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Mickols E, Meyer A, Handin N, Stüwe M, Eriksson J, Rudfeldt J, Blom K, Fryknäs M, Sellin ME, Lauschke VM, Karlgren M, Artursson P. OCT1 (SLC22A1) transporter kinetics and regulation in primary human hepatocyte 3D spheroids. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17334. [PMID: 39068198 PMCID: PMC11283471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67192-6] [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: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
3D spheroids of primary human hepatocytes (3D PHH) retain a differentiated phenotype with largely conserved metabolic function and proteomic fingerprint over weeks in culture. As a result, 3D PHH are gaining importance as a model for mechanistic liver homeostasis studies and in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) in drug discovery. However, the kinetics and regulation of drug transporters have not yet been assessed in 3D PHH. Here, we used organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1/SLC22A1) as a model to study both transport kinetics and the long-term regulation of transporter activity via relevant signalling pathways. The kinetics of the OCT1 transporter was studied using the fluorescent model substrate 4-(4-(dimethylamino)styryl)-N-methylpyridinium (ASP+) and known OCT1 inhibitors in individual 3D PHH. For long-term studies, 3D PHH were treated with xenobiotics for seven days, after which protein expression and OCT1 function were assessed. Global proteomic analysis was used to track hepatic phenotypes as well as prototypical changes in other regulated proteins, such as P-glycoprotein and Cytochrome P450 3A4. ASP+ kinetics indicated a fully functional OCT1 transporter with a Km value of 14 ± 4.0µM as the mean from three donors. Co-incubation with known OCT1 inhibitors decreased the uptake of ASP+ in the 3D PHH spheroids by 35-52%. The long-term exposure studies showed that OCT1 is relatively stable upon activation of nuclear receptor signalling or exposure to compounds that could induce inflammation, steatosis or liver injury. Our results demonstrate that 3D PHH spheroids express physiologically relevant levels of fully active OCT1 and that its transporter kinetics can be accurately studied in the 3D PHH configuration. We also confirm that OCT1 remains stable and functional during the activation of key metabolic pathways that alter the expression and function of other drug transporters and drug-metabolizing enzymes. These results will expand the range of studies that can be performed using 3D PHH.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alina Meyer
- Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Niklas Handin
- Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Malin Stüwe
- Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jens Eriksson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jakob Rudfeldt
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Cancer Pharmacology and Computational Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristin Blom
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Cancer Pharmacology and Computational Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mårten Fryknäs
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Cancer Pharmacology and Computational Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mikael E Sellin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Volker M Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany
- University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Karlgren
- Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Per Artursson
- Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Van Brantegem P, Chatterjee S, De Bruyn T, Annaert P, Deferm N. Drug-induced cholestasis assay in primary hepatocytes. MethodsX 2020; 7:101080. [PMID: 33088729 PMCID: PMC7559231 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2020.101080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced cholestasis (DIC) is a major cause of clinical failure of drug candidates. Numerous patients worldwide are affected when exposed to marketed drugs exhibiting a DIC signature. Prospective identification of DIC during early compound development remains challenging. Here we describe the optimized in vitro procedure for early assessment and prediction of an increased DIC risk. Our method is based on three principles:•Exposure of primary human hepatocyte cultures to test compounds in the absence and presence of a physiologically relevant mixture of endogenous bile salts.•Rapid and quantitative assessment of the influence of concomitant bile salt exposure on hepatocyte functionality and integrity after 24 h or 48 h of incubation.•Translation of the in vitro result, expressed as a DIC index (DICI) value, into an in vivo safety margin.Using our historical control data, a new (data driven) DICI cut-off value of 0.78 was established for discerning cholestatic and non-cholestatic compounds. Our DIC assay protocol was further improved by now relying on the principle of the no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) for determining the highest test compound concentration corresponding to a DICI ≥ 0.78. Predicted safety margin values were subsequently calculated for compounds displaying hepatotoxic and/or cholestatic effects in patients, thus enabling evaluation of the performance of our DIC assay. Of note, this assay can be extended to explore the role of drug metabolites in precipitating DIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Van Brantegem
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sagnik Chatterjee
- Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Biocon, Bristol-Myers Squibb R& D Center (BBRC), Syngene International Ltd., Bangalore, India
| | - Tom De Bruyn
- Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pieter Annaert
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Neel Deferm
- KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
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Deferm N, De Vocht T, Qi B, Van Brantegem P, Gijbels E, Vinken M, de Witte P, Bouillon T, Annaert P. Current insights in the complexities underlying drug-induced cholestasis. Crit Rev Toxicol 2019; 49:520-548. [PMID: 31589080 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2019.1635081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Drug-induced cholestasis (DIC) poses a major challenge to the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies. It causes both drug attrition and post-approval withdrawal of drugs. DIC represents itself as an impaired secretion and flow of bile, leading to the pathological hepatic and/or systemic accumulation of bile acids (BAs) and their conjugate bile salts. Due to the high number of mechanisms underlying DIC, predicting a compound's cholestatic potential during early stages of drug development remains elusive. A profound understanding of the different molecular mechanisms of DIC is, therefore, of utmost importance. Although many knowledge gaps and caveats still exist, it is generally accepted that alterations of certain hepatobiliary membrane transporters and changes in hepatocellular morphology may cause DIC. Consequently, liver models, which represent most of these mechanisms, are valuable tools to predict human DIC. Some of these models, such as membrane-based in vitro models, are exceptionally well-suited to investigate specific mechanisms (i.e. transporter inhibition) of DIC, while others, such as liver slices, encompass all relevant biological processes and, therefore, offer a better representation of the in vivo situation. In the current review, we highlight the principal molecular mechanisms associated with DIC and offer an overview and critical appraisal of the different liver models that are currently being used to predict the cholestatic potential of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neel Deferm
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tom De Vocht
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bing Qi
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Van Brantegem
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eva Gijbels
- Entity of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Entity of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter de Witte
- Laboratory for Molecular Biodiscovery, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Bouillon
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Annaert
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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