AccScience Publishing / JBM / Online First / DOI: 10.14440/jbm.2024.0140
PROTOCOL

An experimental workflow for investigating anoikis resistance in cancer metastasis

Xue Han1† Yipan Zheng1† Xiaohui Si1* Zhe Liu1*
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1 Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Submitted: 17 December 2024 | Revised: 21 April 2025 | Accepted: 26 June 2025 | Published: 5 August 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Background: Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death triggered by the detachment of cells from the extracellular matrix. Anoikis resistance represents a critical factor in tumor metastasis, and elucidating the mechanisms by which epithelial cancer cells evade this process may provide a molecular insight for effectively targeting metastatic progression. Methods: Presented here are an experimental workflow and a detailed protocol to examine anoikis sensitivity in tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. We described a detachment-induced anoikis model, a three-dimensional spheroid culture system, and an in vivo circulating tumor cell assay, by using the human lung carcinoma cell line A549 as a model system. We detailed the cell culture conditions, materials, and sample preparation, and the evaluation and quantification of anoikis. Together, these methods provide a comprehensive approach for investigating anoikis resistance. Conclusion: This protocol offers valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying anoikis resistance and may facilitate the identification of novel therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Keywords
Anoikis resistance
Cancer metastasis
Three-dimensional spheroid culture
Circulating tumor cell assay
Funding
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81825017, 8217113342).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Journal of Biological Methods, Electronic ISSN: 2326-9901 Print ISSN: TBA, Published by POL Scientific