Digital cell twin opens up new approaches in lung cancer research

The new model links bioelectrical processes and the dynamics of calcium inside cells. Since calcium is crucial for cell survival but can cause cell death at high concentrations, this simulation provides important insights for cancer research.

“One of the significant advances in our improved cell model is the detailed simulation of intracellular calcium distribution,” explains Christian Baumgartner. “For the first time, we were able to include small areas, or microdomains, where calcium builds up and where the interior cell networks are close to the cell membrane.”

The researchers were able to show that so-called CRAC channels (calcium release-activated calcium channels) regulate the calcium influx at these microdomains. This activates signaling pathways that control the cell cycle. The model depicts calcium stores, transport mechanisms, and local propagation effects with unprecedented precision.

The digital twin is based on hundreds of mathematical equations that are combined in computer simulations. This allows active ingredients to be tested virtually before experiments are carried out in the laboratory.

• Simulations can predict the effect of substances on calcium distribution and ion channels.
• Combinations of interventions that would be difficult to replicate in the laboratory are possible using the model.
• Initial results show that the inhibition of certain CRAC channels influences calcium dynamics and can trigger cell death mechanisms.

The model thus opens up new ways of testing drugs specifically for their potential to interrupt cell growth.

The model currently only depicts a single cell. Mechanisms such as cell communication in tumors, metastasis, or vascularization have not yet been taken into account.

The next steps will be to incorporate these dimensions. In the long term, adaptation to specific cell lines or patient data could form the basis for individualized therapies. It is also conceivable that the methodology could be transferred to other types of cancer, such as breast or prostate cancer.

With the digital cell twin, Graz University of Technology is opening up new possibilities for better understanding the behavior of lung cancer cells. The model offers doctors and researchers an approach for virtually testing drugs and developing personalized strategies for cancer treatment.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Graz University of Technology