Sessions

Mortality rates for cancer, particularly in cases of metastatic disease diagnosed at a late stage, are exceptionally high worldwide. One of the greatest challenges in clinical practice is posed by the adaptive mechanisms of cancer cells, which lead to the development of treatment resistance and disease recurrence. Consequently, the focus of tumor biology research has recently shifted toward the study of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs). These cells exhibit atypical morphological and functional characteristics and possess remarkable stress tolerance. In response to microenvironmental stressors, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hypoxia, they adopt a survival strategy, thereby directly contributing to tumor survival and resistance to treatment.

The aim of this study is to observe PGCCs in vitro and to examine their behavior based on time-lapse cell culture images. In our work, we monitored the morphological changes and dynamic behavior of these cells under physiological conditions as well as under various stress conditions.

For this study, we used mouse-derived renal adenocarcinoma tumor (RENCA) cells. The cells were maintained under standard cell culture conditions or subjected to cellular stress by treatment with varying concentrations of the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin or by serum starvation. We analyzed videos compiled from sequential snapshots of the cells.

Our observations revealed cellular behaviors consistent with several phenomena previously described in the literature, as well as dynamic cellular changes that warrant further investigation. The results demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in the behavior of PGCCs and giant-like cells, with these cells exhibiting diverse morphological and functional responses to environmental stimuli.

Both the literature and our findings highlight the diversity of PGCCs, contribute to the challenges associated with their identification in patients and the lack of a single established biomarker or therapeutic target. Further investigation of their signaling pathways and biological properties may improve our understanding of these cells and contribute to the development of effective treatments.