Non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas (B-NHL) mainly develop within lymph nodes (LN) as densely packed aggregates of tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment, creating a tumor niche specific to each lymphoma subtypes. In vitro preclinical models mimicking biomechanical forces, cellular microenvironment, and 3D organization of B-cell lymphomas remain scarce, while all these parameters constitute key determinants of lymphomagenesis and drug resistance. Using a microfluidic method based on cell encapsulation inside permeable, elastic, and hollow alginate microspheres, we developed a new tunable 3D-model incorporating lymphoma B cells, extracellular matrix (ECM), and/or tonsil stromal cells (TSC). We revealed that under 3D confinement lymphoma B cells were able to form cohesive spheroids resulting from overexpression of ECM components. Moreover, lymphoma B cells and TSC dynamically formed self-organized 3D spheroids favoring spheroid growth. 3D culture induced resistance to classical chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin, but not to BCL2 inhibitor ABT-199, identifying this approach as a relevant in vitro model to assess the activity of therapeutic agents in B-NHL. RNAseq analysis highlighted the synergy of 3D, ECM, and TSC in upregulating similar pathways in malignant B cells in vitro than those overexpressed in primary lymphoma cells in situ. Finally, our 3D model including ECM and TSC allowed long-term in vitro survival of primary follicular lymphoma B cells. In conclusion, we propose a new high throughput 3D model mimicking lymphoma tumor niche and making it possible to study the dynamic relationship between lymphoma B cells and their microenvironment and to screen new anti-cancer drugs.

Non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas (B-NHL) mainly develop within lymph nodes as densely packed aggregates of tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment, creating a tumor niche specific to each lymphoma subtypes. Until now, in vitro preclinical models mimicking biomechanical forces, cellular microenvironment, and 3D organization of B lymphomas remain scarce while all these parameters constitute key determinants of lymphomagenesis and drug resistance. Using a microfluidic method based on the encapsulation of cells inside permeable, elastic, and hollow alginate microspheres, we developed a new tunable 3D-model incorporating extracellular matrix and/or stromal cells. Lymphoma B cells and stromal cells dynamically formed self-organized 3D spheroids, thus initiating a coevolution of these two cell types, reflecting their bidirectional crosstalk, and recapitulating the heterogeneity of B-NHL subtypes. In addition, this approach makes it suitable to assess in a relevant in vitro model the activity of new therapeutic agents in B-NHL.