Investigation of the effect of Abemaciclib on breast cancer spheroids in a three-dimensional (3D) environment
To better mimic tumor architecture, this study employed spheroids of the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 generated with the three-dimensional (3D) Petri Dish® system. The cytotoxic effects of Abemaciclib were evaluated in comparison with Doxorubicin under both two-dimensional (2D) monolayer and three dimensional (3D) spheroid culture conditions using an MTS-based cell viability assay.Complementary analyses included immunofluorescence staining of filamentous actin (F-actin) to assess cytoskeletal alterations, and flow cytometry to determine cell-cycle distribution.
Within the tested concentration ranges, spheroids showed reduced sensitivity to Abemaciclib compared with monolayers, indicating that 3D culture conditions may influence drug penetration and adaptive resistance. Abemaciclib suppressed proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner by altering cell-cycle distribution, with G0/G1 accumulation at lower concentrations and G2/M accumulation at higher concentrations, accompanied by a reduced S-phase fraction.
These findings highlight the relevance of 3D models for preclinical drug evaluation and support the therapeutic potential of Abemaciclib in aggressive breast cancer.
Keywords : Abemaciclib, MDA-MB-231 Breast cancer Tumor spheroid 3D Petri Dish














