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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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Shintani T, Imamura C, Ueyama-Toba Y, Inui J, Watanabe A, Mizuguchi H. Establishment of UGT1A1-knockout human iPS-derived hepatic organoids for UGT1A1-specific kinetics and toxicity evaluation. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 30:429-442. [PMID: 37663646 PMCID: PMC10471830 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.08.003] [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: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are highly expressed in the liver and are involved in the metabolism of many drugs. In particular, UGT1A1 has a genetic polymorphism that causes decreased activity, leading to drug-induced hepatotoxicity. Therefore, an in vitro evaluation system that accurately predicts the kinetics of drugs involving UGT1A1 is required. However, there is no such evaluation system because of the absence of the UGT1A1-selective inhibitor. Here, using human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, genome editing technology, and organoid technology, we generated UGT1A1-knockout human iPS hepatocyte-derived liver organoids (UGT1A1-KO i-HOs) as a model for UGT1A1-specific kinetics and toxicity evaluation. i-HOs showed higher gene expression of many drug-metabolizing enzymes including UGT1A1 than human iPS cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells (iPS-HLCs), suggesting that hepatic organoid technology improves liver functions. Wild-type (WT) i-HOs showed similar levels of UGT1A1 activity to primary human (cryopreserved) hepatocytes, while UGT1A1-KO i-HOs completely lost the activity. Additionally, to evaluate whether this model can be used to predict drug-induced hepatotoxicity, UGT1A1-KO i-HOs were exposed to SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan, an anticancer drug, and acetaminophen and confirmed that these cells could predict UGT1A1-mediated toxicity. Thus, we succeeded in generating model cells that enable evaluation of UGT1A1-specific kinetics and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Shintani
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Chiharu Imamura
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yukiko Ueyama-Toba
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory of Functional Organoid for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
- Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Jumpei Inui
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Mizuguchi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory of Functional Organoid for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
- Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Inui J, Ueyama-Toba Y, Mitani S, Mizuguchi H. Development of a method of passaging and freezing human iPS cell-derived hepatocytes to improve their functions. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285783. [PMID: 37200286 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) are expected to replace primary human hepatocytes as a new source of functional hepatocytes in various medical applications. However, the hepatic functions of HLCs are still low and it takes a long time to differentiate them from human iPS cells. Furthermore, HLCs have very low proliferative capacity and are difficult to be passaged due to loss of hepatic functions after reseeding. To overcome these problems, we attempted to develop a technology to dissociate, cryopreserve, and reseed HLCs in this study. By adding epithelial-mesenchymal transition inhibitors and optimizing the cell dissociation time, we have developed a method for passaging HLCs without loss of their functions. After passage, HLCs showed a hepatocyte-like polygonal cell morphology and expressed major hepatocyte marker proteins such as albumin and cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). In addition, the HLCs had low-density lipoprotein uptake and glycogen storage capacity. The HLCs also showed higher CYP3A4 activity and increased gene expression levels of major hepatocyte markers after passage compared to before passage. Finally, they maintained their functions even after their cryopreservation and re-culture. By applying this technology, it will be possible to provide ready-to-use availability of cryopreserved HLCs for drug discovery research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jumpei Inui
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yukiko Ueyama-Toba
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Laboratory of Functional Organoid for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
- Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Seiji Mitani
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Mizuguchi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Laboratory of Functional Organoid for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, Osaka, Japan
- Integrated Frontier Research for Medical Science Division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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Negoro R, Tasaka M, Deguchi S, Takayama K, Fujita T. Generation of HepG2 Cells with High Expression of Multiple Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes for Drug Discovery Research Using a PITCh System. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101677. [PMID: 35626714 PMCID: PMC9140068 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
HepG2 cells are an inexpensive hepatocyte model that can be used for repeated experiments, but HepG2 cells do not express major cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 1 member A1 (UGT1A1). In this study, we established CYP3A4–POR–UGT1A1–CYP1A2–CYP2C19–CYP2C9–CYP2D6 (CYPs–UGT1A1) knock-in (KI)-HepG2 cells using a PITCh system to evaluate whether they could be a new hepatocyte model for pharmaceutical studies. To evaluate whether CYPs–UGT1A1 KI-HepG2 cells express and function with CYPs and UGT1A1, gene expression levels of CYPs and UGT1A1 were analyzed by using real-time PCR, and metabolites of CYPs or UGT1A1 substrates were quantified by HPLC. The expression levels of CYPs and UGT1A1 in the CYPs–UGT1A1 KI-HepG2 cells were comparable to those in primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) cultured for 48 h. The CYPs and UGT1A1 activity levels in the CYPs–UGT1A1 KI-HepG2 cells were much higher than those in the wild-type (WT)-HepG2 cells. These results suggest that the CYPs–UGT1A1 KI-HepG2 cells expressed functional CYPs and UGT1A1. We also confirmed that the CYPs–UGT1A1 KI-HepG2 cells were more sensitive to drug-induced liver toxicity than the WT-HepG2 cells. CYPs–UGT1A1 KI-HepG2 cells could be used to predict drug metabolism and drug-induced liver toxicity, and they promise to be a helpful new hepatocyte model for drug discovery research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Negoro
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-77-599-3353
| | - Mitsuki Tasaka
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacokinetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan;
| | - Sayaka Deguchi
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; (S.D.); (K.T.)
| | - Kazuo Takayama
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; (S.D.); (K.T.)
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development-Core Research for Evolutionary Medical Science and Technology (AMED-CREST), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, 1-7-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Takuya Fujita
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacokinetics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan;
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacokinetics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan;
- Research Center for Drug Discovery and Development, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan
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Takemura A, Ito K. In Vitro Assay System to Detect Drug-Induced Bile Acid-Dependent Cytotoxicity Using Hepatocytes. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2544:119-127. [PMID: 36125714 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2557-6_8] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of bile acid excretion by drugs is a significant factor in the development of drug-induced cholestatic liver injury. We constructed a new in vitro assay system to detect bile acid-dependent cytotoxicity in hepatocytes. This cell-based system can assess the toxicity of the parent compound, as well as the contribution of metabolite(s). In addition, this system can utilize several types of hepatocytes (primary hepatocytes, hepatoma cell line, and induced pluripotent stem cell-induced hepatocytes). In this chapter, a method to detect drug-induced bile acid-dependent toxicity in hepatocytes is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Takemura
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kousei Ito
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
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Abstract
Hepatocytes are liver parenchymal cells involved in performing various metabolic reactions. During the development of therapeutic drugs, toxicological assays are conducted using hepatocyte cultures before clinical trials. However, since primary hepatocytes cannot proliferate and rapidly lose their functions in vitro, many efforts have been put into modifying culture conditions to expand primary hepatocytes and induce hepatocyte functions in intrinsic and extrinsic stem/progenitor cells. In this chapter, we summarize recent advances in preparing hepatocyte cultures and induction of hepatocytes from various cellular sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayumu Okumura
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Tanimizu
- Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Department of Tissue Development and Regeneration, Research Institute for Frontier Medicine, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
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