Biofabrication of Tunable 3D Hydrogel for Investigating the Matrix Stiffness Impact on Breast Cancer Chemotherapy Resistance

Matrix stiffness is a key factor in breast cancer progression, but its impact on cell function and response to treatment is not fully understood. Here, we developed a stiffness-tunable hydrogel-based three-dimensional system that recapitulates the extracellular matrix and physiological properties of human breast cancer in vitro. Adjusting the ratio of GelMA to PEGDA in the hydrogel formulation enabled the fine-tuning of matrix stiffness across a range of 7 to 52 kPa. Utilizing this three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel platform for a breast cancer cell culture has enabled precise functional evaluations. Variations in matrix stiffness resulted in significant changes in the morphology of breast cancer cells after 2 weeks of incubation. The analysis of transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the 3D microenvironment significantly changed the expression of a wide panel of transcriptomic profiles of breast cancer cells in various matrix stiffness. Gene Ontology analysis further suggested that specific biological functions could potentially be linked to the magnitude of the matrix stiffness. According to our findings, extracellular matrix rigidity modulates the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel and adriamycin. Notably, the expression of ABCB1 and YAP1 genes may be upregulated in the 3D culture environment, potentially contributing to the increased drug resistance observed in breast cancer cells. This work aims to establish facile adjustable hydrogels to deepen insights into matrix rigidity effects on breast cancer cells within 3D microenvironments, highlighting the critical role of extracellular matrix stiffness in modulating cell-matrix interactions.