFedExpriorityservice(US).OutsideUS:Tuesday-Thursdaydependingonlocation.

Shelflife:Includingtimeintransit,tissuesmaybestoredat4°Cforupto3dayspriortouse.However,extendedstorageperiodsarenotrecommendedunlessnecessary.Inaddition,thebestreproducibilitywillbeobtainediftissuesareusedconsistentlyonthesameday,e.g.Tuesdayafternoonorfollowingovernightstorageat4°C(Wednesdaymorning).

Lengthofexperiments:Culturescanbecontinuedforupto4weeksformelanomadevelopmentandprogressionwithgoodretentionofnormalepidermalmorphology.CulturesmustbefedeveryotherdayusingMatTekculturestands(MEL-STND;clickonthislinkforphoto)alongwith5.0mlofMLNM-FT-MM.

Alternativetissues:

MLNM-FT-A375(Day6):EarlystageMLNM-FT-A375tissue.TissuehasnotbeenculturedattheAir-LiquidInterface.Customerreceivesrequiredmedia(MLNM-FT-GM)tocontinueculturesandproduceMLNM-FT-A375.DiscussionwithaMatTektechnicalrepresentativeisrequiredpriortoorderingduetoproprietarynatureofthisproduct.Designedforstudyofearlystagesofmelanomadevelopmentinwhichexperimentaldesigndictatesuseofearlystagetissue.

MLNM-FT-EXP:SameasMLMN-FT-A375exceptMatTekreplacesA375cellswithcustomer-suppliedmelanomacells.

Cells:

Type:Humanmelanomacells(A375);Normalhumanepidermalkeratinocytes(NHEK);Normalhumandermalfibroblasts(NHDF).

Derivedfrom:Malignantmelanomacellline(A375);Neonatal-foreskintissue(NHEK);Neonatalskin(NHDF);

Alternatives:HumanmalignantmelanomacellsSK-Mel-28.

Screenedfor:HIV,Hepatitis-B,Hepatitis-C,mycoplasma.

Medium:

Basemedium:MCDB153BasalMedium.

Growthfactors/hormones:Epidermalgrowthfactor,insulin,hydrocortisoneandotherproprietarystimulatorsofepidermaldifferentiation.

Serum:None.

Antibiotics:Gentamicin5µg/ml(10%ofnormalgentamicinlevel).

Anti-fungalagent:AmphotericinB0.25µg/ml.

pHIndicator:Phenolred(0.0012g/l).

Otheradditives:Lipidprecursorsusedtoenhanceepidermalbarrierformation(proprietary).

Assay/Maintenancemedium:MLNM-FT-MMisutilizedforassaysaswellaslongtermmaintenanceoftheMLNM-FT-A375tissues.

QualityControlandSterility:

Visualinspection:Alltissuesarevisuallyinspectedandifphysicalimperfectionsarenoted,tissuesarerejectedforshipment.

End-usetesting:Tissuesfromtheproductionlotareretained,grownforadditional7days,fixedforhistology,andanalyzed.

Sterility:Allmediausedthroughouttheproductionprocessischeckedforsterility.Maintenancemediumisincubatedwithandwithoutantibioticsfor1weekandcheckedforsterility.Theagarosegelfromthe24-wellplateusedforshippingisalsoincubatedfor1weekandcheckedforanysignofcontamination.

Screeningforpathogens:AllcellsarescreenedandarenegativeforHIV,hepatitisBandhepatitisCusingPCR.However,noknowntestmethodcanoffercompleteassurancethatthecellsarepathogenfree.Thus,theseproductsandallhumanderivedproductsshouldbehandledatBSL-2levels(biosafetylevel2)orhigherasrecommendedintheCDC-NIHmanual,“BiosafetyinmicroBIOLOGicalandbiomedicallaboratories,”1998.Forfurtherassistance,pleasecontactyoursiteSafetyOfficerorMatTektechnicalservice.

Notificationoflotfailure:IfatissuelotfailsourQCorsterilitytesting,thecustomerwillbenotifiedandthetissueswillbereplacedwithoutchargewhenappropriate.BecauseourQCandsterilitytestingisdonepost-shipment,notificationwillbemadeassoonaspossible(Undernormalcircumstancessterilityfailureswillbenotifiedwithin8daysofshipment).