Channel-assembling tumor microenvironment on-chip for evaluating anticancer drug efficacy

Organ-on-a-chip is an advanced system for evaluating drug response in diseases. It simulates the in vivo tumor microenvironment, aiding in the understanding of drug mechanisms and tumor responses. It mimics the structure of the tumor microenvironment and the dynamic conditions within the body. As a result, it holds the potential for applications in precision and personalized medicine. However, there are still limitations in sequential development processes and complex structures, resulting in time-consuming molecular interference during system development. In this study, we developed a channel-assembling tumor microenvironment-on-chip (CATOC) system to overcome these limitations. CATOC was easily segmented into blood vessels and a tumor microenvironment-on-chip, which can be independently developed. The tumor microenvironment-on-chip consists of two independent channels for evaluating drug responses in different types of tumor microenvironments. Each fully developed system was physically interconnected to create a CATOC. Interconnected CATOC was used to validate chemical and targeted anticancer drug responses in different subtypes of the breast tumor microenvironment. We also emphasized the significance of on-chip experiments by observing the drug response of tumor spheroids on CATOC and scaffold-free platforms. [Display omitted] •We developed a channel-assembling tumor microenvironment-on-chip with easy segmentation and interconnection.We developed a channel-assembling tumor microenvironment-on-chip with easy segmentation and interconnection.•CATOC is cut into blood vessel-on-chip and tumor-on-chip using cutter blade purchased in stationery store.•Blood vessel-on-chip simulates the trans-endothelial phenomenon of drugs and replicates limited drug delivery.•The tumor-on-chip has two channels, allowing simultaneous observation of different tumor responses to a drug on one screen.The tumor-on-chip has two channels, allowing simultaneous observation of different tumor responses to a drug on one screen.•Chemical and targeted anticancer drugs were delivered to the tumor-on-chip via the blood vessel-on-chip.Chemical and targeted anticancer drugs were delivered to the tumor-on-chip via the blood vessel-on-chip.