Abstract A036: Decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogel for esophageal cancer model

Abstract Esophageal cancer is currently the sixth most common cancer worldwide and one of the most lethal cancers. The lack of physiologically relevant human esophageal cancer models has hindered the progress of developing effective strategies against esophageal cancer. To address the issue, we developed a decellularized esophageal matrix derived hydrogel. We then characterized the physicochemical properties of the decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) hydrogel. To bioengineer the cancer model using the dECM hydrogel, we seeded esophageal squamous cell carcinoma KYSE30 on the dECM hydrogel and in the dECM hydrogel. They grew well and spread out in/on the dECM hydrogel. We also casted KYSE30-laden dECM hydrogel on a side of a well to see if KYSE30 will migrate out of the hydrogel. After culturing 3 days, we found that KYSE30 cells grew and started to migrate out of the dECM hydrogel, and migrated more after day 5. We counted the number of migrated cells. We found that cell migrated more at day 5. We then quantified cell proliferation of KYSE30 in the dECM hydrogel. We found that KYSE30 cells proliferated in the dECM hydrogel with time. These findings bring new potential to using the decellularized matrix derived hydrogel for future experiments in studying cancer behavior and practical applications for esophageal cancer models. Citation Format: Yunqing Kang. Decellularized extracellular matrix hydrogel for esophageal cancer model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Cancer Evolution: The Dynamics of Progression and Persistence; 2025 Dec 4-6; Albuquerque, NM. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(23_Suppl):Abstract nr A036.