Sucrose fuels liver cancer cell growth and spheroid formation: New insights from 2D and 3D cell culture models
Medicine International, cilt.7, sa.4, ss.1-7, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 7 Sayı: 4
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.3892/mi.2026.311
- Dergi Adı: Medicine International
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: EBSCO Legal Collection, EBSCO Legal Source, EBSCO Education Source, Index Copernicus, CSA (Environmental Science and Pollution Management,Risk Abstracts,Aeline), PubMed, MLA International Bibliography
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-7
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Maltepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Although there have been studies on the effect of sucrose on cell growth in various cancer types and spheroid formation, further research on whether sucrose supports the development of liver cancer cells would be instrumental for the development of more effective in vitro 3D models for drug discovery. Thus, the present study examined the effects of sucrose on the growth of liver cancer cells. The results revealed that sucrose at a concentration of 10 mM/l was associated with the increased growth of liver cancer cells and enhanced their ability to form spheroids. These findings challenge previous assumptions, as spheroid formation is associated with increased tumor aggressiveness. Furthermore, the observed increase in the levels of in alpha‑fetoprotein (a marker for liver cancer) with unaltered albumin levels (a marker for healthy liver function) suggested a potential shift towards a more malignant state. Live imaging revealed no significant differences in cell membrane behavior and the morphology of the cancer cells between the sucrose‑treated and untreated groups. On the whole, while the present study primarily focuses on phenotypic outcomes, the mechanisms underlying