Quantitative imaging platform for 5α-reductase inhibitor screening in prostate spheroid co-culture models
A 3D prostate microtissue co-culture screening platform combining quantitative imaging and machine learning to detect endocrine-disrupting chemicals that target 5α-reductase. Enables morphological profiling of prostate epithelium-stroma interactions for pharmaceutical screening and chemical safety assessment.
Overview
This solution offers a quantitative imaging-based screening platform for identifying 5α-reductase inhibitors using a physiologically relevant prostate spheroid model. The platform addresses a critical gap in endocrine disruptor testing by recapitulating the crosstalk between prostate epithelium and stroma in a co-culture microtissue format. By combining 3D tissue engineering with machine learning-driven image analysis, the technology provides a more predictive alternative to traditional 2D assays for evaluating chemicals that interfere with androgen metabolism.
Technical specifications
Core capabilities:
- Co-cultured human prostate microtissue that mimics developing prostatic tissue morphology and maintains structural stability for up to seven days
- Quantitative 3D imaging pipeline for feature extraction from microtissue morphology
- Machine learning classification algorithms trained on image feature matrices to distinguish chemical-exposed microtissues from controls
- Gene expression profiling panel of 84 prostate-related markers, including an eight-gene cluster responsive to anti-androgen exposure (validated with flutamide at 10 µM)
- Moderate-accuracy detection of 5α-reductase inhibitor effects through morphological profiling
Validation status and planned improvements:
- Dose-response testing with known inhibitors (finasteride, dutasteride, alfatradiol)
- Assay optimization for specificity, selectivity, reproducibility, and linearity
- Expansion to single and mixture chemical testing for environmental safety assessment
- Higher-throughput 3D culture format development
Technology readiness level
The platform has completed proof-of-concept validation, demonstrating that the co-culture model responds to flutamide exposure with measurable changes in both gene expression and morphology. The current method achieves moderate accuracy in distinguishing inhibitor-exposed microtissues from controls. Further development is needed to optimize selectivity, specificity, and reproducibility, validate performance across a broader panel of known 5α-reductase inhibitors, and expand application to uncharacterized chemical safety assessment. The technology is positioned for collaborative refinement and validation partnerships.
About Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University is a comprehensive public research university in Hangzhou, operating at large scale across multiple campuses with a strong mix of fundamental and applied research. Industry engages through research and technology parks, enterprise joint labs on campus, and prototyping facilities that de-risk scale-up. Integration with a major hospital system enables clinical translation, and proximity to the Yangtze River Delta links partners to manufacturing and digital-economy supply chains. Research is backed by competitive national funding, including the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology, plus provincial and international sources. A dedicated technology transfer office supports IP, licensing, startup incubation, and access to its science park network.
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