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Park SY, Koh WG, Lee HJ. Enhanced hepatotoxicity assessment through encapsulated HepG2 spheroids in gelatin hydrogel matrices: Bridging the gap from 2D to 3D culture. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 202:114417. [PMID: 39013493 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Conventional 2D drug screening often fails to accurately predict clinical outcomes. We present an innovative approach to improve hepatotoxicity assessment by encapsulating HepG2 spheroids in gelatin hydrogel matrices with different mechanical properties. Encapsulated spheroids exhibit sustained liver-specific functionality, enhanced expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes, and increased drug sensitivity compared to 2D cultures. The platform detects critical variations in drug response, with significant differences in IC50 values between 2D and spheroid cultures ranging from 1.3-fold to > 13-fold, particularly for acetaminophen. Furthermore, drug-metabolizing enzyme expression varies across hydrogel concentrations, suggesting a role for matrix mechanical properties in modulating hepatocyte function. This novel spheroid-hydrogel platform offers a transformative approach to hepatotoxicity assessment, providing increased sensitivity, improved prediction, and a more physiologically relevant environment. The use of such advanced in vitro models can accelerate drug development, reduce animal testing, and contribute to improved patient safety and clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se Yeon Park
- School of Chemical, Biological and Battery Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Gun Koh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyun Jong Lee
- School of Chemical, Biological and Battery Engineering, Gachon University, 1342 Seongnam-daero, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13120, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Horiuchi S, Kuroda Y, Oyafuso R, Komizu Y, Maeda K, Ishida S. Formation of functional, extended bile canaliculi, and increased bile acid production in sandwich-cultured human cryopreserved hepatocytes using commercially available culture medium. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:2605-2617. [PMID: 38753187 PMCID: PMC11272753 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03757-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/26/2024]
Abstract
Drug-induced cholestasis results in drug discontinuation and market withdrawal, and the prediction of cholestasis risk is critical in the early stages of drug development. Animal tests and membrane vesicle assay are currently being conducted to assess the risk of cholestasis in the preclinical stage. However, these methods have drawbacks, such as species differences with humans and difficulties in evaluating the effects of drug metabolism and other transporters, implying the need for a cholestasis risk assessment system using human hepatocytes. However, human hepatocytes hardly form functional, extended bile canaliculi, a requirement for cholestasis risk assessment. We previously established a culture protocol for functional, extended bile canaliculi formation in human iPSC-derived hepatocytes. In this study, we modified this culture protocol to support the formation of functional, extended bile canaliculi in human cryopreserved hepatocytes (cryoheps). The production of bile acids, which induces bile canaliculi extension, increased time-dependently during bile canaliculi formation using this protocol, suggesting that increased bile acid production may be involved in the extended bile canaliculi formation. We have also shown that our culture protocol can be applied to cryoheps from multiple donors and that bile canaliculi can be formed stably among different culture batches. Furthermore, this protocol enables long-term maintenance of bile canaliculi and scaling down to culture in 96-well plates. We expect our culture protocol to be a breakthrough for in vitro cholestasis risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichiro Horiuchi
- Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Yukie Kuroda
- Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Ryota Oyafuso
- Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yuji Komizu
- Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kazuya Maeda
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Kitasato University, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacokinetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiichi Ishida
- Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan.
- Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Life Science, Sojo University, Kumamoto, Japan.
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3
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Mehta V, Karnam G, Madgula V. Liver-on-chips for drug discovery and development. Mater Today Bio 2024; 27:101143. [PMID: 39070097 PMCID: PMC11279310 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.101143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent FDA modernization act 2.0 has led to increasing industrial R&D investment in advanced in vitro 3D models such as organoids, spheroids, organ-on-chips, 3D bioprinting, and in silico approaches. Liver-related advanced in vitro models remain the prime area of interest, as liver plays a central role in drug clearance of compounds. Growing evidence indicates the importance of recapitulating the overall liver microenvironment to enhance hepatocyte maturity and culture longevity using liver-on-chips (LoC) in vitro. Hence, pharmaceutical industries have started exploring LoC assays in the two of the most challenging areas: accurate in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) of hepatic drug clearance and drug-induced liver injury. We examine the joint efforts of commercial chip manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies to present an up-to-date overview of the adoption of LoC technology in the drug discovery. Further, several roadblocks are identified to the rapid adoption of LoC assays in the current drug development framework. Finally, we discuss some of the underexplored application areas of LoC models, where conventional 2D hepatic models are deemed unsuitable. These include clearance prediction of metabolically stable compounds, immune-mediated drug-induced liver injury (DILI) predictions, bioavailability prediction with gut-liver systems, hepatic clearance prediction of drugs given during pregnancy, and dose adjustment studies in disease conditions. We conclude the review by discussing the importance of PBPK modeling with LoC, digital twins, and AI/ML integration with LoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viraj Mehta
- Organoid Technology Lab, DMPK Department, Sai Life Sciences, Hyderabad, 500078, India
| | - Guruswamy Karnam
- Organoid Technology Lab, DMPK Department, Sai Life Sciences, Hyderabad, 500078, India
| | - Vamsi Madgula
- Organoid Technology Lab, DMPK Department, Sai Life Sciences, Hyderabad, 500078, India
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4
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Vujic E, Ferguson SS, Brouwer KLR. Effects of PFAS on human liver transporters: implications for health outcomes. Toxicol Sci 2024; 200:213-227. [PMID: 38724241 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become internationally recognized over the past three decades as persistent organic pollutants used in the production of various consumer and industrial goods. Research efforts continue to gauge the risk that historically used, and newly produced, PFAS may cause to human health. Numerous studies report toxic effects of PFAS on the human liver as well as increased serum cholesterol levels in adults. A major concern with PFAS, also dubbed "forever chemicals," is that they accumulate in the liver and kidney and persist in serum. The mechanisms responsible for their disposition and excretion in humans are poorly understood. A better understanding of the interaction of PFAS with liver transporters, as it pertains to the disposition of PFAS and other xenobiotics, could provide mechanistic insight into human health effects and guide efforts toward risk assessment of compounds in development. This review summarizes the current state of the literature on the emerging relationships (eg, substrates, inhibitors, modulators of gene expression) between PFAS and specific hepatic transporters. The adaptive and toxicological responses of hepatocytes to PFAS that reveal linkages to pathologies and epidemiological findings are highlighted. The evidence suggests that our understanding of the molecular landscape of PFAS must improve to determine their impact on the expression and function of hepatocyte transporters that play a key role in PFAS or other xenobiotic disposition. From here, we can assess what role these changes may have in documented human health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ena Vujic
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephen S Ferguson
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kim L R Brouwer
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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5
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Kwon Y, Gottmann P, Wang S, Tissink J, Motzler K, Sekar R, Albrecht W, Cadenas C, Hengstler JG, Schürmann A, Zeigerer A. Induction of steatosis in primary human hepatocytes recapitulates key pathophysiological aspects of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. J Hepatol 2024:S0168-8278(24)02347-X. [PMID: 38977136 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Its limited treatment options warrant novel pre-clinical models for target selection and drug validation. We have established and extensively characterized a primary human steatotic hepatocyte in vitro model system that could guide treatment strategies for MASLD. METHODS Cryopreserved primary human hepatocytes from five donors varying in sex and ethnicity were cultured with free fatty acids (FFA) in 3D collagen sandwich for 7 days and the development of MASLD was followed by assessing classical hepatocellular functions. As proof of concept, the effects of the drug Firsocostat (GS-0976) on in vitro MASLD phenotypes were evaluated. RESULTS Incubation with FFA induced steatosis, insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and alterations in prominent human gene signatures similar to patients with MASLD, indicating the recapitulation of human MASLD in this system. As the application of Firsocostat rescued clinically observed fatty liver disease pathologies, it highlights the ability of the in vitro system to test drug efficacy and potentially characterize their mode of action. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, our human MASLD in vitro model system could guide the development and validation of novel targets and drugs for the treatment of MASLD. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Due to low drug efficacy and high toxicity, a clinical treatment option for MASLD is limited. To facilitate earlier stop-go decisions in drug development, we have established a primary human steatotic hepatocyte in vitro model. As the model recapitulates clinically relevant MASLD characteristics at high phenotypic resolution, it can serve as a pre-screening platform and guide target identification and validation in MASLD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Kwon
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Pascal Gottmann
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; Department of Experimental Diabetology, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Surui Wang
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joel Tissink
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karsten Motzler
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Revathi Sekar
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wiebke Albrecht
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Department of Toxicology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Cristina Cadenas
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Department of Toxicology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jan G Hengstler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Department of Toxicology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Annette Schürmann
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; Department of Experimental Diabetology, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE), Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Anja Zeigerer
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany; European Center for Angioscience (ECAS), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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6
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Wu L, Vllasaliu D, Cui Q, Raimi-Abraham BT. In Situ Self-Assembling Liver Spheroids with Synthetic Nanoscaffolds for Preclinical Drug Screening Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:25610-25621. [PMID: 38741479 PMCID: PMC11129140 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c17384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the most common reasons for acute liver failure and a major reason for the withdrawal of medications from the market. There is a growing need for advanced in vitro liver models that can effectively recapitulate hepatic function, offering a robust platform for preclinical drug screening applications. Here, we explore the potential of self-assembling liver spheroids in the presence of electrospun and cryomilled poly(caprolactone) (PCL) nanoscaffolds for use as a new preclinical drug screening tool. This study investigated the extent to which nanoscaffold concentration may have on spheroid size and viability and liver-specific biofunctionality. The efficacy of our model was further validated using a comprehensive dose-dependent acetaminophen toxicity protocol. Our findings show the strong potential of PCL-based nanoscaffolds to facilitate in situ self-assembly of liver spheroids with sizes under 350 μm. The presence of the PCL-based nanoscaffolds (0.005 and 0.01% w/v) improved spheroid viability and the secretion of critical liver-specific biomarkers, namely, albumin and urea. Liver spheroids with nanoscaffolds showed improved drug-metabolizing enzyme activity and greater sensitivity to acetaminophen compared to two-dimensional monolayer cultures and scaffold-free liver spheroids. These promising findings highlight the potential of our nanoscaffold-based liver spheroids as an in vitro liver model for drug-induced hepatotoxicity and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Wu
- King’s College London,
Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, U.K.
| | - Driton Vllasaliu
- King’s College London,
Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, U.K.
| | - Qi Cui
- King’s College London,
Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, U.K.
| | - Bahijja Tolulope Raimi-Abraham
- King’s College London,
Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford
Street, London SE1 9NH, U.K.
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7
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Segovia-Zafra A, Villanueva-Paz M, Serras AS, Matilla-Cabello G, Bodoque-García A, Di Zeo-Sánchez DE, Niu H, Álvarez-Álvarez I, Sanz-Villanueva L, Godec S, Milisav I, Bagnaninchi P, Andrade RJ, Lucena MI, Fernández-Checa JC, Cubero FJ, Miranda JP, Nelson LJ. Control compounds for preclinical drug-induced liver injury assessment: Consensus-driven systematic review by the ProEuroDILI network. J Hepatol 2024:S0168-8278(24)00325-8. [PMID: 38703829 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a complex and unpredictable event caused by drugs, and herbal or dietary supplements. Early identification of human hepatotoxicity at preclinical stages remains a major challenge, in which the selection of validated in vitro systems and test drugs has a significant impact. In this systematic review, we analyzed the compounds used in hepatotoxicity assays and established a list of DILI-positive and -negative control drugs for validation of in vitro models of DILI, supported by literature and clinical evidence and endorsed by an expert committee from the COST Action ProEuroDILI Network (CA17112). METHODS Following 2020 PRISMA guidelines, original research articles focusing on DILI which used in vitro human models and performed at least one hepatotoxicity assay with positive and negative control compounds, were included. Bias of the studies was assessed by a modified 'Toxicological Data Reliability Assessment Tool'. RESULTS A total of 51 studies (out of 2,936) met the inclusion criteria, with 30 categorized as reliable without restrictions. Although there was a broad consensus on positive compounds, the selection of negative compounds lacked clarity. 2D monoculture, short exposure times and cytotoxicity endpoints were the most tested, although there was no consensus on drug concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Extensive analysis highlighted the lack of agreement on control compounds for in vitro DILI assessment. Following comprehensive in vitro and clinical data analysis together with input from the expert committee, an evidence-based consensus-driven list of 10 positive and negative control drugs for validation of in vitro models of DILI is proposed. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Prediction of human toxicity early in the drug development process remains a major challenge, necessitating the development of more physiologically relevant liver models and careful selection of drug-induced liver injury (DILI)-positive and -negative control drugs to better predict the risk of DILI associated with new drug candidates. Thus, this systematic study has crucial implications for standardizing the validation of new in vitro models of DILI. By establishing a consensus-driven list of positive and negative control drugs, the study provides a scientifically justified framework for enhancing the consistency of preclinical testing, thereby addressing a significant challenge in early hepatotoxicity identification. Practically, these findings can guide researchers in evaluating safety profiles of new drugs, refining in vitro models, and informing regulatory agencies on potential improvements to regulatory guidelines, ensuring a more systematic and efficient approach to drug safety assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Segovia-Zafra
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Villanueva-Paz
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Sofia Serras
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Gonzalo Matilla-Cabello
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Bodoque-García
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Daniel E Di Zeo-Sánchez
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain
| | - Hao Niu
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Ismael Álvarez-Álvarez
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sanz-Villanueva
- Immunology and Diabetes Unit, St Vincent's Institute, Fitzroy VIC, Australia; Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Sergej Godec
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Surgical Intensive Care, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Irina Milisav
- Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Laboratory of oxidative stress research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Pierre Bagnaninchi
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Raúl J Andrade
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain; Plataforma de Investigación Clínica y Ensayos Clínicos UICEC-IBIMA, Plataforma ISCIII de Investigación Clínica, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Isabel Lucena
- Servicios de Aparato Digestivo y Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga y Plataforma en Nanomedicina-IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain; Plataforma de Investigación Clínica y Ensayos Clínicos UICEC-IBIMA, Plataforma ISCIII de Investigación Clínica, Madrid, Spain.
| | - José C Fernández-Checa
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain; Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB), CSIC, Barcelona, Spain; Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic I Provincial de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver disease, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
| | - Francisco Javier Cubero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain; Department of Immunology, Ophthalmology and ORL, Complutense University School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain; Health Research Institute Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Joana Paiva Miranda
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Leonard J Nelson
- Institute for Bioengineering, School of Engineering, Faraday Building, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
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8
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Osonoi S, Takebe T. Organoid-guided precision hepatology for metabolic liver disease. J Hepatol 2024; 80:805-821. [PMID: 38237864 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2024.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease affects millions of people worldwide. Progress towards a definitive cure has been incremental and treatment is currently limited to lifestyle modification. Hepatocyte-specific lipid accumulation is the main trigger of lipotoxic events, driving inflammation and fibrosis. The underlying pathology is extraordinarily heterogenous, and the manifestations of steatohepatitis are markedly influenced by metabolic communications across non-hepatic organs. Synthetic human tissue models have emerged as powerful platforms to better capture the mechanistic diversity in disease progression, while preserving person-specific genetic traits. In this review, we will outline current research efforts focused on integrating multiple synthetic tissue models of key metabolic organs, with an emphasis on organoid-based systems. By combining functional genomics and population-scale en masse profiling methodologies, human tissues derived from patients can provide insights into personalised genetic, transcriptional, biochemical, and metabolic states. These collective efforts will advance our understanding of steatohepatitis and guide the development of rational solutions for mechanism-directed diagnostic and therapeutic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sho Osonoi
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, 036-8562, Japan
| | - Takanori Takebe
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; WPI Premium Institute for Human Metaverse Medicine (WPI-PRIMe) and Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan; Institute of Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo 113-8510, Japan; Communication Design Center, Advanced Medical Research Center, Yokohama City University, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan.
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9
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Kim R, Sung JH. Microfluidic gut-axis-on-a-chip models for pharmacokinetic-based disease models. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2024; 18:031507. [PMID: 38947281 PMCID: PMC11210976 DOI: 10.1063/5.0206271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The low success rate of new drugs transitioning from animal testing to human clinical trials necessitates the development of more accurate and representative in vitro models. Recent advances in multi-organ-on-a-chip technology offer promising avenues for studying complex organ-organ interactions. Gut-liver-on-a-chip systems hold particular promise for mimicking the intricate interplay between the gut and liver, which play crucial roles in nutrient absorption, drug metabolism, detoxification, and immune response. Here, we discuss the key components of the gut-liver axis, including the gut epithelium, liver cells, gut microbiota, and their roles in the organ functions. We then explore the potential of gut-liver-on-a-chip models to replicate the intricate interactions between the two organs for pharmacokinetic studies and their expansion to more complicated multi-organ models. Finally, we provide perspectives and future directions for developing more physiologically relevant gut-liver-axis models for more efficient drug development, studying liver diseases, and personalizing treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raehyun Kim
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong 30016, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Hwan Sung
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea
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10
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AlShmmari SK, Fardous RS, Shinwari Z, Cialla-May D, Popp J, Ramadan Q, Zourob M. Hepatic spheroid-on-a-chip: Fabrication and characterization of a spheroid-based in vitro model of the human liver for drug screening applications. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2024; 18:034105. [PMID: 38817733 PMCID: PMC11136519 DOI: 10.1063/5.0210955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The integration of microfabrication and microfluidics techniques into cell culture technology has significantly transformed cell culture conditions, scaffold architecture, and tissue biofabrication. These tools offer precise control over cell positioning and enable high-resolution analysis and testing. Culturing cells in 3D systems, such as spheroids and organoids, enables recapitulating the interaction between cells and the extracellular matrix, thereby allowing the creation of human-based biomimetic tissue models that are well-suited for pre-clinical drug screening. Here, we demonstrate an innovative microfluidic device for the formation, culture, and testing of hepatocyte spheroids, which comprises a large array of patterned microwells for hosting hepatic spheroid culture in a reproducible and organized format in a dynamic fluidic environment. The device allows maintaining and characterizing different spheroid sizes as well as exposing to various drugs in parallel enabling high-throughput experimentation. These liver spheroids exhibit physiologically relevant hepatic functionality, as evidenced by their ability to produce albumin and urea at levels comparable to in vivo conditions and the capability to distinguish the toxic effects of selected drugs. This highlights the effectiveness of the microenvironment provided by the chip in maintaining the functionality of hepatocyte spheroids. These data support the notion that the liver-spheroid chip provides a favorable microenvironment for the maintenance of hepatocyte spheroid functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zakia Shinwari
- Cell Therapy and Immunology Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Qasem Ramadan
- College of Science & General Studies, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Zourob
- College of Science & General Studies, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
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11
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Westensee IN, Paffen LJMM, Pendlmayr S, De Dios Andres P, Ramos Docampo MA, Städler B. Artificial Cells and HepG2 Cells in 3D-Bioprinted Arrangements. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2303699. [PMID: 38277695 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Artificial cells are engineered units with cell-like functions for different purposes including acting as supportive elements for mammalian cells. Artificial cells with minimal liver-like function are made of alginate and equipped with metalloporphyrins that mimic the enzyme activity of a member of the cytochrome P450 family namely CYP1A2. The artificial cells are employed to enhance the dealkylation activity within 3D bioprinted structures composed of HepG2 cells and these artificial cells. This enhancement is monitored through the conversion of resorufin ethyl ether to resorufin. HepG2 cell aggregates are 3D bioprinted using an alginate/gelatin methacryloyl ink, resulting in the successful proliferation of the HepG2 cells. The composite ink made of an alginate/gelatin liquid phase with an increasing amount of artificial cells is characterized. The CYP1A2-like activity of artificial cells is preserved over at least 35 days, where 6 nM resorufin is produced in 8 h. Composite inks made of artificial cells and HepG2 cell aggregates in a liquid phase are used for 3D bioprinting. The HepG2 cells proliferate over 35 days, and the structure has boosted CYP1A2 activity. The integration of artificial cells and their living counterparts into larger 3D semi-synthetic tissues is a step towards exploring bottom-up synthetic biology in tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella N Westensee
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Lars J M M Paffen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Stefan Pendlmayr
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
- Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Paula De Dios Andres
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Miguel A Ramos Docampo
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Brigitte Städler
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
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12
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Niemeijer M, Więcek W, Fu S, Huppelschoten S, Bouwman P, Baze A, Parmentier C, Richert L, Paules RS, Bois FY, van de Water B. Mapping Interindividual Variability of Toxicodynamics Using High-Throughput Transcriptomics and Primary Human Hepatocytes from Fifty Donors. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:37005. [PMID: 38498338 PMCID: PMC10947137 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the variability across the human population with respect to toxicodynamic responses after exposure to chemicals, such as environmental toxicants or drugs, is essential to define safety factors for risk assessment to protect the entire population. Activation of cellular stress response pathways are early adverse outcome pathway (AOP) key events of chemical-induced toxicity and would elucidate the estimation of population variability of toxicodynamic responses. OBJECTIVES We aimed to map the variability in cellular stress response activation in a large panel of primary human hepatocyte (PHH) donors to aid in the quantification of toxicodynamic interindividual variability to derive safety uncertainty factors. METHODS High-throughput transcriptomics of over 8,000 samples in total was performed covering a panel of 50 individual PHH donors upon 8 to 24 h exposure to broad concentration ranges of four different toxicological relevant stimuli: tunicamycin for the unfolded protein response (UPR), diethyl maleate for the oxidative stress response (OSR), cisplatin for the DNA damage response (DDR), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF α ) for NF- κ B signaling. Using a population mixed-effect framework, the distribution of benchmark concentrations (BMCs) and maximum fold change were modeled to evaluate the influence of PHH donor panel size on the correct estimation of interindividual variability for the various stimuli. RESULTS Transcriptome mapping allowed the investigation of the interindividual variability in concentration-dependent stress response activation, where the average of BMCs had a maximum difference of 864-, 13-, 13-, and 259-fold between different PHHs for UPR, OSR, DDR, and NF- κ B signaling-related genes, respectively. Population modeling revealed that small PHH panel sizes systematically underestimated the variance and gave low probabilities in estimating the correct human population variance. Estimated toxicodynamic variability factors of stress response activation in PHHs based on this dataset ranged between 1.6 and 6.3. DISCUSSION Overall, by combining high-throughput transcriptomics and population modeling, improved understanding of interindividual variability in chemical-induced activation of toxicity relevant stress pathways across the human population using a large panel of plated cryopreserved PHHs was established, thereby contributing toward increasing the confidence of in vitro-based prediction of adverse responses, in particular hepatotoxicity. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11891.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marije Niemeijer
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, LACDR, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Shuai Fu
- Simcyp Division, CERTARA, Sheffield, UK
| | - Suzanna Huppelschoten
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, LACDR, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Bouwman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, LACDR, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Richard S. Paules
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, NIH, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Bob van de Water
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, LACDR, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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13
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Beirow K, Schmidt C, Jürgen B, Schlüter R, Schweder T, Bednarski PJ. Investigation of TGF-α-overexpressing mouse hepatocytes (TAMH) cultured as spheroids for use in hepatotoxicity screening of drug candidates. J Appl Toxicol 2024; 44:272-286. [PMID: 37655636 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The immortalized mouse liver cell line TAMH has been described as a valuable tool for studying hepatotoxic mechanisms, but until now, it has only been reported to grow as a monolayer in culture. However, culturing hepatocytes as three-dimensional (3D) spheroids has been shown to result in improved liver-specific functions (e.g., metabolic capacity) by better mimicking the in vivo environment. This approach may lead to more reliable detection of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in the early phase of drug discovery, preventing post-marketing drug withdrawals. Here, we investigated the cultivation of TAMH as 3D spheroids, characterizing them with optical and transmission electron microscopy as well as analyzing their gene expression at mRNA level (especially drug-metabolizing enzymes) compared to TAMH monolayer. In addition, comparisons were made with spheroids grown from the human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2, another current spheroid model. The results indicate that TAMH spheroids express hepatic structures and show elevated levels of some of the key phase I and II drug-metabolizing enzymes, in contrast to TAMH monolayer. The in vitro hepatotoxic potencies of the drugs acetaminophen and flupirtine maleate were found to be very similar between TAMH spheroidal and the monolayer cultures. Both the advantages and disadvantages of TAMH spheroids as an in vitro hepatotoxicity model compared to monolayer model are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Beirow
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christian Schmidt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Britta Jürgen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Rabea Schlüter
- Imaging Center of the Department of Biology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Thomas Schweder
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Patrick J Bednarski
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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14
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Lee J, Beers JL, Geffert RM, Jackson KD. A Review of CYP-Mediated Drug Interactions: Mechanisms and In Vitro Drug-Drug Interaction Assessment. Biomolecules 2024; 14:99. [PMID: 38254699 PMCID: PMC10813492 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug metabolism is a major determinant of drug concentrations in the body. Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) caused by the co-administration of multiple drugs can lead to alteration in the exposure of the victim drug, raising safety or effectiveness concerns. Assessment of the DDI potential starts with in vitro experiments to determine kinetic parameters and identify risks associated with the use of comedication that can inform future clinical studies. The diverse range of experimental models and techniques has significantly contributed to the examination of potential DDIs. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are responsible for the biotransformation of many drugs on the market, making them frequently implicated in drug metabolism and DDIs. Consequently, there has been a growing focus on the assessment of DDI risk for CYPs. This review article provides mechanistic insights underlying CYP inhibition/induction and an overview of the in vitro assessment of CYP-mediated DDIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonghwa Lee
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (J.L.B.); (R.M.G.)
| | | | | | - Klarissa D. Jackson
- Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (J.L.B.); (R.M.G.)
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15
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Masimirembwa C, Ramsay M, Botha J, Ellis E, Etheredge H, Hurrell T, Kanji CR, Kapungu NN, Maher H, Mthembu B, Naidoo J, Scholefield J, Rambarran S, van der Schyff F, Smyth N, Strobele B, Thelingwani RS, Loveland J, Fabian J. The African Liver Tissue Biorepository Consortium: Capacitating Population-Appropriate Drug Metabolism, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacogenetics Research in Drug Discovery and Development. Drug Metab Dispos 2023; 51:1551-1560. [PMID: 37751997 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.123.001400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmaceutical companies subject all new molecular entities to a series of in vitro metabolic characterizations that guide the selection and/or design of compounds predicted to have favorable pharmacokinetic properties in humans. Current drug metabolism research is based on liver tissue predominantly obtained from people of European origin, with limited access to tissue from people of African origin. Given the interindividual and interpopulation genomic variability in genes encoding drug-metabolizing enzymes, efficacy and safety of some drugs are poorly predicted for African populations. To address this gap, we have established the first comprehensive liver tissue biorepository inclusive of people of African origin. The African Liver Tissue Biorepository Consortium currently includes three institutions in South Africa and one in Zimbabwe, with plans to expand to other African countries. The program has collected 67 liver samples as of July 2023. DNA from the donors was genotyped for 120 variants in 46 pharmacogenes and revealed variants that are uniquely found in African populations, including the low-activity, African-specific CYP2C9*5 and *8 variants relevant to the metabolism of diclofenac. Larger liver tissue samples were used to isolate primary human hepatocytes. Viability of the hepatocytes and microsomal fractions was demonstrated by the activity of selected cytochrome P450s. This resource will be used to ensure the safety and efficacy of existing and new drugs in African populations. This will be done by characterizing compounds for properties such as drug clearance, metabolite and enzyme identification, and drug-drug and drug-gene interactions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Standard optimization of the drug metabolism of new molecular entities in the pharmaceutical industry uses subcellular fractions such as microsomes and isolated primary hepatocytes, being done mainly with tissue from donors of European origin. Pharmacogenetics research has shown that variants in genes coding for drug-metabolizing enzymes have interindividual and interpopulation differences. We established an African liver tissue biorepository that will be useful in ensuring drug discovery and development research takes into account drug responses in people of African origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collen Masimirembwa
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Michele Ramsay
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Jean Botha
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Ewa Ellis
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Harriet Etheredge
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Tracey Hurrell
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Comfort Ropafadzo Kanji
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Nyasha Nicole Kapungu
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Heather Maher
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Busisiwe Mthembu
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Jerolen Naidoo
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Janine Scholefield
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Sharan Rambarran
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Francisca van der Schyff
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Natalie Smyth
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Bernd Strobele
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Roslyn Stella Thelingwani
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - Jerome Loveland
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
| | - June Fabian
- African institute of biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST), Harare, Zimbabwe (C.M., C.R.K., N.N.K., R.S.T.); Sydney Brenner Institute of Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (C.M., M.R., B.M., N.S.); Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (H.E., H.M., S.R., B.S., F.V.S., J.L., J.F.); Karolinska Institute, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Division of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Sweden (E.E.); Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics Group, Next Generation Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa (T.H., J.N., J.S.); and Transplant Services, Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (J.B.)
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16
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Liu Y, Wu K, Fu Y, Li W, Zhao XY. Slc7a11 stimulates glutathione synthesis to preserve fatty acid metabolism in primary hepatocytes. Redox Rep 2023; 28:2260646. [PMID: 37750478 PMCID: PMC10540662 DOI: 10.1080/13510002.2023.2260646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary hepatocytes are widely used as a tool for studying metabolic function and regulation in the liver. However, the metabolic properties of primary hepatocytes are gradually lost after isolation. Here, we illustrated that fatty acid metabolism is the major compromised metabolic process in isolated primary hepatocytes, along with drastically decreased GSH and ROS content, while lipid peroxidation is increased. Gain- and loss-of-function studies revealed that Slc7a11 expression is critical in maintaining fatty acid metabolism and facilitating hormone-induced fatty acid metabolic events, which is synergistic with dexamethasone treatment. Intriguingly, Slc7a11 expression and dexamethasone treatment cooperatively upregulated AKT and AMPK signaling and mitochondrial complex expression in primary hepatocytes. Furthermore, direct treatment with reduced GSH or inhibition of ferroptosis is sufficient to drive protective effects on fatty acid metabolism in primary hepatocytes. Our results demonstrate that Slc7a11 expression in isolated primary hepatocytes induces GSH production, which protects against ferroptosis, to increase fatty acid metabolic gene expression, AKT and AMPK signaling and mitochondrial function in synergy with dexamethasone treatment, thereby efficiently preserving primary hepatocyte metabolic signatures, thus providing a promising approach to better reserve primary hepatocyte metabolic activities after isolation to potentially improve the understanding of liver biological functions from studies using primary hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kaimin Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yinkun Fu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenyan Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xu-Yun Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of National Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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17
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Wang J, Wu X, Zhao J, Ren H, Zhao Y. Developing Liver Microphysiological Systems for Biomedical Applications. Adv Healthc Mater 2023:e2302217. [PMID: 37983733 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202302217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Microphysiological systems (MPSs), also known as organ chips, are micro-units that integrate cells with diverse physical and biochemical environmental cues. In the field of liver MPSs, cellular components have advanced from simple planar cell cultures to more sophisticated 3D formations such as spheroids and organoids. Additionally, progress in microfluidic devices, bioprinting, engineering of matrix materials, and interdisciplinary technologies have significant promise for producing MPSs with biomimetic structures and functions. This review provides a comprehensive summary of biomimetic liver MPSs including their clinical applications and future developmental potential. First, the key components of liver MPSs, including the principal cell types and engineered structures utilized for cell cultivation, are briefly introduced. Subsequently, the biomedical applications of liver MPSs, including the creation of disease models, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity, are discussed. Finally, the challenges encountered by MPSs are summarized, and future research directions for their development are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglin Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xiangyi Wu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Junqi Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Haozhen Ren
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Southeast University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518071, China
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18
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Kim MK, Jeong W, Jeon S, Kang HW. 3D bioprinting of dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroid for simultaneous promotion of cell-cell and -ECM interactions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1305023. [PMID: 38026892 PMCID: PMC10679743 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1305023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell spheroid technology, which greatly enhances cell-cell interactions, has gained significant attention in the development of in vitro liver models. However, existing cell spheroid technologies still have limitations in improving hepatocyte-extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction, which have a significant impact on hepatic function. In this study, we have developed a novel bioprinting technology for decellularized ECM (dECM)-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids that could enhance both cell-cell and -ECM interactions simultaneously. To provide a biomimetic environment, a porcine liver dECM-based cell bio-ink was developed, and a spheroid printing process using this bio-ink was established. As a result, we precisely printed the dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids with a diameter of approximately 160-220 μm using primary mouse hepatocyte (PMHs). The dECM materials were uniformly distributed within the bio-printed spheroids, and even after more than 2 weeks of culture, the spheroids maintained their spherical shape and high viability. The incorporation of dECM also significantly improved the hepatic function of hepatocyte spheroids. Compared to hepatocyte-only spheroids, dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids showed approximately 4.3- and 2.5-fold increased levels of albumin and urea secretion, respectively, and a 2.0-fold increase in CYP enzyme activity. These characteristics were also reflected in the hepatic gene expression levels of ALB, HNF4A, CPS1, and others. Furthermore, the dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids exhibited up to a 1.8-fold enhanced drug responsiveness to representative hepatotoxic drugs such as acetaminophen, celecoxib, and amiodarone. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the dECM-incorporated spheroid printing technology has great potential for the development of highly functional in vitro liver tissue models for drug toxicity assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Kyeong Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
- Center for Scientific Instrumentation, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonwoo Jeong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Seunggyu Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Hyun-Wook Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
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19
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Daniels LJ, Kay D, Marjot T, Hodson L, Ray DW. Circadian regulation of liver metabolism: experimental approaches in human, rodent, and cellular models. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 325:C1158-C1177. [PMID: 37642240 PMCID: PMC10861179 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00551.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenous oscillations with approximately a 24-h period that allow organisms to anticipate the change between day and night. Disruptions that desynchronize or misalign circadian rhythms are associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic disease. This review focuses on the liver circadian clock as relevant to the risk of developing metabolic diseases including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Many liver functions exhibit rhythmicity. Approximately 40% of the hepatic transcriptome exhibits 24-h rhythms, along with rhythms in protein levels, posttranslational modification, and various metabolites. The liver circadian clock is critical for maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis. Most of the attention in the metabolic field has been directed toward diet, exercise, and rather little to modifiable risks due to circadian misalignment or disruption. Therefore, the aim of this review is to systematically analyze the various approaches that study liver circadian pathways, targeting metabolic liver diseases, such as diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, using human, rodent, and cell biology models.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Over the past decade, there has been an increased interest in understanding the intricate relationship between circadian rhythm and liver metabolism. In this review, we have systematically searched the literature to analyze the various experimental approaches utilizing human, rodent, and in vitro cellular approaches to dissect the link between liver circadian rhythms and metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna J Daniels
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle Kay
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Marjot
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Leanne Hodson
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - David W Ray
- Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Kavli Centre for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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20
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Gottwald E, Grün C, Nies C, Liebsch G. Physiological oxygen measurements in vitro-Schrödinger's cat in 3D cell biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1218957. [PMID: 37885450 PMCID: PMC10598749 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1218957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
After the development of 3D cell culture methods in the middle of the last century and the plethora of data generated with this culture configuration up to date, it could be shown that a three-dimensional arrangement of cells in most of the cases leads to a more physiological behavior of the generated tissue. However, a major determinant for an organotypic function, namely, the dissolved oxygen concentration in the used in vitro-system, has been neglected in most of the studies. This is due to the fact that the oxygen measurement in the beginning was simply not feasible and, if so, disturbed the measurement and/or the in vitro-system itself. This is especially true for the meanwhile more widespread use of 3D culture systems. Therefore, the tissues analyzed by these techniques can be considered as the Schrödinger's cat in 3D cell biology. In this perspective paper we will outline how the measurement and, moreover, the regulation of the dissolved oxygen concentration in vitro-3D culture systems could be established at all and how it may be possible to determine the oxygen concentration in organoid cultures and the respiratory capacity via mito stress tests, especially in spheroids in the size range of a few hundred micrometers, under physiological culture conditions, without disturbances or stress induction in the system and in a high-throughput fashion. By this, such systems will help to more efficiently translate tissue engineering approaches into new in vitro-platforms for fundamental and applied research as well as preclinical safety testing and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Gottwald
- Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Christoph Grün
- Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Cordula Nies
- Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
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21
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Carpentier N, Van der Meeren L, Skirtach AG, Devisscher L, Van Vlierberghe H, Dubruel P, Van Vlierberghe S. Gelatin-Based Hybrid Hydrogel Scaffolds: Toward Physicochemical Liver Mimicry. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:4333-4347. [PMID: 35914189 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
There exists a clear need to develop novel materials that could serve liver tissue engineering purposes. Those materials need to be researched for the development of bioengineered liver tissue as an alternative to donor livers, as well as for materials that could be applied for scaffolds to develop an in vitro model for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) detection . In this paper, the hydrogels oxidized dextran-gelatin (Dexox-Gel) and norbornene-modified dextran-thiolated gelatin (DexNB-GelSH) were developed, and their feasibility toward processing via indirect 3D-printing was investigated with the aim to develop hydrogel scaffolds that physicochemically mimic native liver tissue. Furthermore, their in vitro biocompatibility was assessed using preliminary biological tests using HepG2 cells. Both materials were thoroughly physicochemically characterized and benchmarked to the methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) reference material. Due to inferior properties, Dexox-gel was not further processed into 3D-hydrogel scaffolds. This research revealed that DexNB-GelSH exhibited physicochemical properties that were in excellent agreement with the properties of natural liver tissue in contrast to GelMA. In combination with an equally good biological evaluation of DexNB-GelSH in comparison with GelMA based on an MTS proliferation assay and an albumin quantification assay, DexNB-GelSH can be considered promising in the field of liver tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Carpentier
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Louis Van der Meeren
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - André G Skirtach
- Nano-Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Lindsey Devisscher
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Department of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences; Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Hans Van Vlierberghe
- Hepatology Research Unit, Dpt Internal Medicine and Pediatrics; Liver Research Center Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Peter Dubruel
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Sandra Van Vlierberghe
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
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22
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Takemura A, Ishii S, Ikeyama Y, Esashika K, Takahashi J, Ito K. New in vitro screening system to detect drug-induced liver injury using a culture plate with low drug sorption and high oxygen permeability. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2023; 52:100511. [PMID: 37531708 DOI: 10.1016/j.dmpk.2023.100511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a major factor underlying drug withdrawal from the market. Therefore, it is important to predict DILI during the early phase of drug discovery. Metabolic activation and mitochondrial toxicity are good indicators of the potential for DILI. However, hepatocyte function, including drug-metabolizing enzyme activity and mitochondrial function, reportedly decreases under conventional culture conditions; therefore, these conditions fail to precisely detect metabolic activation and mitochondrial toxicity-induced cell death. To resolve this issue, we employed a newly developed cell culture plate with high oxygen permeability and low drug sorption (4-polymethyl-1-pentene [PMP] plate). Under PMP plate conditions, cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity and mitochondrial function were increased in primary rat hepatocytes. Following l-buthionine-sulfoximine-induced glutathione depletion, acetaminophen-induced cell death significantly increased under PMP plate conditions. Additionally, 1-aminobenzotriazole reduced cell death. Moreover, mitochondrial toxicity due to mitochondrial complex inhibitors (ketoconazole, metformin, and phenformin) increased under PMP plate conditions. In summary, PMP plate conditions could improve CYP activity and mitochondrial function in primary rat hepatocytes and potentially detect metabolic activation and mitochondrial toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Takemura
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Sanae Ishii
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yugo Ikeyama
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Esashika
- New Business Solutions Department, Innovative Solutions Center for Information & Communication Technology, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Chiba, Japan
| | - Jun Takahashi
- Bio Technology & Medical Materials Department, Synthetic Chemicals Laboratory, R&D Center, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Chiba, Japan
| | - Kousei Ito
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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23
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Way GP, Sailem H, Shave S, Kasprowicz R, Carragher NO. Evolution and impact of high content imaging. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2023; 28:292-305. [PMID: 37666456 DOI: 10.1016/j.slasd.2023.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
The field of high content imaging has steadily evolved and expanded substantially across many industry and academic research institutions since it was first described in the early 1990's. High content imaging refers to the automated acquisition and analysis of microscopic images from a variety of biological sample types. Integration of high content imaging microscopes with multiwell plate handling robotics enables high content imaging to be performed at scale and support medium- to high-throughput screening of pharmacological, genetic and diverse environmental perturbations upon complex biological systems ranging from 2D cell cultures to 3D tissue organoids to small model organisms. In this perspective article the authors provide a collective view on the following key discussion points relevant to the evolution of high content imaging: • Evolution and impact of high content imaging: An academic perspective • Evolution and impact of high content imaging: An industry perspective • Evolution of high content image analysis • Evolution of high content data analysis pipelines towards multiparametric and phenotypic profiling applications • The role of data integration and multiomics • The role and evolution of image data repositories and sharing standards • Future perspective of high content imaging hardware and software.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory P Way
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Heba Sailem
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, UK
| | - Steven Shave
- GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Rd, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK; Edinburgh Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Richard Kasprowicz
- GlaxoSmithKline Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Rd, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Neil O Carragher
- Edinburgh Cancer Research, Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, UK.
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24
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Novak M, Vajrychova M, Koutsilieri S, Sismanoglou DC, Kobrlova T, Prchal L, Svobodova B, Korabecny J, Zarybnicky T, Raisova-Stuchlikova L, Skalova L, Lauschke VM, Kučera R, Soukup O. Tacrine First-Phase Biotransformation and Associated Hepatotoxicity: A Possible Way to Avoid Quinone Methide Formation. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1993-2002. [PMID: 37622522 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Tacrine was withdrawn from clinical use as a drug against Alzheimer's disease in 2013, mainly due to drug-induced liver injury. The culprit of tacrine-associated hepatotoxicity is believed to be the 7-OH-tacrine metabolite, a possible precursor of quinone methide (Qmeth), which binds to intracellular -SH proteins. In our study, several different animal and human models (liver microsomes, primary hepatocytes, and liver slices) were used to investigate the biotransformation and hepatotoxicity of tacrine and its 7-substituted analogues (7-methoxy-, 7-phenoxy-, and 7-OH-tacrine). Our goal was to find the most appropriate in vitro model for studying tacrine hepatotoxicity and, through rational structure modifications, to develop derivatives of tacrine that are less prone to Qmeth formation. Our results show that none of animal models tested accurately mimic human tacrine biotransformation; however, the murine model seems to be more suitable than the rat model. Tacrine metabolism was overall most accurately mimicked in three-dimensional (3D) spheroid cultures of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). In this system, tacrine and 7-methoxytacrine were hydroxylated to 7-OH-tacrine, whereas 7-phenoxytacrine formed, as expected, only trace amounts. Surprisingly, however, our study showed that 7-OH-tacrine was the least hepatotoxic (7-OH-tacrine < tacrine < 7-methoxytacrine < 7-phenoxytacrine) even after doses had been adjusted to achieve the same intracellular concentrations. The formation of Qmeth-cysteine and Qmeth-glutathione adducts after human liver microsome incubation was confirmed by all of the studied tacrine derivatives, but these findings were not confirmed after incubation with 3D PHH spheroids. Therefore, the presented data call into question the suggested previously hypothesized mechanism of toxicity, and the results open new avenues for chemical modifications to improve the safety of novel tacrine derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Novak
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Vajrychova
- Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Stefania Koutsilieri
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Tereza Kobrlova
- Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Lukas Prchal
- Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Svobodova
- Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Korabecny
- Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Zarybnicky
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Raisova-Stuchlikova
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Skalova
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Volker M Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany
- University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Radim Kučera
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Heyrovskeho 1203, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Soukup
- Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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25
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Oliva-Vilarnau N, Vorrink SU, Büttner FA, Heinrich T, Sensbach J, Koscielski I, Wienke D, Petersson C, Perrin D, Lauschke VM. Comparative analysis of YAP/TEAD inhibitors in 2D and 3D cultures of primary human hepatocytes reveals a novel non-canonical mechanism of CYP induction. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 215:115755. [PMID: 37607620 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes constitutes an important cause of drug-drug interactions and preclinical evaluation of induction liability is mandatory for novel drug candidates. YAP/TEAD signaling has emerged as an attractive target for various oncological indications and multiple chemically distinct YAP/TEAD inhibitors are rapidly progressing towards clinical stages. Here, we tested the liability for CYP induction of a diverse set of YAP/TEAD inhibitors with different modes of action and TEAD isoform selectivity profiles in monolayers and 3D spheroids of primary human hepatocytes (PHH). We found that YAP/TEAD inhibition resulted in broad induction of CYPs in 2D monolayers, whereas, if at all, only marginal induction was seen in spheroid culture. Comprehensive RNA-Seq indicated that YAP/TEAD signaling was increased in 2D culture compared to spheroids, which was paralleled by elevated activities of the interacting transcription factors LXR and ESRRA, likely at least in part due to altered mechanosensing. Inhibition of this YAP/TEAD hyperactivation resulted in an overall reduction of hepatocyte dedifferentiation marked by increased hepatic functionality, including CYPs. These results thus demonstrate that the observed induction is due to on-target effects of the compounds rather than direct activation of xenobiotic sensing nuclear receptors. Combined, the presented data link hepatocyte dedifferentiation to YAP/TEAD dysregulation, reveal a novel non-canonical pathway of CYP induction and highlight the advantage of organotypic 3D cultures to predict clinically relevant pharmacokinetic properties, particularly for atypical induction mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Oliva-Vilarnau
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Florian A Büttner
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Timo Heinrich
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design, The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Janike Sensbach
- Department of Chemical and Pre-Clinical Safety, The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Isabel Koscielski
- Department of Chemical and Pre-Clinical Safety, The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dirk Wienke
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Carl Petersson
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dominique Perrin
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Volker M Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; HepaPredict AB, Stockholm, Sweden; Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
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26
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Alves RF, Lopes C, Rocha E, Madureira TV. A Step Forward in the Characterization of Primary Brown Trout Hepatocytic Spheroids as Experimental Models. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2277. [PMID: 37508054 PMCID: PMC10376616 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammal hepatocyte spheroids have been investigated as alternative experimental models in several contexts, since three-dimensional (3D) systems have shown the potential to mimic in vivo scenarios. The description of fish hepatocyte 3D models is still minimal. This study intends to further characterize brown trout primary hepatocyte spheroids at distinct time points up to 25 days in culture. Viability, biometry, histomorphology, and basal expression of a selection of genes (metabolism and detoxification, efflux transport, and estrogenic signalling) were considered. The gene expression of whole liver samples from the same fish donor were evaluated concurrently. After 12 days in culture, the hepatocyte spheroids exhibited biometric and morphological stability. From the 12th to the 20th day in culture, the basal expression levels for most of the selected genes did not vary. The targeted mRNA levels were higher in brown trout liver samples compared to hepatocyte spheroids. Despite that, data supported that this model resembles some in vivo features. As an experimental alternative model, it showed potential to be used in a stable time window that can be exploited for exposure tests to different xenobiotics, namely, estrogenic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo F Alves
- Team of Animal Morphology and Toxicology, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Célia Lopes
- Team of Animal Morphology and Toxicology, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Eduardo Rocha
- Team of Animal Morphology and Toxicology, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Tânia V Madureira
- Team of Animal Morphology and Toxicology, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
- Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Stern S, Wang H, Sadrieh N. Microphysiological Models for Mechanistic-Based Prediction of Idiosyncratic DILI. Cells 2023; 12:1476. [PMID: 37296597 PMCID: PMC10253021 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a major contributor to high attrition rates among candidate and market drugs and a key regulatory, industry, and global health concern. While acute and dose-dependent DILI, namely, intrinsic DILI, is predictable and often reproducible in preclinical models, the nature of idiosyncratic DILI (iDILI) limits its mechanistic understanding due to the complex disease pathogenesis, and recapitulation using in vitro and in vivo models is extremely challenging. However, hepatic inflammation is a key feature of iDILI primarily orchestrated by the innate and adaptive immune system. This review summarizes the in vitro co-culture models that exploit the role of the immune system to investigate iDILI. Particularly, this review focuses on advancements in human-based 3D multicellular models attempting to supplement in vivo models that often lack predictability and display interspecies variations. Exploiting the immune-mediated mechanisms of iDILI, the inclusion of non-parenchymal cells in these hepatoxicity models, namely, Kupffer cells, stellate cells, dendritic cells, and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, introduces heterotypic cell-cell interactions and mimics the hepatic microenvironment. Additionally, drugs recalled from the market in the US between 1996-2010 that were studies in these various models highlight the necessity for further harmonization and comparison of model characteristics. Challenges regarding disease-related endpoints, mimicking 3D architecture with different cell-cell contact, cell source, and the underlying multi-cellular and multi-stage mechanisms are described. It is our belief that progressing our understanding of the underlying pathogenesis of iDILI will provide mechanistic clues and a method for drug safety screening to better predict liver injury in clinical trials and post-marketing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Stern
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 20 Penn Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Hongbing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 20 Penn Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Nakissa Sadrieh
- Office of New Drugs, Center of Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA, 10903 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
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28
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Aasadollahei N, Rezaei N, Golroo R, Agarwal T, Vosough M, Piryaei A. Bioengineering liver microtissues for modeling non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. EXCLI JOURNAL 2023; 22:367-391. [PMID: 37223084 PMCID: PMC10201011 DOI: 10.17179/excli2022-5892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the world's most common chronic liver disease. However, due to the lack of reliable in vitro NAFLD models, drug development studies have faced many limitations, and there is no food and drug administration-approved medicine for NAFLD treatment. A functional biomimetic in vitro human liver model requires an optimized natural microenvironment using appropriate cellular composition, to provide constructive cell-cell interactions, and niche-specific bio-molecules to supply crucial cues as cell-matrix interplay. Such a suitable liver model could employ appropriate and desired biochemical, mechanical, and physical properties similar to native tissue. Moreover, bioengineered three-dimensional tissues, specially microtissues and organoids, and more recently using infusion-based cultivation systems such as microfluidics can mimic natural tissue conditions and facilitate the exchange of nutrients and soluble factors to improve physiological function in the in vitro generated constructs. This review highlights the key players involved in NAFLD initiation and progression and discussed the available cells and matrices for in vitro NAFLD modeling. The strategies for optimizing the liver microenvironment to generate a powerful and biomimetic in vitro NAFLD model were described as well. Finally, the current challenges and future perospective for promotion in this subject were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Aasadollahei
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran
| | - Niloufar Rezaei
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reihaneh Golroo
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Tarun Agarwal
- Department of Bio-Technology, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram, AP, India
| | - Massoud Vosough
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Experimental Cancer Medicine, Institution for Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Abbas Piryaei
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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29
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Chen X, Kandel ME, He S, Hu C, Lee YJ, Sullivan K, Tracy G, Chung HJ, Kong HJ, Anastasio M, Popescu G. Artificial confocal microscopy for deep label-free imaging. NATURE PHOTONICS 2023; 17:250-258. [PMID: 37143962 PMCID: PMC10153546 DOI: 10.1038/s41566-022-01140-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Widefield microscopy of optically thick specimens typically features reduced contrast due to "spatial crosstalk", in which the signal at each point in the field of view is the result of a superposition from neighbouring points that are simultaneously illuminated. In 1955, Marvin Minsky proposed confocal microscopy as a solution to this problem. Today, laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy is broadly used due to its high depth resolution and sensitivity, but comes at the price of photobleaching, chemical, and photo-toxicity. Here, we present artificial confocal microscopy (ACM) to achieve confocal-level depth sectioning, sensitivity, and chemical specificity, on unlabeled specimens, nondestructively. We equipped a commercial laser scanning confocal instrument with a quantitative phase imaging module, which provides optical path-length maps of the specimen in the same field of view as the fluorescence channel. Using pairs of phase and fluorescence images, we trained a convolution neural network to translate the former into the latter. The training to infer a new tag is very practical as the input and ground truth data are intrinsically registered, and the data acquisition is automated. The ACM images present significantly stronger depth sectioning than the input (phase) images, enabling us to recover confocal-like tomographic volumes of microspheres, hippocampal neurons in culture, and 3D liver cancer spheroids. By training on nucleus-specific tags, ACM allows for segmenting individual nuclei within dense spheroids for both cell counting and volume measurements. In summary, ACM can provide quantitative, dynamic data, nondestructively from thick samples, while chemical specificity is recovered computationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Currently with School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA
| | - Mikhail E. Kandel
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Currently with Groq, 400 Castro St., Suite 600, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA
| | - Shenghua He
- Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
| | - Chenfei Hu
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Young Jae Lee
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Kathryn Sullivan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gregory Tracy
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Hee Jung Chung
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Hyun Joon Kong
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Mark Anastasio
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Gabriel Popescu
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carl Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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30
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Carpentier N, Urbani L, Dubruel P, Van Vlierberghe S. The native liver as inspiration to create superior in vitro hepatic models. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:1091-1115. [PMID: 36594602 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01646j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Drug induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the major reasons of drug withdrawal during the different phases of drug development. The later in the drug development a drug is discovered to be toxic, the higher the economical as well as the ethical impact will be. In vitro models for early detection of drug liver toxicity are under constant development, however to date a superior model of the liver is still lacking. Ideally, a highly reliable model should be established to maintain the different hepatic cell functionalities to the greatest extent possible, during a period of time long enough to allow for tracking of the toxicity of compounds. In the case of DILI, toxicity can appear even after months of exposure. To reach this goal, an in vitro model should be developed that mimics the in vivo liver environment, function and response to external stimuli. The different approaches for the development of liver models currently used in the field of tissue engineering will be described in this review. Combining different technologies, leading to optimal materials, cells and 3D-constructs will ultimately lead to an ideal superior model that fully recapitulates the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Carpentier
- Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Luca Urbani
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK.,Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Dubruel
- Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Sandra Van Vlierberghe
- Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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31
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Negi C, Gadara D, Kohoutek J, Bajard L, Spáčil Z, Blaha L. Replacement Flame-Retardant 2-Ethylhexyldiphenyl Phosphate (EHDPP) Disrupts Hepatic Lipidome: Evidence from Human 3D Hepatospheroid Cell Culture. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:2006-2018. [PMID: 36693630 PMCID: PMC9910051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The present study aims to evaluate the effects of repeated exposure to 2-ethylhexyldiphenyl phosphate (EHDPP) on human liver cells. In vitro three-dimensional (3D) hepatospheroid cell culture was utilized to explore the potential mechanisms of EHDPP-mediated metabolic disruption through morphological, transcriptional, and biochemical assays. Lipidomics analysis was performed on the individual hepatospheroids to investigate the effects on intracellular lipid profiles, followed by hepatospheroid morphology, growth, functional parameters, and cytotoxicity evaluation. The possible mechanisms were delineated using the gene-level analysis by assessing the expression of key genes encoding for hepatic lipid metabolism. We revealed that exposure to EHDPP at 1 and 10 μM for 7 days alters the lipid profile of human 3D hepatospheroids. Dysregulation in several lipid classes, including sterol lipids (cholesterol esters), sphingolipids (dihydroceramide, hexosylceramide, ceramide, sphingomyelin), glycerolipids (triglycerides), glycerophospholipids, and fatty acyls, was noted along with alteration in genes including ACAT1, ACAT2, CYP27A1, ABCA1, GPAT2, PNPLA2, PGC1α, and Nrf2. Our study brings a novel insight into the metabolic disrupting effects of EHDPP and demonstrates the utility of hepatospheroids as an in vitro cell culture model complemented with omics technology (e.g., lipidomics) for mechanistic toxicity studies.
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32
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Blackford SJI, Yu TTL, Norman MDA, Syanda AM, Manolakakis M, Lachowski D, Yan Z, Guo Y, Garitta E, Riccio F, Jowett GM, Ng SS, Vernia S, Del Río Hernández AE, Gentleman E, Rashid ST. RGD density along with substrate stiffness regulate hPSC hepatocyte functionality through YAP signalling. Biomaterials 2023; 293:121982. [PMID: 36640555 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes (hPSC-Heps) may be suitable for treating liver diseases, but differentiation protocols often fail to yield adult-like cells. We hypothesised that replicating healthy liver niche biochemical and biophysical cues would produce hepatocytes with desired metabolic functionality. Using 2D synthetic hydrogels which independently control mechanical properties and biochemical cues, we found that culturing hPSC-Heps on surfaces matching the stiffness of fibrotic liver tissue upregulated expression of genes for RGD-binding integrins, and increased expression of YAP/TAZ and their transcriptional targets. Alternatively, culture on soft, healthy liver-like substrates drove increases in cytochrome p450 activity and ureagenesis. Knockdown of ITGB1 or reducing RGD-motif-containing peptide concentration in stiff hydrogels reduced YAP activity and improved metabolic functionality; however, on soft substrates, reducing RGD concentration had the opposite effect. Furthermore, targeting YAP activity with verteporfin or forskolin increased cytochrome p450 activity, with forskolin dramatically enhancing urea synthesis. hPSC-Heps could also be successfully encapsulated within RGD peptide-containing hydrogels without negatively impacting hepatic functionality, and compared to 2D cultures, 3D cultured hPSC-Heps secreted significantly less fetal liver-associated alpha-fetoprotein, suggesting furthered differentiation. Our platform overcomes technical hurdles in replicating the liver niche, and allowed us to identify a role for YAP/TAZ-mediated mechanosensing in hPSC-Hep differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J I Blackford
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, UK; Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, UK; Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, UK; NIHR Imperial BRC iPSC and Organoid Core Facility, Imperial College London, UK.
| | - Tracy T L Yu
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, UK
| | - Michael D A Norman
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, UK
| | - Adam M Syanda
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, UK; NIHR Imperial BRC iPSC and Organoid Core Facility, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Michail Manolakakis
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Dariusz Lachowski
- Cellular and Molecular Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Ziqian Yan
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, UK
| | - Yunzhe Guo
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, UK
| | - Elena Garitta
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, UK; NIHR Imperial BRC iPSC and Organoid Core Facility, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Federica Riccio
- Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, UK
| | - Geraldine M Jowett
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, UK; Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, King's College London, UK
| | - Soon Seng Ng
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, UK; NIHR Imperial BRC iPSC and Organoid Core Facility, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Santiago Vernia
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, UK; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, UK
| | | | - Eileen Gentleman
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, UK.
| | - S Tamir Rashid
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, UK; NIHR Imperial BRC iPSC and Organoid Core Facility, Imperial College London, UK.
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Primary Hepatocyte Isolation and Cultures: Technical Aspects, Challenges and Advancements. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10020131. [PMID: 36829625 PMCID: PMC9952008 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10020131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocytes are differentiated cells that account for 80% of the hepatic volume and perform all major functions of the liver. In vivo, after an acute insult, adult hepatocytes retain their ability to proliferate and participate in liver regeneration. However, in vitro, prolonged culture and proliferation of viable and functional primary hepatocytes have remained the major and the most challenging goal of hepatocyte-based cell therapies and liver tissue engineering. The first functional cultures of rat primary hepatocytes between two layers of collagen gel, also termed as the "sandwich cultures", were reported in 1989. Since this study, several technical developments including choice of hydrogels, type of microenvironment, growth factors and culture conditions, mono or co-cultures of hepatocytes along with other supporting cell types have evolved for both rat and human primary hepatocytes in recent years. All these improvements have led to a substantial improvement in the number, life-span and hepatic functions of these cells in vitro for several downstream applications. In the current review, we highlight the details, limitations and prospects of different technical strategies being used in primary hepatocyte cultures. We discuss the use of newer biomaterials as scaffolds for efficient culture of primary hepatocytes. We also describe the derivation of mature hepatocytes from other cellular sources such as induced pluripotent stem cells, bone marrow stem cells and 3D liver organoids. Finally, we also explain the use of perfusion-based bioreactor systems and bioengineering strategies to support the long-term function of hepatocytes in 3D conditions.
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Lee HJ, Mun SJ, Jung CR, Kang HM, Kwon JE, Ryu JS, Ahn HS, Kwon OS, Ahn J, Moon KS, Son MJ, Chung KS. In vitro modeling of liver fibrosis with 3D co-culture system using a novel human hepatic stellate cell line. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:1241-1253. [PMID: 36639871 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play an important role in liver fibrosis; however, owing to the heterogeneity and limited supply of primary HSCs, the development of in vitro liver fibrosis models has been impeded. In this study, we established and characterized a novel human HSC line (LSC-1), and applied it to various types of three-dimensional (3D) co-culture systems with differentiated HepaRG cells. Furthermore, we compared LSC-1 with a commercially available HSC line on conventional monolayer culture. LSC-1 exhibited an overall upregulation of the expression of fibrogenic genes along with increased levels of matrix and adhesion proteins, suggesting a myofibroblast-like or transdifferentiated state. However, activated states reverted to a quiescent-like phenotype when cultured in different 3D culture formats with a relatively soft microenvironment. Additionally, LSC-1 exerted an overall positive effect on co-cultured differentiated HepaRG, which significantly increased hepatic functionality upon long-term cultivation compared with that achieved with other HSC line. In 3D spheroid culture, LSC-1 exhibited enhanced responsiveness to transforming growth factor beta 1 exposure that is caused by a different matrix-related protein expression mechanism. Therefore, the LSC-1 line developed in this study provides a reliable candidate model that can be used to address unmet needs, such as development of antifibrotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho-Joon Lee
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon Ju Mun
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Cho-Rok Jung
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Mi Kang
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Eun Kwon
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Sung Ryu
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Suk Ahn
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ok-Seon Kwon
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jiwon Ahn
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Sik Moon
- General and Applied Toxicology Research Center, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Jin Son
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Sook Chung
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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35
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Tutty MA, Prina-Mello A. Three-Dimensional Spheroids for Cancer Research. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2645:65-103. [PMID: 37202612 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3056-3_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In vitro cell culture is one of the most widely used tools used today for increasing our understanding of various things such as protein production, mechanisms of drug action, tissue engineering, and overall cellular biology. For the past decades, however, cancer researchers have relied heavily on conventional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer culture techniques to test a variety of aspects of cancer research ranging from the cytotoxic effects of antitumor drugs to the toxicity of diagnostic dyes and contact tracers. However, many promising cancer therapies have either weak or no efficacy in real-life conditions, therefore delaying or stopping altogether their translating to the clinic. This is, in part, due to the reductionist 2D cultures used to test these materials, which lack appropriate cell-cell contacts, have altered signaling, do not represent the natural tumor microenvironment, and have different drug responses, due to their reduced malignant phenotype when compared to real in vivo tumors. With the most recent advances, cancer research has moved into 3D biological investigation. Three-dimensional (3D) cultures of cancer cells not only recapitulate the in vivo environment better than their 2D counterparts, but they have, in recent years, emerged as a relatively low-cost and scientifically accurate methodology for studying cancer. In this chapter, we highlight the importance of 3D culture, specifically 3D spheroid culture, reviewing some key methodologies for forming 3D spheroids, discussing the experimental tools that can be used in conjunction with 3D spheroids and finally their applications in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Anne Tutty
- Laboratory for Biological Characterization of Advanced Materials (LBCAM), Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Adriele Prina-Mello
- Laboratory for Biological Characterization of Advanced Materials (LBCAM), Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Nanomedicine and Molecular Imaging Group, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, (TTMI), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Trinity St. James's Cancer Institute, St. James's Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research (AMBER) Centre, CRANN Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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36
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Yun C, Kim SH, Jung YS. Current Research Trends in the Application of In Vitro Three-Dimensional Models of Liver Cells. Pharmaceutics 2022; 15:pharmaceutics15010054. [PMID: 36678683 PMCID: PMC9866911 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The liver produces and stores various nutrients that are necessary for the body and serves as a chemical plant, metabolizing carbohydrates, fats, hormones, vitamins, and minerals. It is also a vital organ for detoxifying drugs and exogenous harmful substances. Culturing liver cells in vitro under three-dimensional (3D) conditions is considered a primary mechanism for liver tissue engineering. The 3D cell culture system is designed to allow cells to interact in an artificially created environment and has the advantage of mimicking the physiological characteristics of cells in vivo. This system facilitates contact between the cells and the extracellular matrix. Several technically different approaches have been proposed, including bioreactors, chips, and plate-based systems in fluid or static media composed of chemically diverse materials. Compared to conventional two-dimensional monolayer culture in vitro models, the ability to predict the function of the tissues, including the drug metabolism and chemical toxicity, has been enhanced by developing three-dimensional liver culture models. This review discussed the methodology of 3D cell cultures and summarized the advantages of an in vitro liver platform using 3D culture technology.
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37
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Kato Y, Lim AY, Sakolish C, Valdiviezo A, Moyer HL, Hewitt P, Bajaj P, Han G, Rusyn I. Analysis of reproducibility and robustness of OrganoPlate® 2-lane 96, a liver microphysiological system for studies of pharmacokinetics and toxicological assessment of drugs. Toxicol In Vitro 2022; 85:105464. [PMID: 36057418 PMCID: PMC10015056 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2022.105464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Establishing the functionality, reproducibility, robustness, and reliability of microphysiological systems is a critical need for adoption of these technologies. A high throughput microphysiological system for liver studies was recently proposed in which induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes (iHeps) and non-parenchymal cells (endothelial cells and THP-1 cells differentiated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate into macrophage-like cells) were co-cultured in OrganoPlate® 2-lane 96 devices. The goal of this study was to evaluate this platform using additional cell types and conditions and characterize its utility and reproducibility. Primary human hepatocytes or iHeps, with and without non-parenchymal cells, were cultured for up to 17 days. Image-based cell viability, albumin and urea secretion into culture media, CYP3A4 activity and drug metabolism were assessed. The iHeps co-cultured with non-parenchymal cells demonstrated stable cell viability and function up to 17 days; however, variability was appreciable both within and among studies. The iHeps in monoculture did not form clusters and lost viability and function over time. The primary human hepatocytes in monoculture also exhibited low cell viability and hepatic function. Metabolism of various drugs was most efficient when iHeps were co-cultured with non-parenchymal cells. Overall, we found that the OrganoPlate® 2-lane 96 device, when used with iHeps and non-parenchymal cells, is a functional liver microphysiological model; however, the high-throughput nature of this model is somewhat dampened by the need for replicates to compensate for high variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kato
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Laboratory for Drug Discovery and Development, Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Alicia Y Lim
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Courtney Sakolish
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Alan Valdiviezo
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Haley L Moyer
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Philip Hewitt
- Chemical and Preclinical Safety, Merck Healthcare KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Piyush Bajaj
- Global Investigative Toxicology, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi USA, MA 01701, USA
| | - Gang Han
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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38
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Zandi Shafagh R, Youhanna S, Keulen J, Shen JX, Taebnia N, Preiss LC, Klein K, Büttner FA, Bergqvist M, van der Wijngaart W, Lauschke VM. Bioengineered Pancreas-Liver Crosstalk in a Microfluidic Coculture Chip Identifies Human Metabolic Response Signatures in Prediabetic Hyperglycemia. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2203368. [PMID: 36285680 PMCID: PMC9731722 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant glucose homeostasis is the most common metabolic disturbance affecting one in ten adults worldwide. Prediabetic hyperglycemia due to dysfunctional interactions between different human tissues, including pancreas and liver, constitutes the largest risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. However, this early stage of metabolic disease has received relatively little attention. Microphysiological tissue models that emulate tissue crosstalk offer emerging opportunities to study metabolic interactions. Here, a novel modular multitissue organ-on-a-chip device is presented that allows for integrated and reciprocal communication between different 3D primary human tissue cultures. Precisely controlled heterologous perfusion of each tissue chamber is achieved through a microfluidic single "synthetic heart" pneumatic actuation unit connected to multiple tissue chambers via specific configuration of microchannel resistances. On-chip coculture experiments of organotypic primary human liver spheroids and intact primary human islets demonstrate insulin secretion and hepatic insulin response dynamics at physiological timescales upon glucose challenge. Integration of transcriptomic analyses with promoter motif activity data of 503 transcription factors reveals tissue-specific interacting molecular networks that underlie β-cell stress in prediabetic hyperglycemia. Interestingly, liver and islet cultures show surprising counter-regulation of transcriptional programs, emphasizing the power of microphysiological coculture to elucidate the systems biology of metabolic crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Zandi Shafagh
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17711Sweden
- Division of Micro‐ and NanosystemsKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholm10044Sweden
| | - Sonia Youhanna
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17711Sweden
| | - Jibbe Keulen
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17711Sweden
- Division of Micro‐ and NanosystemsKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholm10044Sweden
- Dr Margarete Fischer‐Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology70376StuttgartGermany
- University of Tuebingen72074TuebingenGermany
| | - Joanne X. Shen
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17711Sweden
| | - Nayere Taebnia
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17711Sweden
| | - Lena C. Preiss
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17711Sweden
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK)The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA64293DarmstadtGermany
| | - Kathrin Klein
- Dr Margarete Fischer‐Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology70376StuttgartGermany
- University of Tuebingen72074TuebingenGermany
| | - Florian A. Büttner
- Dr Margarete Fischer‐Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology70376StuttgartGermany
- University of Tuebingen72074TuebingenGermany
| | - Mikael Bergqvist
- Division of Micro‐ and NanosystemsKTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholm10044Sweden
| | | | - Volker M. Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17711Sweden
- Dr Margarete Fischer‐Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology70376StuttgartGermany
- University of Tuebingen72074TuebingenGermany
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Shedding light on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Pathogenesis, molecular mechanisms, models, and emerging therapeutics. Life Sci 2022; 312:121185. [PMID: 36375569 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disorder globally impacting an estimated 25% of the population associated with severe consequences such as cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and overall mortality. Fatty liver disease is triggered through multiple pathways, but the most prominent cause is either diabetes or obesity, or a combination of both. Therefore, hepatic glucose, insulin and fatty acid signaling becomes a dire need to understand which is well elaborated in this review. This review summarizes the popular two-hit pathogenesis of NAFLD, the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic insulin resistance. As fatty liver disease gets advanced, it requires in-vitro as well as in-vivo models closer to disease progression in humans for better understanding the pathological state and identifying a novel therapeutic target. This review summarizes in-vitro (2D cell-culture/co-culture, 3D spheroid/organoid/liver-on-a-chip) models as well as in-vivo (genetically/dietary/chemically induced fatty liver disease) research models. Fatty liver disease research has gathered lots of attention recently since there is no FDA approved therapy available so far. However, there have been numerous promising targets to treat fatty liver disease including potential therapeutic targets under clinical trials are listed in this review.
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40
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Temple J, Velliou E, Shehata M, Lévy R, Gupta P. Current strategies with implementation of three-dimensional cell culture: the challenge of quantification. Interface Focus 2022; 12:20220019. [PMID: 35992772 PMCID: PMC9372643 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2022.0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
From growing cells in spheroids to arranging them on complex engineered scaffolds, three-dimensional cell culture protocols are rapidly expanding and diversifying. While these systems may often improve the physiological relevance of cell culture models, they come with technical challenges, as many of the analytical methods used to characterize traditional two-dimensional (2D) cells must be modified or replaced to be effective. Here we review the advantages and limitations of quantification methods based either on biochemical measurements or microscopy imaging. We focus on the most basic of parameters that one may want to measure, the number of cells. Precise determination of this number is essential for many analytical techniques where measured quantities are only meaningful when normalized to the number of cells (e.g. cytochrome p450 enzyme activity). Thus, accurate measurement of cell number is often a prerequisite to allowing comparisons across different conditions (culturing conditions or drug and treatment screening) or between cells in different spatial states. We note that this issue is often neglected in the literature with little or no information given regarding how normalization was performed, we highlight the pitfalls and complications of quantification and call for more accurate reporting to improve reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Temple
- Bioscience building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Eirini Velliou
- Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mona Shehata
- Hutchison-MRC Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
| | - Raphaël Lévy
- Bioscience building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
- Laboratoire for Vascular Translational Science, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Bobigny, France
| | - Priyanka Gupta
- Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease, University College London, London, UK
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Evolution of Electrospinning in Liver Tissue Engineering. Biomimetics (Basel) 2022; 7:biomimetics7040149. [PMID: 36278706 PMCID: PMC9589992 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics7040149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The major goal of liver tissue engineering is to reproduce the phenotype and functions of liver cells, especially primary hepatocytes ex vivo. Several strategies have been explored in the recent past for culturing the liver cells in the most apt environment using biological scaffolds supporting hepatocyte growth and differentiation. Nanofibrous scaffolds have been widely used in the field of tissue engineering for their increased surface-to-volume ratio and increased porosity, and their close resemblance with the native tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) environment. Electrospinning is one of the most preferred techniques to produce nanofiber scaffolds. In the current review, we have discussed the various technical aspects of electrospinning that have been employed for scaffold development for different types of liver cells. We have highlighted the use of synthetic and natural electrospun polymers along with liver ECM in the fabrication of these scaffolds. We have also described novel strategies that include modifications, such as galactosylation, matrix protein incorporation, etc., in the electrospun scaffolds that have evolved to support the long-term growth and viability of the primary hepatocytes.
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42
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In Vitro Models for Studying Chronic Drug-Induced Liver Injury. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911428. [PMID: 36232728 PMCID: PMC9569683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a major clinical problem in terms of patient morbidity and mortality, cost to healthcare systems and failure of the development of new drugs. The need for consistent safety strategies capable of identifying a potential toxicity risk early in the drug discovery pipeline is key. Human DILI is poorly predicted in animals, probably due to the well-known interspecies differences in drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity targets. For this reason, distinct cellular models from primary human hepatocytes or hepatoma cell lines cultured as 2D monolayers to emerging 3D culture systems or the use of multi-cellular systems have been proposed for hepatotoxicity studies. In order to mimic long-term hepatotoxicity in vitro, cell models, which maintain hepatic phenotype for a suitably long period, should be used. On the other hand, repeated-dose administration is a more relevant scenario for therapeutics, providing information not only about toxicity, but also about cumulative effects and/or delayed responses. In this review, we evaluate the existing cell models for DILI prediction focusing on chronic hepatotoxicity, highlighting how better characterization and mechanistic studies could lead to advance DILI prediction.
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43
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McDuffie D, Barr D, Agarwal A, Thomas E. Physiologically relevant microsystems to study viral infection in the human liver. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:999366. [PMID: 36246284 PMCID: PMC9555087 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.999366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral hepatitis is a leading cause of liver disease and mortality. Infection can occur acutely or chronically, but the mechanisms that govern the clearance of virus or lack thereof are poorly understood and merit further investigation. Though cures for viral hepatitis have been developed, they are expensive, not readily accessible in vulnerable populations and some patients may remain at an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) even after viral clearance. To sustain infection in vitro, hepatocytes must be fully mature and remain in a differentiated state. However, primary hepatocytes rapidly dedifferentiate in conventional 2D in vitro platforms. Physiologically relevant or physiomimetic microsystems, are increasingly popular alternatives to traditional two-dimensional (2D) monocultures for in vitro studies. Physiomimetic systems reconstruct and incorporate elements of the native cellular microenvironment to improve biologic functionality in vitro. Multiple elements contribute to these models including ancillary tissue architecture, cell co-cultures, matrix proteins, chemical gradients and mechanical forces that contribute to increased viability, longevity and physiologic function for the tissue of interest. These microsystems are used in a wide variety of applications to study biological phenomena. Here, we explore the use of physiomimetic microsystems as tools for studying viral hepatitis infection in the liver and how the design of these platforms is tailored for enhanced investigation of the viral lifecycle when compared to conventional 2D cell culture models. Although liver-based physiomimetic microsystems are typically applied in the context of drug studies, the platforms developed for drug discovery purposes offer a solid foundation to support studies on viral hepatitis. Physiomimetic platforms may help prolong hepatocyte functionality in order to sustain chronic viral hepatitis infection in vitro for studying virus-host interactions for prolonged periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis McDuffie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
| | - David Barr
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Ashutosh Agarwal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
- Desai Sethi Urology Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Ashutosh Agarwal,
| | - Emmanuel Thomas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, United States
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States
- Emmanuel Thomas,
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44
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Brecklinghaus T, Albrecht W, Duda J, Kappenberg F, Gründler L, Edlund K, Marchan R, Ghallab A, Cadenas C, Rieck A, Vartak N, Tolosa L, Castell JV, Gardner I, Halilbasic E, Trauner M, Ullrich A, Zeigerer A, Demirci Turgunbayer Ö, Damm G, Seehofer D, Rahnenführer J, Hengstler JG. In vitro/in silico prediction of drug induced steatosis in relation to oral doses and blood concentrations by the Nile Red assay. Toxicol Lett 2022; 368:33-46. [PMID: 35963427 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The accumulation of lipid droplets in hepatocytes is a key feature of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and can be induced by a subset of hepatotoxic compounds. In the present study, we optimized and evaluated an in vitro technique based on the fluorescent dye Nile Red, further named Nile Red assay to quantify lipid droplets induced by the exposure to chemicals. The Nile Red assay and a cytotoxicity test (CTB assay) were then performed on cells exposed concentration-dependently to 60 different compounds. Of these, 31 were known to induce hepatotoxicity in humans, and 13 were reported to also cause steatosis. In order to compare in vivo relevant blood concentrations, pharmacokinetic models were established for all compounds to simulate the maximal blood concentrations (Cmax) at therapeutic doses. The results showed that several hepatotoxic compounds induced an increase in lipid droplets at sub-cytotoxic concentrations. To compare how well (1) the cytotoxicity test alone, (2) the Nile Red assay alone, and (3) the combination of the cytotoxicity test and the Nile Red assay (based on the lower EC10 of both assays) allow the differentiation between hepatotoxic and non-hepatotoxic compounds, a previously established performance metric, the Toxicity Separation Index (TSI) was calculated. In addition, the Toxicity Estimation Index (TEI) was calculated to determine how well blood concentrations that cause an increased DILI risk can be estimated for hepatotoxic compounds. Our findings indicate that the combination of both assays improved the TSI and TEI compared to each assay alone. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that inclusion of the Nile Red assay into in vitro test batteries may improve the prediction of DILI compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Brecklinghaus
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Wiebke Albrecht
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Julia Duda
- Department of Statistics, TU Dortmund University, Vogelpothsweg 87, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Franziska Kappenberg
- Department of Statistics, TU Dortmund University, Vogelpothsweg 87, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Lisa Gründler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Karolina Edlund
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Rosemarie Marchan
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Ahmed Ghallab
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany; Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, 83523 Qena, Egypt
| | - Cristina Cadenas
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Adrian Rieck
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Nachiket Vartak
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Laia Tolosa
- Experimental Hepatology Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - José V Castell
- Experimental Hepatology Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain; Biochemistry Department, University of Valencia and CIBEREHD
| | | | - Emina Halilbasic
- Hans Popper Laboratory of Molecular Hepatology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Trauner
- Hans Popper Laboratory of Molecular Hepatology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anett Ullrich
- Primacyt Cell Culture Technology GmbH, Schwerin, Germany
| | - Anja Zeigerer
- Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany; Joint Heidelberg-IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Özlem Demirci Turgunbayer
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Dicle University, 21280, Diyarbakır, Turkey
| | - Georg Damm
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Seehofer
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jörg Rahnenführer
- Department of Statistics, TU Dortmund University, Vogelpothsweg 87, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jan G Hengstler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors at the Technical University of Dortmund (IfADo), Ardeystrasse 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany.
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Modelling fatty liver disease with mouse liver-derived multicellular spheroids. Biomaterials 2022; 290:121817. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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46
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Liu M, Xiang Y, Yang Y, Long X, Xiao Z, Nan Y, Jiang Y, Qiu Y, Huang Q, Ai K. State-of-the-art advancements in Liver-on-a-chip (LOC): Integrated biosensors for LOC. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 218:114758. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Tutty MA, Vella G, Prina-Mello A. Pre-clinical 2D and 3D toxicity response to a panel of nanomaterials; comparative assessment of NBM-induced liver toxicity. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022; 12:2157-2177. [PMID: 35763196 PMCID: PMC9360078 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-022-01170-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nanobiomaterials, or NBMs, have been used in medicine and bioimaging for decades, with wide-reaching applications ranging from their uses as carriers of genes and drugs, to acting as sensors and probes. When developing nanomedicine products, it is vitally important to evaluate their safety, ensuring that both biocompatibility and efficacy are achieved so their applications in these areas can be safe and effective. When discussing the safety of nanomedicine in general terms, it is foolish to make generalised statements due to the vast array of different manufactured nanomaterials, formulated from a multitude of different materials, in many shapes and sizes; therefore, NBM pre-clinical screening can be a significant challenge. Outside of their distribution in the various tissues, organs and cells in the body, a key area of interest is the impact of NBMs on the liver. A considerable issue for researchers today is accurately predicting human-specific liver toxicity prior to clinical trials, with hepatotoxicity not only the most cited reasons for withdrawal of approved drugs, but also a primary cause of attrition in pre-launched drug candidates. To date, no simple solution to adequately predict these adverse effects exists prior to entering human experimentation. The limitations of the current pre-clinical toolkit are believed to be one of the main reasons for this, with questions being raised on the relevance of animal models in pre-clinical assessment, and over the ability of conventional, simplified in vitro cell–based assays to adequately assess new drug candidates or NBMs. Common 2D cell cultures are unable to adequately represent the functions of 3D tissues and their complex cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions, as well as differences found in diffusion and transport conditions. Therefore, testing NBM toxicity in conventional 2D models may not be an accurate reflection of the actual toxicity these materials impart on the body. One such method of overcoming these issues is the use of 3D cultures, such as cell spheroids, to more accurately assess NBM-tissue interaction. In this study, we introduce a 3D hepatocellular carcinoma model cultured from HepG2 cells to assess both the cytotoxicity and viability observed following treatment with a variety of NBMs, namely a nanostructured lipid carrier (in the specific technical name = LipImage™ 815), a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) and a panel of polymeric (in the specific technical name = PACA) NBMs. This model is also in compliance with the 3Rs policy of reduction, refinement and replacement in animal experimentation [1], and meets the critical need for more advanced in vitro models for pre-clinical nanotoxicity assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Anne Tutty
- Nanomedicine and Molecular Imaging Group, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 8, Ireland. .,Laboratory for Biological Characterisation of Advanced Materials (LBCAM), TTMI, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 8, Ireland.
| | - Gabriele Vella
- Nanomedicine and Molecular Imaging Group, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 8, Ireland.,Laboratory for Biological Characterisation of Advanced Materials (LBCAM), TTMI, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Adriele Prina-Mello
- Nanomedicine and Molecular Imaging Group, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute (TTMI), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 8, Ireland. .,Laboratory for Biological Characterisation of Advanced Materials (LBCAM), TTMI, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 8, Ireland. .,Trinity St James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, St James's Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
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de Bruijn VMP, Wang Z, Bakker W, Zheng W, Spee B, Bouwmeester H. Hepatic bile acid synthesis and secretion: Comparison of in vitro methods. Toxicol Lett 2022; 365:46-60. [PMID: 35724847 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Reliable hepatic in vitro systems are crucial for the safety assessment of xenobiotics. Certain xenobiotics decrease the hepatic bile efflux, which can ultimately result in cholestasis. Preclinical animal models and the currently available in vitro systems poorly predict a xenobiotic's cholestatic potential. Here, we compared the phenotype and capacity of three liver derived in vitro systems to emulate human functionality to synthesize and secrete bile acids (BAs). To this end, basal BA production of sandwich cultured human hepatocytes (SCHHs), HepaRG cells (HepaRGs) and hepatocyte-like intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids (ICO-heps) were analysed, and the effect of the known BSEP (Bile Salt Export Pump)-inhibitors bosentan and lopinavir on BA disposition in SCHHs and HepaRGs was quantified. RT-qPCR of selected target genes involved in maturation status, synthesis, transport and conjugation of BAs was performed to mechanistically underpin the observed differences in BA homeostasis. ICO-heps produced a (very) low amount of BAs. SCHHs are a powerful tool in cholestasis-testing due to their high basal BA production and high transporter expression compared to the other models tested. HepaRGs were responsive to both selected BSEP-inhibitors and produced a BA profile that is most similar to the human in vivo situation, making them a suitable and practical candidate for cholestasis-testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhenguo Wang
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter Bakker
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands
| | - Weijia Zheng
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands
| | - Bart Spee
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Bouwmeester
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands
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49
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Luo YS, Chen Z, Hsieh NH, Lin TE. Chemical and biological assessments of environmental mixtures: A review of current trends, advances, and future perspectives. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 432:128658. [PMID: 35290896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Considering the chemical complexity and toxicity data gaps of environmental mixtures, most studies evaluate the chemical risk individually. However, humans are usually exposed to a cocktail of chemicals in real life. Mixture health assessment remains to be a research area having significant knowledge gaps. Characterization of chemical composition and bioactivity/toxicity are the two critical aspects of mixture health assessments. This review seeks to introduce the recent progress and tools for the chemical and biological characterization of environmental mixtures. The state-of-the-art techniques include the sampling, extraction, rapid detection methods, and the in vitro, in vivo, and in silico approaches to generate the toxicity data of an environmental mixture. Application of these novel methods, or new approach methodologies (NAMs), has increased the throughput of generating chemical and toxicity data for mixtures and thus refined the mixture health assessment. Combined with computational methods, the chemical and biological information would shed light on identifying the bioactive/toxic components in an environmental mixture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Syuan Luo
- Institute of Food Safety and Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan.
| | - Zunwei Chen
- Program in Molecular and Integrative Physiological Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nan-Hung Hsieh
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology and Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Tzu-En Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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50
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DiProspero TJ, Brown LG, Fachko TD, Lockett MR. HepaRG cells adopt zonal-like drug-metabolizing phenotypes under physiologically relevant oxygen tensions and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Drug Metab Dispos 2022; 50:DMD-AR-2022-000870. [PMID: 35701181 PMCID: PMC9341261 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.122.000870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular microenvironment plays an important role in liver zonation, the spatial distribution of metabolic tasks amongst hepatocytes lining the sinusoid. Standard tissue culture practices provide an excess of oxygen and a lack of signaling molecules typically found in the liver. We hypothesized that incorporating physiologically relevant environments would promote post-differentiation patterning of hepatocytes and result in zonal-like characteristics. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the transcriptional regulation and activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes in HepaRG cells exposed to three different oxygen tensions, in the presence or absence of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The drug-metabolizing activity of cells exposed to representative periportal (11% O2) or perivenous (5% O2) oxygen tensions were significantly less than cells exposed to ambient oxygen. A comparison of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, 2D6, and 3A4 activity at PP and PV oxygen tensions showed significant increases at the lower oxygen tension. The activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway only modestly impacted CYP activity at PV oxygen tension, despite a significant increase in CYP expression under this condition. Our results suggest oxygen tension is the major contributor to zonal patterning in HepaRG cells, with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway playing a lesser albeit important role. Our datasets also highlight the importance of including activity-based assays, as transcript data alone does not provide an accurate picture of metabolic competence. Significance Statement This work investigates the post-differentiation patterning of HepaRG cells cultured at physiologically relevant oxygen tensions, in the presence and absence of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. HepaRG cells exposed to periportal (11% O2) or perivenous (5% O2) oxygen tensions display zonation-like patterning of both cytochrome P450 (CYP) and glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes. These datasets also suggest that oxygen is a primary regulator of post-differentiation patterning, with Wnt/β-catenin having a lesser effect on activity but a significant effect on transcriptional regulation of these enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren G Brown
- Chemistry, Univeristy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Trevor D Fachko
- Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Matthew R Lockett
- Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
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