The application of CO₂-sensitive AIEgen in studying the synergistic effect of stromal cells and tumor cells in a heterocellular system

Reciprocal signaling between stromal and tumor cells was believed to contribute to tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis in heterocellular systems. Herein we used the CO₂-sensitive AIEgen as bioprobe to study the synergistic effect of stromal cells and tumor cells in a heterocellular system. The experimental results demonstrated that metabolic rates of living tumor cells in the co-culture system were still faster than that of stromal cell through the detection of CO₂ generation rate in living cell. All rates were, however, slower than that in homocellular system. It indicated that tumor cells would induce neighboring stromal cells to establish a common protection mechanism against foreign material invasion, which enhanced the cell activity and drug resistance. In addition, tumor cells in solid carcinoma exhibited delayed growth but less apoptosis in co-culture systems. Taken these results together, a bidirectional signaling pathway theory was proposed between tumor and stromal cells in co-culture system and could play a different and important role in anticancer drug molecules designs.