Use of a Tissue Engineered Human Skin Model to Investigate the Effects of Wounding and of an Anti-Inflammatory on Melanoma Cell Invasion

An increasing number of studies suggest inflammation stimulates tumour invasion. In melanoma, despite recent advances in targeted therapy and immunomodulatory therapies, this cancer remains difficult to treat. Our previous studies show melanoma cells interact with skin cells in their invasion into tissue engineered skin and suggest inflammation stimulates invasion. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of an anti-inflammatory on melanoma invasion. To do this we developed a wounded and inflamed in vitro 3D melanoma model in which to investigate the use of an anti-inflammatory on melanoma invasion. The tissue engineered skin model was based on human de-epidermised acellular dermis to which keratinocytes, fibroblasts and three different melanoma cell lines were added in various combinations. A simple incisional wound was made in the model and TNF-α and fibrin were added to simulate conditions of inflammation. Topical ibuprofen in a hydrogel was added and the extent of melanoma invasion into the dermis was assessed under the various conditions. The results showed that penetration of two of the cell lines (HBL and A375SM) into the tissue engineered skin was exacerbated by wounding and ibuprofen significantly decreased invasion of A375SM cells and slightly reduced invasion of HBL cells. A third cell line, C8161, was aggressively invasive under all conditions to an extent that was not influenced by wounding, TNF-α or the addition of ibuprofen. In summary, the results for one these cell lines (and a trend for a second cell line) support the hypothesis that a wound environment is conducive to melanoma invasion but the local addition of an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen may attenuate invasion.