Abstract
Cancer can be caused due to umpteen reasons, such as over expression of oncogenes, mutations in congenital etc. These are usually produced for the induction of cancer oncogene activation and tumor suppressor gene mutation by mutations for a long time (many years) before being diagnosed. Once the cancer cells are generated, the cancerous cell acquires the ability to transport itself into the normal tissue region. Cell fusion is an important tool that can be used to study genetic interactions between two different cell types. Researchers usually achieve in vitro cell fusion by utilizing biological (viruses or overexpressed cell-surface receptors), chemical (polyethylene glycol) or physical (electroporation) methods. This technology has been used for the formation of antibody-producing hybridomas from B cells and myeloma cells, and the generation of dendritic cells for immunotherapy associated applications via the fusion of dendritic cells with tumor cells. Recently, the transformation of somatic cells to pluripotent cells via the fusion of oocytes or embryonic stem cells with somatic cells has been explored. In recent years, many new cancer treatment modalities have been developed, including gene therapy, inhibition of cancer-promoting protein, inhibition of angiogenesis, immunotherapy, etc. The goal of this research is to provide an efficient microfluidic device for investigating cancer immunotherapy by using cell electrofusion technology. We successfully propose and fabricate a high yield cell electrofusion lab chip for the immunotherapy studies of lung cancer. Rapid and precise heterogeneous cell trapping and pairing micro-array structure was integrated with the corresponding sawtooth-shaped electrode array for applying electric field. Fusion of immune antigen presenting cells THP-1 with cancer cells A549 for the activation of the immune system to produce antibodies for cancer treatment was accomplished by using the device, and we achieved an average pairing efficiency of 82% and fusion efficiencies up to 72%. Almost 60% appropriately paired and fused cells over the entire chip which was six fold greater than the commercial electrofusion instruments. We hope that this technology will serve as a useful tool towards cancer research and its treatment in real life.