# Modelling adipose tissue-cancer crosstalk: a three-dimensional perspective

## TL;DR

This review discusses how 3D models can help study the complex interactions between adipose tissue and cancer, offering a more realistic approach to understanding cancer development linked to obesity.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive overview of 3D models for studying adipose tissue-cancer interactions, highlighting their potential for pre-clinical research.

## Key findings

- 3D models better mimic in vivo conditions for studying cell interactions.
- Adipose tissue secretes factors that influence carcinogenesis.
- Obesity-related adipose dysfunction is strongly linked to cancer development.

## Abstract

Innovative three-dimensional (3D) systems have become a focus of research due to their ability to better mimic cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Current advances in 3D modelling have the potential to transform pre-clinical research by providing a more biologically relevant recapitulation of the in vivo cell environment. Among the published 3D platforms there is a lack of adipose tissue and cancer complex models. Primarily thought to function in triglyceride storage, protection and heat production, adipose tissue is now recognised as a complex and dynamic endocrine organ that secretes factors such as free fatty acids and adipokines, which have been shown to play a role in carcinogenesis. Obesity, a major cause of adipose tissue dysfunction, has also been strongly linked to the development of several types of cancer. 3D model technologies offer an innovative way to investigate adipose tissue-cancer crosstalk by mimicking in vivo conditions. This review aims to present a perspective on the adipose tissue-cancer dynamics and provide an overview of the current 3D models used to reliably reproduce the adipose tissue-cancer interaction in vitro.