Development of complex extracorporeal carcinoma models for the identification of personalised Cancer therapies

Department of Science & Technology

Project Description

Intensive research into the molecular causes of cancer has led to the development of a range of innovative and targeted therapies which are used to selectively inactivate the molecular mechanisms responsible for tumour progression and the growth of cancer cells. These therapies can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and induce programmed cell death (apoptosis). They are not effective in all cancer patients due to the genetic heterogeneity of tumours. Personalised oncology aims to establish a direct link between tumour cell genotypes and sensitivity to bioactive substances, so that the patient first and foremost receives the targeted therapy with the maximum clinical benefit.

In the project an experimental approach is being developed to complement diagnostic biomarker studies. We plan to develop organotypic cancer models that enable the direct testing of the clinical efficacy of cancer therapies in cell and tissue cultures (in vitro). A large number of potential cancer therapies, which are often combinations of targeted drugs and conventional chemotherapeutic agents, could

be quickly tested for their clinical efficacy on a personalised Basis.

The project is funded by Niederösterreichische Forschungs- und Bildungsges.m.b.H. (NFB).

Further Information
Status: Completed
Project ID : 455
Sponsor :
Land NÖ

Project Leader
Prof.(FH) Priv. Doz. Mag. Dr. Andreas Eger
Deputy Head of Institute / Institute Krems Bioanalytics
Prof.(FH) Priv. Doz. Mag. Dr. Andreas Eger
Deputy Head of Institute / Institute Krems Bioanalytics
Institute Krems Bioanalytics
+43 2732 802 369
[email protected]
IMC TFZIMC TFZ Haupthaus (Verwaltungsgebäude 1)
Drug Discovery
Organotypic Disease Models
Bioanalytics and Biomarker
Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Master of Science in Engineering / full-time
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Hundsberger, H., Stierschneider, A., Sarne, V., Ripper, D., Schimon, J., Weitzenböck, H. P., Schild, D., Jacobi, N., Eger, A., Atzler, J., Klein, C. T., & Wiesner, C. (2021): Concentration-Dependent Pro- and Antitumor Activities of Quercetin in Human Melanoma Spheroids: Comparative Analysis of 2D and 3D Cell Culture Models. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(3): 717.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26030717
Jacobi, N., Seeboeck, R., Hofmann, E., Schweiger, H., Smolinska, V., Mohr, T., Boyer, A., Sommergruber, W., Lechner, P., Pichler-Huebschmann, C., Önder, K., Hundsberger, H., Wiesner, C., & Eger, A. (2017): Organotypic three-dimensional cancer cell cultures mirror drug responses in vivo: lessons learned from the inhibition of EGFR signaling. Oncotarget, 8(64): 107423–107440.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.22475
Jacobi, N., Smolinska, V., Seeboeck, R., Stierschneider, A., Klein, C., Hofmann, E., Wiesner, C., Mohr, T., Oender, K., Lechner, P., Kaiser, H., Hundsberger, H., Eger, A. (2017): 3D Anti-Cancer drug discovery models: A promising approach for precision medicine. In IMC Fachhochschule Krems GmbH (Hrsg.), Online-Tagungsband FHK Forschungsforum 2017. Krems: FFH.
Jacobi, N., Seeboeck, R., Hofmann, E., & Eger, A. (2017): ErbB Family Signalling: A Paradigm for Oncogene Addiction and Personalized Oncology. Cancers, 9(4): 33.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers9040033
Hundsberger, H., Koppensteiner, A., Hofmann, E., Ripper, D., Pflüger, M., Stadlmann, V., Klein, C. T., Kreiseder, B., Katzlinger, M., Eger, A., Forster, F., Missbichler, A., & Wiesner, C. (2017): A Screening Approach for Identifying Gliadin Neutralizing Antibodies on Epithelial Intestinal Caco-2 Cells. SLAS discovery : advancing life sciences R & D, 22(8): 1035–1043.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/2472555217697435
Hofmann, E., Seeboeck, R., Jacobi, N., Obrist, P., Huter, S., Klein, C., Oender, K., Wiesner, C., Hundsberger, H., & Eger, A. (2016): The combinatorial approach of laser-captured microdissection and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction accurately determines HER2 status in breast cancer. Biomarker research, 7(4): 8.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40364-016-0062-7
Jacobi, N., Smolinska, V., Stierschneider, A., Klein, C., Oender, K., Lechner, P., Kaiser, H., Hundsberger, H., Eger, A. (2016): Development of organotypic cancer models for the identification of individualized cancer therapies. In FH des BFI Wien (Hrsg.), Online-Tagungsband FHK Forschungsforum 2016. Wien: FFH.
Herzog, J., Rid, R., Wagner, M., Hundsberger, H., Eger, A., Bauer, J., & Önder, K. (2015): Whole-transcriptome gene expression profiling in an epidermolysis bullosa simplex Dowling-Meara model keratinocyte cell line uncovered novel, potential therapeutic targets and affected pathways. BMC research notes, 8: 785.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-015-1783-7
Kreiseder, B., Holper-Schichl, Y. M., Muellauer, B., Jacobi, N., Pretsch, A., Schmid, J. A., de Martin, R., Hundsberger, H., Eger, A., & Wiesner, C. (2015): Alpha-catulin contributes to drug-resistance of melanoma by activating NF-κB and AP-1. PloS one, 10(3): e0119402.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119402
Bakiri, L., Macho-Maschler, S., Custic, I., Niemiec, J., Guío-Carrión, A., Hasenfuss, S. C., Eger, A., Müller, M., Beug, H., & Wagner, E. F. (2015): Fra-1/AP-1 induces EMT in mammary epithelial cells by modulating Zeb1/2 and TGFβ expression. Cell death and differentiation, 22(2): 336–350.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/cdd.2014.157
Spilka, R., Ernst, C., Bergler, H., Rainer, J., Flechsig, S., Vogetseder, A., Lederer, E., Benesch, M., Brunner, A., Geley, S., Eger, A., Bachmann, F., Doppler, W., Obrist, P., & Haybaeck, J. (2014): eIF3a is over-expressed in urinary bladder cancer and influences its phenotype independent of translation initiation. Cellular oncology (Dordrecht), 37(4): 253–267.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13402-014-0181-9
Pretsch, A., Nagl, M., Schwendinger, K., Kreiseder, B., Wiederstein, M., Pretsch, D., Genov, M., Hollaus, R., Zinssmeister, D., Debbab, A., Hundsberger, H., Eger, A., Proksch, P., & Wiesner, C. (2014): Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of endophytic fungi Talaromyces wortmannii extracts against acne-inducing bacteria. PloS one, 9(6): e97929.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097929
Kapuścik, A., Hrouzek, P., Kuzma, M., Bártová, S., Novák, P., Jokela, J., Pflüger, M., Eger, A., Hundsberger, H., Kopecký, J. (2013): Novel Aeruginosin-865 from Nostoc sp. as a potent anti-inflammatory agent. Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology, 14(17): 2329-2337.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/cbic.201300246
Rid, R., Herzog, J., Maier, R. H., Hundsberger, H., Eger, A., Hintner, H., Bauer, J. W., Onder, K. (2013): Real-time monitoring of relative peptide-protein interaction strengths in the yeast two-hybrid system. Assay and drug development technologies, 11(4): 269-275.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1089/adt.2012.496
Pflüger, M., Kapuscik, A., Lucas, R., Koppensteiner, A., Katzlinger, M., Jokela, J., Eger, A., Jacobi, N., Wiesner, C., Hofmann, E., Onder, K., Kopecky, J., Schütt, W., Hundsberger, H. (2013): A combined impedance and AlphaLISA-based approach to identify anti-inflammatory and barrier-protective compounds in human endothelium. Journal of biomolecular screening, 18(1): 67-74.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1087057112458316
Imhof, M., Karas, I., Gomez, I., Eger, A., & Imhof, M. (2013): Interaction of tumor cells with the immune system: implications for dendritic cell therapy and cancer progression. Drug discovery today, 18(1-2): 35-42.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2012.07.010
Maier, C., Maier, R., Rid, R., Trost, A., Hundsberger, H., Eger, A., Hintner, H., Bauer, J., Onder, K. (2012): PIM-1 kinase interacts with the DNA binding domain of the vitamin D receptor: a further kinase implicated in 1,25-(OH)2D3 signaling. BMC molecular biology, 13: 18.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2199-13-18
Vonach, C., Viola, K., Giessrigl, B., Huttary, N., Raab, I., Kalt, R., Krieger, S., Vo, T. P., Madlener, S., Bauer, S., Marian, B., Hämmerle, M., Kretschy, N., Teichmann, M., Hantusch, B., Stary, S., Unger, C., Seelinger, M., Eger, A., Mader, R., Jäger, W., Schmidt, W., Grusch, M., Dolznig, H., Mikulits, W., Krupitza, G. (2011): NF-κB mediates the 12(S)-HETE-induced endothelial to mesenchymal transition of lymphendothelial cells during the intravasation of breast carcinoma cells. British journal of cancer, 105(2): 263-271.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.2011.194
Amatschek, S., Lucas, R., Eger, A., Pflueger, M., Hundsberger, H., Knoll, C., Grosse-Kracht, S., Schuett, W., Koszik, F., Maurer, D., Wiesner, C. (2011): CXCL9 induces chemotaxis, chemorepulsion and endothelial barrier disruption through CXCR3-mediated activation of melanoma cells. British journal of cancer, 104(3): 469-479.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjc.6606056
Spaderna, S., Schmalhofer, O., Wahlbuhl, M., Dimmler, A., Bauer, K., Sultan, A., Hlubek, F., Jung, A., Strand, D., Eger, A., Kirchner, T., Behrens, J., & Brabletz, T. (2008): The transcriptional repressor ZEB1 promotes metastasis and loss of cell polarity in cancer. Cancer research, 68(2): 537–544.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-5682
Mikula M., Lahsnig C., Fischer A. N. M., Proell V., Huber H, Fuchs E., Eger A., Beug H. and Mikulits W. (2007): Epithelial plasticity of hepatocytes during liver tumor progression. Stem cells and their potential for clinical application. NATO Science for Peace and Security. Series/NATO Science Foundation. Springer Netherland, Edition 1.
Aigner, K., Dampier, B., Descovich, L., Mikula, M., Sultan, A., Schreiber, M., Mikulits, W., Brabletz, T., Strand, D., Obrist, P., Sommergruber, W., Schweifer, N., Wernitznig, A., Beug, H., Foisner, R., & Eger, A. (2007): The transcription factor ZEB1 (deltaEF1) promotes tumour cell dedifferentiation by repressing master regulators of epithelial polarity. Oncogene, 26(49): 6979–6988.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1210508
Aigner, K., Descovich, L., Mikula, M., Sultan, A., Dampier, B., Bonné, S., van Roy, F., Mikulits, W., Schreiber, M., Brabletz, T., Sommergruber, W., Schweifer, N., Wernitznig, A., Beug, H., Foisner, R., & Eger, A. (2007): The transcription factor ZEB1 (deltaEF1) represses Plakophilin 3 during human cancer progression. FEBS letters, 581(8): 1617-24.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2007.03.026
Pacher, M., Seewald, M. J., Mikula, M., Oehler, S., Mogg, M., Vinatzer, U., Eger, A., Schweifer, N., Varecka, R., Sommergruber, W., Mikulits, W., & Schreiber, M. (2007): Impact of constitutive IGF1/IGF2 stimulation on the transcriptional program of human breast cancer cells. Carcinogenesis, 28(1): 49-59.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgl091
Spaderna, S., Schmalhofer, O., Hlubek, F., Berx, G., Eger, A., Merkel, S., Jung, A., Kirchner, T., & Brabletz, T. (2006): A transient, EMT-linked loss of basement membranes indicates metastasis and poor survival in colorectal cancer. Gastroenterology, 131(3): 830–840.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2006.06.016
Stary, M., Pasteiner, W., Summer, A., Hrdina, A., Eger, A., & Weitzer, G. (2005): Parietal endoderm secreted SPARC promotes early cardiomyogenesis in vitro. Experimental cell research, 310(2): 331-43.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yexcr.2005.07.013
Eger, A., Mikulits, W. (2005): Models of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models, 2(1): 57-63.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ddmod.2005.04.001
Eger, A., Aigner, K., Sonderegger, S., Dampier, B., Oehler, S., Schreiber, M., Berx, G., Cano, A., Beug, H., & Foisner, R. (2005): DeltaEF1 is a transcriptional repressor of E-cadherin and regulates epithelial plasticity in breast cancer cells. Oncogene, 24(14): 2375-85.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1208429
Eger, A., Stockinger, A., Park, J., Langkopf, E., Mikula, M., Gotzmann, J., Mikulits, W., Beug, H., & Foisner, R. (2004): β-catenin and TGFβ signalling cooperate to maintain a mesenchymal phenotype after FosER-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Oncogene, 23(15): 2672-2680.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1207416
Gotzmann, J., Mikula, M., Eger, A., Schulte-Hermann, R., Foisner, R., Beug, H., & Mikulits, W. (2004): Molecular aspects of epithelial cell plasticity: implications for local tumor invasion and metastasis. Mutation research, 566(1): 9–20.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/s1383-5742(03)00033-4
Stockinger, A., Eger, A., Wolf, J., Beug, H., & Foisner, R. (2001): E-cadherin regulates cell growth by modulating proliferation-dependent beta-catenin transcriptional activity. The Journal of cell biology, 154(6): 1185–1196.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.200104036
Eger A. and Foisner R. (2000): Dynamic and cross talk of junctional proteins: a molecular basis for the regulation of cell adhesion and epithelial polarity. Protoplasma, 211(3-4): 125-133.
Eger, A., Stockinger, A., Schaffhauser, B., Beug, H., & Foisner, R. (2000): Epithelial mesenchymal transition by c-Fos estrogen receptor activation involves nuclear translocation of beta-catenin and upregulation of beta-catenin/lymphoid enhancer binding factor-1 transcriptional activity. The Journal of cell biology, 148(1): 173-188.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.148.1.173
Gotzmann, J., Eger, A., Meissner, M., Grimm, R., Gerner, C., Sauermann, G., & Foisner, R. (1997): Two-dimensional electrophoresis reveals a nuclear matrix-associated nucleolin complex of basic isoelectric point. Electrophoresis, 18(14): 2645–2653.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.1150181421
Eger, A., Stockinger, A., Wiche, G., & Foisner, R. (1997): Polarisation-dependent association of plectin with desmoplakin and the lateral submembrane skeleton in MDCK cells. Journal of cell science, 110: 1307-1316.

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Development of complex extracorporeal carcinoma models for the identification of personalised Cancer therapies

Department of Science & Technology

Project Description

Prof.(FH) Priv. Doz. Mag. Dr. Andreas Eger