VERLO: A Novel Imaging Cell Sorter for Enhanced Analysis of Tumor Infiltration by Immune Cells

Abstract

Cancer ranks as the second leading cause of death in the US. Central to cancer progression is the tumor microenvironment (TME), which significantly influences the disease’s spread. Immune cell infiltration into the TME is crucial for effective immunotherapy. Traditional infiltration assessment methods, including microscopy and flow cytometry, have limitations such as low throughput and lack of imaging. Addressing these issues, we present VERLOTM, an image-guided cell sorter combining low-pressure microfluidics with dual-laser scanning to enhance cell analysis. We utilized VERLO to examine T cells infiltrating breast cancer spheroids, which simulate tumors. VERLO’s application enabled us to preserve T cells-tumor interactions, facilitating the exploration of factors that may augment immune infiltration. This research underscores VERLO’s utility in studying immune cell dynamics within the TME, advancing immunotherapy optimization for cancer treatment. Our findings indicate that VERLO can significantly contribute to understanding and improving immune cell-mediated cancer therapies.

PST-015