Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model
Abstract Investigating the tissue modifications occurring as a consequence of tumour development is an important goal in preclinical medical research, as it can provide a better understanding of the mechanisms behind its origin and spread. Tumor microenvironment has a supportive role in cancer devel...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96049-9 |
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| author | Lorenzo Massimi Sara Vitale Laura Maugeri Luca Businaro Giuseppe Gigli Micol E. Fiori Alessia Cedola |
| author_facet | Lorenzo Massimi Sara Vitale Laura Maugeri Luca Businaro Giuseppe Gigli Micol E. Fiori Alessia Cedola |
| author_sort | Lorenzo Massimi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Investigating the tissue modifications occurring as a consequence of tumour development is an important goal in preclinical medical research, as it can provide a better understanding of the mechanisms behind its origin and spread. Tumor microenvironment has a supportive role in cancer development and can be exploited as a therapeutic target to prevent and contrast metastatic spread, which usually leads to a poor prognosis. In this work, a colorectal cancer model of liver metastasis is used to perform proof-of-concept quantitative investigations of the changes occurring in murine liver tissue due to the formation of metastases. X-ray phase contrast imaging performed with synchrotron radiation was used to obtain high resolution and contrast on soft tissues with minimum sample preparation and a large field of view on a 3D volume. A pixel size of 3 µm, and 0.7 µm have been used. to visualize and quantify liver microvasculature, referred to as sinusoids, and to identify significant morphological differences between control and metastatic tissues. A reorganization of the hepatic tissue, characterized by increased vascularization around the metastatic lesions coupled with a significant reduction in the sinusoidal network in the distal liver parenchyma was observed. X-ray findings are also supported by conventional histology, proving X-ray phase contrast imaging as an informative complementary technique. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-602545c91f124866bcd16a5fdcef89d0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-602545c91f124866bcd16a5fdcef89d02025-08-20T03:16:51ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-96049-9Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse modelLorenzo Massimi0Sara Vitale1Laura Maugeri2Luca Businaro3Giuseppe Gigli4Micol E. Fiori5Alessia Cedola6CNR-Nanotec (Institute of Nanotechnology)Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine (OMM), Istituto Superiore di SanitàCNR-Nanotec (Institute of Nanotechnology)CNR-IFN (Institute of Photonics and Nanotechnologies)CNR-Nanotec (Institute of Nanotechnology)Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine (OMM), Istituto Superiore di SanitàCNR-Nanotec (Institute of Nanotechnology)Abstract Investigating the tissue modifications occurring as a consequence of tumour development is an important goal in preclinical medical research, as it can provide a better understanding of the mechanisms behind its origin and spread. Tumor microenvironment has a supportive role in cancer development and can be exploited as a therapeutic target to prevent and contrast metastatic spread, which usually leads to a poor prognosis. In this work, a colorectal cancer model of liver metastasis is used to perform proof-of-concept quantitative investigations of the changes occurring in murine liver tissue due to the formation of metastases. X-ray phase contrast imaging performed with synchrotron radiation was used to obtain high resolution and contrast on soft tissues with minimum sample preparation and a large field of view on a 3D volume. A pixel size of 3 µm, and 0.7 µm have been used. to visualize and quantify liver microvasculature, referred to as sinusoids, and to identify significant morphological differences between control and metastatic tissues. A reorganization of the hepatic tissue, characterized by increased vascularization around the metastatic lesions coupled with a significant reduction in the sinusoidal network in the distal liver parenchyma was observed. X-ray findings are also supported by conventional histology, proving X-ray phase contrast imaging as an informative complementary technique.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96049-9 |
| spellingShingle | Lorenzo Massimi Sara Vitale Laura Maugeri Luca Businaro Giuseppe Gigli Micol E. Fiori Alessia Cedola Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model Scientific Reports |
| title | Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model |
| title_full | Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model |
| title_fullStr | Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model |
| title_short | Quantitative X-ray phase-contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model |
| title_sort | quantitative x ray phase contrast digital histology of liver metastases in a mouse model |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96049-9 |
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