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Jinks M, Davies EC, Boughton BA, Lodge S, Maker GL. 1H NMR spectroscopic characterisation of HepG2 cells as a model metabolic system for toxicology studies. Toxicol In Vitro 2024; 99:105881. [PMID: 38906200 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105881] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
The immortalised human hepatocellular HepG2 cell line is commonly used for toxicology studies as an alternative to animal testing due to its characteristic liver-distinctive functions. However, little is known about the baseline metabolic changes within these cells upon toxin exposure. We have applied 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to characterise the biochemical composition of HepG2 cells at baseline and post-exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Metabolic profiles of live cells, cell extracts, and their spent media supernatants were obtained using 1H high-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) NMR and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (O-PLS-DA) was used to characterise the metabolites that differed between the baseline and H2O2 treated groups. The results showed that H2O2 caused alterations to 10 metabolites, including acetate, glutamate, lipids, phosphocholine, and creatine in the live cells; 25 metabolites, including acetate, alanine, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), aspartate, citrate, creatine, glucose, glutamine, glutathione, and lactate in the cell extracts, and 22 metabolites, including acetate, alanine, formate, glucose, pyruvate, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine in the cell supernatants. At least 10 biochemical pathways associated with these metabolites were disrupted upon toxin exposure, including those involved in energy, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. Our findings illustrate the ability of NMR-based metabolic profiling of immortalised human cells to detect metabolic effects on central metabolism due to toxin exposure. The established data sets will enable more subtle biochemical changes in the HepG2 model cell system to be identified in future toxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Jinks
- Australian National Phenome, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Emily C Davies
- Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Berin A Boughton
- Australian National Phenome, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food, AgriBio, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Samantha Lodge
- Australian National Phenome, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Garth L Maker
- Centre for Computational and Systems Medicine, Health Futures Institute, Harry Perkins Building, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
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2
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Leaker BD, Wang Y, Tam J, Anderson RR. Analysis of culture and RNA isolation methods for precision-cut liver slices from cirrhotic rats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15349. [PMID: 38961190 PMCID: PMC11222550 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66235-2] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) are increasingly used as a model to investigate anti-fibrotic therapies. However, many studies use PCLS from healthy animals treated with pro-fibrotic stimuli in culture, which reflects only the early stages of fibrosis. The effects of different culture conditions on PCLS from cirrhotic animals has not been well characterized and there is no consensus on optimal methods. In this study, we report a method for the collection and culture of cirrhotic PCLS and compare the effect of common culture conditions on viability, function, and gene expression. Additionally, we compared three methods of RNA isolation and identified a protocol with high yield and purity. We observed significantly increased albumin production when cultured with insulin-transferrin-selenium and dexamethasone, and when incubated on a rocking platform. Culturing with insulin-transferrin-selenium and dexamethasone maintained gene expression closer to the levels in fresh slices. However, despite stable viability and function up to 4 days, we found significant changes in expression of key genes by day 2. Interestingly, we also observed that cirrhotic PCLS maintain viability in culture longer than slices from healthy animals. Due to the influence of matrix stiffness on fibrosis and hepatocellular function, it is important to evaluate prospective anti-fibrotic therapies in a platform that preserves tissue biomechanics. PCLS from cirrhotic animals represent a promising tool for the development of treatments for chronic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben D Leaker
- Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Thier Research Building, MGH, 55 Blossom Street, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Yongtao Wang
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua Tam
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Thier Research Building, MGH, 55 Blossom Street, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R Rox Anderson
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Thier Research Building, MGH, 55 Blossom Street, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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3
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Zhang J, Zhang Z, Wu Z, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Xia L. The switch triggering the invasion process: Lipid metabolism in the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Chin Med J (Engl) 2024; 137:1271-1284. [PMID: 38738689 PMCID: PMC11191009 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000003144] [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: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT In humans, the liver is a central metabolic organ with a complex and unique histological microenvironment. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis, accounts for most cases of primary liver cancer. As an emerging hallmark of cancers, metabolic reprogramming acts as a runaway mechanism that disrupts homeostasis of the affected organs, including the liver. Specifically, rewiring of the liver metabolic microenvironment, including lipid metabolism, is driven by HCC cells, propelling the phenotypes of HCC cells, including dissemination, invasion, and even metastasis in return. The resulting formation of this vicious loop facilitates various malignant behaviors of HCC further. However, few articles have comprehensively summarized lipid reprogramming in HCC metastasis. Here, we have reviewed the general situation of the liver microenvironment and the physiological lipid metabolism in the liver, and highlighted the effects of different aspects of lipid metabolism on HCC metastasis to explore the underlying mechanisms. In addition, we have recapitulated promising therapeutic strategies targeting lipid metabolism and the effects of lipid metabolic reprogramming on the efficacy of HCC systematical therapy, aiming to offer new perspectives for targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqian Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Zhicheng Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Zhangfan Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Yufei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Zerui Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Limin Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Hubei Key Laboratory of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- State Key Laboratory of Holistic Integrative Management of Gastrointestinal Cancers and National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710032, China
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4
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Sun B, Liang Z, Wang Y, Yu Y, Zhou X, Geng X, Li B. A 3D spheroid model of quadruple cell co-culture with improved liver functions for hepatotoxicity prediction. Toxicology 2024; 505:153829. [PMID: 38740170 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2024.153829] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the major concerns during drug development. Wide acceptance of the 3 R principles and the innovation of in-vitro techniques have introduced various novel model options, among which the three-dimensional (3D) cell spheroid cultures have shown a promising prospect in DILI prediction. The present study developed a 3D quadruple cell co-culture liver spheroid model for DILI prediction via self-assembly. Induction by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate at the concentration of 15.42 ng/mL for 48 hours with a following 24-hour rest period was used for THP-1 cell differentiation, resulting in credible macrophagic phenotypes. HepG2 cells, PUMC-HUVEC-T1 cells, THP-1-originated macrophages, and human hepatic stellate cells were selected as the components, which exhibited adaptability in the designated spheroid culture conditions. Following establishment, the characterization demonstrated the competence of the model in long-term stability reflected by the maintenance of morphology, viability, cellular integration, and cell-cell junctions for at least six days, as well as the reliable liver-specific functions including superior albumin and urea secretion, improved drug metabolic enzyme expression and CYP3A4 activity, and the expression of MRP2, BSEP, and P-GP accompanied by the bile acid efflux transport function. In the comparative testing using 22 DILI-positive and 5 DILI-negative compounds among the novel 3D co-culture model, 3D HepG2 spheroids, and 2D HepG2 monolayers, the 3D culture method significantly enhanced the model sensitivity to compound cytotoxicity compared to the 2D form. The novel co-culture liver spheroid model exhibited higher overall predictive power with margin of safety as the classifying tool. In addition, the non-parenchymal cell components could amplify the toxicity of isoniazid in the 3D model, suggesting their potential mediating role in immune-mediated toxicity. The proof-of-concept experiments demonstrated the capability of the model in replicating drug-induced lipid dysregulation, bile acid efflux inhibition, and α-SMA upregulation, which are the key features of liver steatosis and phospholipidosis, cholestasis, and fibrosis, respectively. Overall, the novel 3D quadruple cell co-culture spheroid model is a reliable and readily available option for DILI prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyang Sun
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; National Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing Key Laboratory for Nonclinical Safety Evaluation of Drugs, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Zihe Liang
- National Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing Key Laboratory for Nonclinical Safety Evaluation of Drugs, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Yupeng Wang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; National Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing Key Laboratory for Nonclinical Safety Evaluation of Drugs, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; National Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing Key Laboratory for Nonclinical Safety Evaluation of Drugs, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Xiaobing Zhou
- National Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing Key Laboratory for Nonclinical Safety Evaluation of Drugs, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Xingchao Geng
- National Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing Key Laboratory for Nonclinical Safety Evaluation of Drugs, Beijing 100176, China.
| | - Bo Li
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 102629, China.
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5
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Zuchowska A, Frojdenfal S, Trzaskowski M, Jastrzebska E. Advanced three-dimensional in vitro liver models to study the activity of anticancer drugs. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2400159. [PMID: 38896414 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202400159] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The liver is one of the most important organs in the human body. It performs many important functions, including being responsible for the metabolism of most drugs, which is often associated with its drug-induced damage. Currently, there are no ideal pharmacological models that would allow the evaluation of the effect of newly tested drugs on the liver in preclinical studies. Moreover, the influence of hepatic metabolism on the effectiveness of the tested drugs is rarely evaluated. Therefore, in this work we present an advanced model of the liver, which reflects most of the morphologically and metabolically important features of the liver in vivo, namely: three-dimensionality, cellular composition, presence of extracellular matrix, distribution of individual cell types in the structure of the liver model, high urea and albumin synthesis efficiency, high cytochrome p450 activity. In addition, the work, based on the example of commonly used anticancer drugs, shows how important it is to take into account hepatic metabolism in the effective assessment of their impact on the target organ, in this case cancer. In our research, we have shown that the most similar to liver in vivo are 3D cellular aggregates composed of three important liver cells, namely hepatocytes (HepG2), hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells (HSECs). Moreover, we showed that the cells in 3D aggregate structure need time (cell-cell interactions) to improve proper liver characteristic. The triculture model additionally showed the greatest ability to metabolize selected anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sonia Frojdenfal
- Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Maciej Trzaskowski
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Technologies CEZAMAT, Warsaw University of Technology, Warszawa, Poland
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6
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Li X, Sun X, Pinpin J, Zhao Q, Sun Y. Multifunctional ORF3 protein of hepatitis E virus. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29691. [PMID: 38783788 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29691] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that is transmitted primarily through the fecal-oral route and can cause acute hepatitis in humans. Since HEV was identified as a zoonotic pathogen, different species of HEV strains have been globally identified from various hosts, leading to an expanding range of hosts. The HEV genome consists of a 5' noncoding region, three open reading frames (ORFs), and a 3' noncoding region. The ORF3 protein is the smallest but has many functions in HEV release and pathogenesis. In this review, we systematically summarize recent progress in understanding the functions of the HEV ORF3 protein in virion release, biogenesis of quasi-enveloped viruses, antigenicity, and host environmental regulation. This review will help us to understand HEV replication and pathogenesis mechanisms better.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxuan Li
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xuwen Sun
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ji Pinpin
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qin Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yani Sun
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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7
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Ip BC, Madnick SJ, Zheng S, van Tongeren TCA, Hall SJ, Li H, Martin S, Spriggs S, Carmichael P, Chen W, Ames D, Breitweiser LA, Pence HE, Bowling AJ, Johnson KJ, Cubberley R, Morgan JR, Boekelheide K. Development of a human liver microphysiological coculture system for higher throughput chemical safety assessment. Toxicol Sci 2024; 199:227-245. [PMID: 38335931 PMCID: PMC11131024 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae018] [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: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemicals in the systemic circulation can undergo hepatic xenobiotic metabolism, generate metabolites, and exhibit altered toxicity compared with their parent compounds. This article describes a 2-chamber liver-organ coculture model in a higher-throughput 96-well format for the determination of toxicity on target tissues in the presence of physiologically relevant human liver metabolism. This 2-chamber system is a hydrogel formed within each well consisting of a central well (target tissue) and an outer ring-shaped trough (human liver tissue). The target tissue chamber can be configured to accommodate a three-dimensional (3D) spheroid-shaped microtissue, or a 2-dimensional (2D) cell monolayer. Culture medium and compounds freely diffuse between the 2 chambers. Human-differentiated HepaRG liver cells are used to form the 3D human liver microtissues, which displayed robust protein expression of liver biomarkers (albumin, asialoglycoprotein receptor, Phase I cytochrome P450 [CYP3A4] enzyme, multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 transporter, and glycogen), and exhibited Phase I/II enzyme activities over the course of 17 days. Histological and ultrastructural analyses confirmed that the HepaRG microtissues presented a differentiated hepatocyte phenotype, including abundant mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and bile canaliculi. Liver microtissue zonation characteristics could be easily modulated by maturation in different media supplements. Furthermore, our proof-of-concept study demonstrated the efficacy of this coculture model in evaluating testosterone-mediated androgen receptor responses in the presence of human liver metabolism. This liver-organ coculture system provides a practical, higher-throughput testing platform for metabolism-dependent bioactivity assessment of drugs/chemicals to better recapitulate the biological effects and potential toxicity of human exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanche C Ip
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
- Center for Alternatives to Animals in Testing, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
| | - Samantha J Madnick
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
- Center for Alternatives to Animals in Testing, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
| | - Sophia Zheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
| | - Tessa C A van Tongeren
- Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 EA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Susan J Hall
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
| | - Suzanne Martin
- Unilever, Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, MK44 1LQ Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Sandrine Spriggs
- Unilever, Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, MK44 1LQ Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Carmichael
- Unilever, Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, MK44 1LQ Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Wei Chen
- Corteva, Inc, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268, USA
| | - David Ames
- Corteva, Inc, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Richard Cubberley
- Unilever, Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, MK44 1LQ Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Jeffrey R Morgan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
- Center for Alternatives to Animals in Testing, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
| | - Kim Boekelheide
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
- Center for Alternatives to Animals in Testing, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA
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8
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Rainu SK, Singh N. 3D microscaffolds with triple-marker sensitive nanoprobes for studying fatty liver disease in vitro. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:10048-10063. [PMID: 38712552 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00434e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a heterogeneous condition that encompasses a wide range of liver diseases that progresses from simple hepatic steatosis to the life-threatening state of cirrhosis. However, due to the heterogeneity of this disease, comprehensive analysis of several physicochemical and biological factors that drive its progression is necessary. Therefore, an in vitro platform is required that would enable real-time monitoring of these changes to better understand the progression of these diseases. The earliest stage of NAFLD, i.e. hepatic steatosis, is characterised by triglyceride accumulation in the form of lipid vacuoles in the cytosol of hepatocytes. This fatty acid accumulation is usually accompanied by hepatic inflammation, leading to tissue acidification and dysregulated expression of certain proteases such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Taking cues from the biological parameters of the disease, we report here a 3D in vitro GelMA/alginate microscaffold platform encapsulating a triple-marker (pH, MMP-3 and MMP-9) sensitive fluorescent nanoprobe for monitoring, and hence, distinguishing the fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis) from healthy livers on the basis of pH change and MMP expression. The nanoprobe consists of a carbon nanoparticle (CNP) core, which exhibits intrinsic pH-dependent fluorescence properties, decorated either with an MMP-3 (NpMMP3) or MMP-9 (NpMMP9) sensitive peptide substrate. These peptide substrates are flanked with a fluorophore-quencher pair that separates on enzymatic cleavage, resulting in fluorescence emission. The cocktail of these nanoprobes generated multiple fluorescence signals corresponding to slightly acidic pH (blue) and overexpression of MMP-3 (green) and MMP-9 (red) enzymes in a 3D in vitro fatty liver model, whereas no/negligible fluorescence signals were observed in a healthy liver model. Moreover, this platform enabled us to mimic fatty liver disease in a more realistic manner. Therefore, this 3D in vitro platform encapsulating triple-marker sensitive fluorescent nanoprobes would facilitate the monitoring of the changes in pH and MMP expression, thereby enabling us to distinguish a healthy liver from a diseased liver and to study liver disease stages on the basis of these markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simran Kaur Rainu
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
| | - Neetu Singh
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India.
- Biomedical Engineering Unit, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India
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9
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Yamazaki M, Yamada H, Munetsuna E, Ando Y, Mizuno G, Teshigawara A, Ichikawa H, Nouchi Y, Kageyama I, Wakasugi T, Ishikawa H, Ohgami N, Suzuki K, Ohashi K. Approaches to nutritional research using organoids; fructose treatment induces epigenetic changes in liver organoids. J Nutr Biochem 2024; 131:109671. [PMID: 38768870 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109671] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Nutritional researches have successfully used animal models to gain new insights into nutrient action. However, comprehensive descriptions of their molecular mechanisms of action remain elusive as appropriate in vitro evaluation systems are lacking. Organoid models can mimic physiological structures and reproduce in vivo functions, making them increasingly utilized in biomedical research for a better understand physiological and pathological phenomena. Therefore, organoid modeling can be a powerful approach for to understand the molecular mechanisms of nutrient action. The present study aims to demonstrate the utility of organoids in nutritional research by further investigating the molecular mechanisms responsible for the negative effects of fructose intake using liver organoids. Here, we treated liver organoids with fructose and analyzed their gene expression profiles and DNA methylation levels. Microarray analysis demonstrated that fructose-treated organoids exhibited increased selenoprotein p (Sepp1) gene expression, whereas pyrosequencing assays revealed reduced DNA methylation levels in the Sepp1 region. These results were consistent with observations using hepatic tissues from fructose-fed rats. Conversely, no differences in Sepp1 mRNA and DNA methylation levels were observed in two-dimensional cells. These results suggest that organoids serve as an ideal in vitro model to recapitulate in vivo tissue responses and help to validate the molecular mechanisms of nutrient action compared to conventional cellular models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirai Yamazaki
- Department of Medical Technology, Kagawa Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Takamatsu, Japan; Department of Hygiene, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
| | - Hiroya Yamada
- Department of Hygiene, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
| | - Eiji Munetsuna
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Azabu University School of Veterinary Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Ando
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Genki Mizuno
- Department of Medical Technology, Tokyo University of Technology School of Health Sciences, Ota, Japan
| | - Atsushi Teshigawara
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan; Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Hayato Ichikawa
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Yuki Nouchi
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan; Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Itsuki Kageyama
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan; Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Takuya Wakasugi
- Department of Hygiene, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Ishikawa
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Ohgami
- Department of Hygiene, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Koji Suzuki
- Department of Preventive Medical Sciences, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Koji Ohashi
- Department of Informative Clinical Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, Toyoake, Japan
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10
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Tang Y, Li H, Tang J, Hu L, Ma F, Liu Y, Tang F. Effects of total saikosaponins on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 in HepaRG cells. Exp Ther Med 2024; 27:217. [PMID: 38590569 PMCID: PMC11000459 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2024.12505] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Total saikosaponins (TSS) form a group of chemically and biologically active components that can be extracted from Bupleurum, with reported antidepressive, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antiendotoxin, antitumor, anti-pulmonary fibrosis and anti-gastric ulcer effects. Bupleurum or TSS is frequently utilized in clinical practice alongside other medications (such as entecavir, lamivudine, compound paracetamol and amantadine hydrochloride capsules), leading to an increased risk of drug-drug interactions. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) family serves a critical role in the metabolism of numerous essential drugs (such as tamoxifen, ibuprofen and phenytoin), where the majority of drug interactions involve CYP-mediated metabolism. It is therefore essential to understand the effects of key components of Bupleurum on CYPs when administering combination therapies containing TSS or Bupleurum. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of TSS on the mRNA and protein expression of CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 in HepaRG cells. The effects of TSS on the survival of HepaRG cells was investigated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) method. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot (WB) analysis were used to assess the effects of different concentrations of TSS (0, 5, 10 and 15 µg/ml) on CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 mRNA and protein expression in HepaRG cells. Based on the CCK-8 assay results, it was observed that the cell viability remained above 80% when treated with 1, 5, 10 and 15 µg/ml TSS. Although there was a statistically significant reduced cell viability at TSS concentrations of 10 and 15 µg/ml compared with the control group, the findings indicated that TSS did not exhibit notable cytotoxic effects at these concentrations. Furthermore, RT-qPCR results revealed that compared with those in the control group, TSS at concentrations of 10 and 15 µg/ml reduced CYP3A4 mRNA expression but increased CYP1A2 mRNA expression in HepaRG cells at concentrations of 15 µg/ml. WB analysis found that TSS at concentrations of 10 and 15 µg/ml downregulated CYP3A4 protein expression in HepaRG cells while increasing CYP1A2 protein expression at concentrations of 15 µg/ml. Results in the present study suggest that TSS can inhibit CYP3A4 mRNA and protein expression, but exerts opposite effects on their CYP1A2 counterparts. These findings suggest that it is necessary to consider drug interactions between clinical preparations containing TSS or Bupleurum and drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 to avoid potential adverse drug reactions in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyan Tang
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Meitan People's Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 564100, P.R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Zunyi City, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
| | - Hongfang Li
- The Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Zunyi City, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Regulation with Chinese Medicine and Its Application, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, P.R. China
| | - Jianhua Tang
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Lei Hu
- The Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Zunyi City, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
| | - Feifei Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Meitan People's Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 564100, P.R. China
| | - Yanmiao Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Zunyi City, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
- School of Preclinical Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
| | - Fushan Tang
- The Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy of Zunyi City, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education and Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of Ministry of Education, Zunyi, Guizhou 563006, P.R. China
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11
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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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12
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Izat N, Kaplan O, Çelebier M, Sahin S. An Isolated Perfused Rat Liver Model: Simultaneous LC-MS Quantification of Pitavastatin, Coproporphyrin I, and Coproporphyrin III Levels in the Rat Liver and Bile. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:19250-19260. [PMID: 38708282 PMCID: PMC11064166 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The isolated perfused rat liver (IPRL) model provides a mechanistic understanding of the organic-anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP/Oatp)-mediated pharmacokinetics in the preclinical evaluation, which often requires the use of control substrates (i.e., pitavastatin) and monitoring endogenous biomarkers (coproporphyrin I and III). This study aimed to develop and validate an LC-MS method allowing the simultaneous quantification of pitavastatin, coproporphyrin I (CPI), and coproporphyrin III (CPIII) in rat liver perfusion matrices (perfusate, liver homogenate, bile). The analysis was performed on a C18 column at 60 °C with 20 μL of sample injection. The mobile phases consisted of water with 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile with 0.1% formic acid with a gradient flow of 0.5 mL/min. The assay was validated according to the ICH M10 Bioanalytical Method Validation Guideline (2022) for selectivity, calibration curve and range, matrix effect, carryover, accuracy, precision, and reinjection reproducibility. The method allowing the simultaneous quantification of pitavastatin, CPI, and CPIII was selective without having carryover and matrix effects. The linear calibration curves were obtained within various calibration ranges for three analytes in different matrices. Accuracy and precision values fulfilled the required limits. After 60 min perfusion with pitavastatin (1 μM), the cumulative amounts of pitavastatin in the liver and bile were 5.770 ± 1.504 and 0.852 ± 0.430 nmol/g liver, respectively. CPIII was a more dominant marker than CPI in both liver (0.028 ± 0.017 vs 0.013 ± 0.008 nmol/g liver) and bile (0.016 ± 0.011 vs 0.009 ± 0.007 nmol/g liver). The novel and validated bioanalytical method can be applied in further IPRL preparations investigating Oatp-mediated pharmacokinetics and DDIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nihan Izat
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Technology, Hacettepe
University Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Ozan Kaplan
- Department
of Analytical Chemistry, Hacettepe University
Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Çelebier
- Department
of Analytical Chemistry, Hacettepe University
Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara 06100, Turkey
| | - Selma Sahin
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Technology, Hacettepe
University Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara 06800, Turkey
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13
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Chen M, Wu G, Lu Y, Sun S, Yu Z, Pan X, Chen W, Xu H, Qiu H, He W, Li X, Wang X, Luo Y, Du Y, Wu J, Wei K, Zhang W, Liu Z, He Z. A p21-ATD mouse model for monitoring and eliminating senescent cells and its application in liver regeneration post injury. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00218-1. [PMID: 38582962 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.04.002] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular senescence associates with pathological aging and tissue dysfunctions. Studies utilizing mouse models for cell lineage tracings have emphasized the importance of senescence heterogeneity in different organs and cell types. Here, we constructed a p21- (Akaluc - tdTomato - Diphtheria Toxin Receptor [DTR]) (ATD) mouse model to specifically study the undefined mechanism for p21-expressing senescent cells in the aged and liver injury animals. The successful expressions of these genes enabled in vitro flow cytometric sorting, in vivo tracing, and elimination of p21-expressing senescent cells. During the natural aging process, p21-expressing cells were found in various tissues of p21-ATD mice. Eliminating p21-expressing cells in the aged p21-ATD mice recovered their multiple biological functions. p21-ATD/Fah-/- mice, bred from p21-ATD mice and fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (Fah)-/- mice of liver injury, showed that the majority of their senescent hepatocytes were the phenotype of p21+ rather than p16+. Furthermore, eliminating the p21-expressing hepatocytes significantly promoted the engraftment of grafted hepatocytes and facilitated liver repopulation, resulting in significant recovery from liver injury. Our p21-ATD mouse model serves as an optimal model for studying the pattern and function of p21-expressing senescent cells under the physical and pathological conditions during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Chen
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Guoxiu Wu
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Yanli Lu
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Shiwen Sun
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Zhao Yu
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Xin Pan
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Wenjian Chen
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Hongyu Xu
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Hua Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P.R. China
| | - Weizhi He
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Xiuhua Li
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Xicheng Wang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Department of Cardiology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, P.R. China
| | - Yi Luo
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Yuan Du
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P.R. China
| | - Jialing Wu
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Ke Wei
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Wencheng Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China
| | - Zhongmin Liu
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Department of Cardiology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200120, P.R. China
| | - Zhiying He
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Cardiology and Medical Innovation Center, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai 200335, P.R. China; Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation, Shanghai 200123, P.R. China.
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14
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Scheidecker B, Poulain S, Sugimoto M, Arakawa H, Kim SH, Kawanishi T, Kato Y, Danoy M, Nishikawa M, Sakai Y. Mechanobiological stimulation in organ-on-a-chip systems reduces hepatic drug metabolic capacity in favor of regenerative specialization. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:1435-1452. [PMID: 38184801 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28653] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Hepatic physiology depends on the liver's complex structural composition which among others, provides high oxygen supply rates, locally differential oxygen tension, endothelial paracrine signaling, as well as residual hemodynamic shear stress to resident hepatocytes. While functional improvements were shown by implementing these factors into hepatic culture systems, direct cause-effect relationships are often not well characterized-obfuscating their individual contribution in more complex microphysiological systems. By comparing increasingly complex hepatic in vitro culture systems that gradually implement these parameters, we investigate the influence of the cellular microenvironment to overall hepatic functionality in pharmacological applications. Here, hepatocytes were modulated in terms of oxygen tension and supplementation, endothelial coculture, and exposure to fluid shear stress delineated from oxygen influx. Results from transcriptomic and metabolomic evaluation indicate that particularly oxygen supply rates are critical to enhance cellular functionality-with cellular drug metabolism remaining comparable to physiological conditions after prolonged static culture. Endothelial signaling was found to be a major contributor to differential phenotype formation known as metabolic zonation, indicated by WNT pathway activity. Lastly, oxygen-delineated shear stress was identified to direct cellular fate towards increased hepatic plasticity and regenerative phenotypes at the cost of drug metabolic functionality - in line with regenerative effects observed in vivo. With these results, we provide a systematic evaluation of critical parameters and their impact in hepatic systems. Given their adherence to physiological effects in vivo, this highlights the importance of their implementation in biomimetic devices, such as organ-on-a-chip systems. Considering recent advances in basic liver biology, direct translation of physiological structures into in vitro models is a promising strategy to expand the capabilities of pharmacological models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stéphane Poulain
- Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sugimoto
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University, Yamagata, Japan
- Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Arakawa
- Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Soo H Kim
- Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takumi Kawanishi
- Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yukio Kato
- Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Mathieu Danoy
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Nishikawa
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Sakai
- Department of Chemical System Engineering, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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Gandhi N, Wills L, Akers K, Su Y, Niccum P, Murali TM, Rajagopalan P. Comparative transcriptomic and phenotypic analysis of induced pluripotent stem cell hepatocyte-like cells and primary human hepatocytes. Cell Tissue Res 2024; 396:119-139. [PMID: 38369646 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-024-03868-9] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) are used extensively for in vitro liver cultures to study hepatic functions. However, limited availability and invasive retrieval prevent their widespread use. Induced pluripotent stem cells exhibit significant potential since they can be obtained non-invasively and differentiated into hepatic lineages, such as hepatocyte-like cells (iHLCs). However, there are concerns about their fetal phenotypic characteristics and their hepatic functions compared to PHHs in culture. Therefore, we performed an RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to understand pathways that are either up- or downregulated in each cell type. Analysis of the RNA-seq data showed an upregulation in the bile secretion pathway where genes such as AQP9 and UGT1A1 were higher expressed in PHHs compared to iHLCs by 455- and 15-fold, respectively. Upon immunostaining, bile canaliculi were shown to be present in PHHs. The TCA cycle in PHHs was upregulated compared to iHLCs. Cellular analysis showed a 2-2.5-fold increase in normalized urea production in PHHs compared to iHLCs. In addition, drug metabolism pathways, including cytochrome P450 (CYP450) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase enzymes, were upregulated in PHHs compared to iHLCs. Of note, CYP2E1 gene expression was significantly higher (21,810-fold) in PHHs. Acetaminophen and ethanol were administered to PHH and iHLC cultures to investigate differences in biotransformation. CYP450 activity of baseline and toxicant-treated samples was significantly higher in PHHs compared to iHLCs. Our analysis revealed that iHLCs have substantial differences from PHHs in critical hepatic functions. These results have highlighted the differences in gene expression and hepatic functions between PHHs and iHLCs to motivate future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeti Gandhi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, 333 Kelly Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Lauren Wills
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA
| | - Kyle Akers
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology Ph.D. Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Yiqi Su
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Parker Niccum
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology Ph.D. Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - T M Murali
- Department of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Padmavathy Rajagopalan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, 333 Kelly Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA.
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16
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Asadollahi N, Hajari MA, Alipour Choshali M, Ajoudanian M, Ziai SA, Vosough M, Piryaei A. Bioengineering scalable and drug-responsive in vitro human multicellular non-alcoholic fatty liver disease microtissues encapsulated in the liver extracellular matrix-derived hydrogel. EXCLI JOURNAL 2024; 23:421-440. [PMID: 38741724 PMCID: PMC11089098 DOI: 10.17179/excli2023-6878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a high-prevalence and progressive disorder. Due to lack of reliable in vitro models to recapitulate the consecutive phases, the exact pathogenesis mechanism of this disease and approved therapeutic medications have not been revealed yet. It has been proven that the interplay between multiple hepatic cell types and liver extracellular matrix (ECM) are critical in NAFLD initiation and progression. Herein, a liver microtissue (LMT) consisting of Huh-7, THP-1, and LX-2 cell lines and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), which could be substituted for the main hepatic cells (hepatocyte, Kupffer, stellate, and sinusoidal endothelium, respectively), encapsulated in liver derived ECM-Alginate composite, was bioengineered. When the microtissues were treated with free fatty acids (FFAs) including Oleic acid (6.6×10-4M) and Palmitic acid (3.3×10-4M), they displayed the key features of NAFLD, including similar pattern of transcripts for genes involved in lipid metabolism, inflammation, insulin-resistance, and fibrosis, as well as pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines' secretions and intracellular lipid accumulation. Continuing FFAs supplementation, we demonstrated that the NAFLD phenomenon was established on day 3 and progressed to the initial fibrosis stage by day 8. Furthermore, this model was stable until day 12 post FFAs withdrawal on day 3. Moreover, administration of an anti-steatotic drug candidate, Liraglutide (15 μM), on the NAFLD microtissues significantly ameliorated the NAFLD phenomenon. Overall, we bioengineered a drug-responsive, cost-benefit liver microtissues which can simulate the initiation and progression of NAFLD. It is expected that this platform could potentially be used for studying molecular pathogenesis of NAFLD and high-throughput drug screening. See also the graphical abstract(Fig. 1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Negar Asadollahi
- 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
| | - Mohammad Amin Hajari
- Department of Cell Engineering, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Alipour Choshali
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ajoudanian
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Ali Ziai
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - 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
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17
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Kumar MS, Singh VK, Mishra AK, Kushwaha B, Kumar R, Lal KK. Fish cell line: depositories, web resources and future applications. Cytotechnology 2024; 76:1-25. [PMID: 38304629 PMCID: PMC10828409 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-023-00601-2] [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: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell lines are important bioresources to study the key biological processes in the areas like virology, pathology, immunology, toxicology, biotechnology, endocrinology and developmental biology. Cell lines developed from fish organs are utilized as a model in vitro system in disease surveillance programs, pharmacology, drug screening and resolving cases of metabolic abnormalities. During last decade, there were consistent efforts made globally to develop new fish cell lines from different organs like brain, eye muscles, fin, gill, heart, kidney, liver, skin, spleen, swim bladder, testes, vertebra etc. This increased use and development of cell lines necessitated the establishment of cell line depositories to store/preserve them and assure their availability to the researchers. These depositories are a source of authenticated and characterized cell lines with set protocols for material transfer agreements, maintenance and shipping as well as logistics enabling cellular research. Hence, it is important to cryopreserve and maintain cell lines in depositories and make them available to the research community. The present article reviews the current status of the fish cell lines available in different depositories across the world, along with the prominent role of cell lines in conservation of life on land or below water. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10616-023-00601-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murali S. Kumar
- ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226 002 India
| | - Vijay Kumar Singh
- ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226 002 India
| | - Akhilesh Kumar Mishra
- ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226 002 India
| | - Basdeo Kushwaha
- ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226 002 India
| | - Ravindra Kumar
- ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226 002 India
| | - Kuldeep Kumar Lal
- ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226 002 India
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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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19
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Liu Y, Ge Y, Wu Y, Feng Y, Liu H, Cao W, Xie J, Zhang J. High-Voltage Electrostatic Field Hydrogel Microsphere 3D Culture System Improves Viability and Liver-like Properties of HepG2 Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1081. [PMID: 38256154 PMCID: PMC10816196 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021081] [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: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) hepatocyte models have become a research hotspot for evaluating drug metabolism and hepatotoxicity. Compared to two-dimensional (2D) cultures, 3D cultures are better at mimicking the morphology and microenvironment of hepatocytes in vivo. However, commonly used 3D culture techniques are not suitable for high-throughput drug screening (HTS) due to their high cost, complex handling, and inability to simulate cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. This article describes a method for rapid and reproducible 3D cell cultures with ECM-cell interactions based on 3D culture instrumentation to provide more efficient HTS. We developed a microsphere preparation based on a high-voltage electrostatic (HVE) field and used sodium alginate- and collagen-based hydrogels as scaffolds for 3D cultures of HepG2 cells. The microsphere-generating device enables the rapid and reproducible preparation of bioactive hydrogel microspheres. This 3D culture system exhibited better cell viability, heterogeneity, and drug-metabolizing activity than 2D and other 3D culture models, and the long-term culture characteristics of this system make it suitable for predicting long-term liver toxicity. This system improves the overall applicability of HepG2 spheroids in safety assessment studies, and this simple and controllable high-throughput-compatible method shows potential for use in drug toxicity screening assays and mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; (Y.L.); (Y.W.)
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
| | - Yang Ge
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
| | - Yanfan Wu
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; (Y.L.); (Y.W.)
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
| | - Yongtong Feng
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
| | - Han Liu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
| | - Wei Cao
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
| | - Jinsong Xie
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
| | - Jingzhong Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; (Y.L.); (Y.W.)
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China; (Y.G.); (Y.F.); (H.L.); (W.C.); (J.X.)
- School of Medical Imaging, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
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20
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Tonooka Y, Takaku T, Toyoshima M, Takahashi Y, Kitamoto S. Suppression of the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Maintenance of the Liver Functions in Primary Hepatocytes through Dispersion Culture within a Dome-Shaped Collagen Matrix. Biol Pharm Bull 2024; 47:1241-1247. [PMID: 38945897 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b24-00180] [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: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Primary hepatocytes are valuable for studying liver diseases, drug-induced liver injury, and drug metabolism. However, when cultured in a two-dimensional (2D) environment, primary hepatocytes undergo rapid dedifferentiation via an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and lose their liver-specific functions. On the other hand, a three-dimensional (3D) culture of primary hepatocyte organoids presents challenges for analyzing cellular functions and molecular behaviors due to strong cell-cell adhesion among heterogeneous cells. In this study, we developed a novel dispersion culture method of hepatocytes within a dome-shaped collagen matrix, overcoming conventional limitations. The expression levels of EMT-related genes were lower in rat primary hepatocytes cultured using this method for 4 d than in cells cultured using the 2D method. Furthermore, albumin production, a marker of liver function, declined sharply in rat primary hepatocytes cultured in two dimensions from 6.40 µg/mL/48 h on day 4 to 1.35 µg/mL/48 h on day 8, and declined gradually from 4.92 µg/mL/48 h on day 8 to 3.89 µg/mL/48 h on day 14 in rat primary hepatocytes cultured using our new method. These findings indicate that the newly developed culture method can suppress EMT and maintain liver functions for 14 d in rat primary hepatocytes, potentially expanding the utility of primary hepatocyte cultured by using conventional 3D methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshino Tonooka
- Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd
| | - Tomoyuki Takaku
- Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd
| | - Manabu Toyoshima
- Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd
| | | | - Sachiko Kitamoto
- Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd
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21
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Kasturi M, Mathur V, Gadre M, Srinivasan V, Vasanthan KS. Three Dimensional Bioprinting for Hepatic Tissue Engineering: From In Vitro Models to Clinical Applications. Tissue Eng Regen Med 2024; 21:21-52. [PMID: 37882981 PMCID: PMC10764711 DOI: 10.1007/s13770-023-00576-3] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Fabrication of functional organs is the holy grail of tissue engineering and the possibilities of repairing a partial or complete liver to treat chronic liver disorders are discussed in this review. Liver is the largest gland in the human body and plays a responsible role in majority of metabolic function and processes. Chronic liver disease is one of the leading causes of death globally and the current treatment strategy of organ transplantation holds its own demerits. Hence there is a need to develop an in vitro liver model that mimics the native microenvironment. The developed model should be a reliable to understand the pathogenesis, screen drugs and assist to repair and replace the damaged liver. The three-dimensional bioprinting is a promising technology that recreates in vivo alike in vitro model for transplantation, which is the goal of tissue engineers. The technology has great potential due to its precise control and its ability to homogeneously distribute cells on all layers in a complex structure. This review gives an overview of liver tissue engineering with a special focus on 3D bioprinting and bioinks for liver disease modelling and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghana Kasturi
- Manipal Centre for Biotherapeutics Research, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Vidhi Mathur
- Manipal Centre for Biotherapeutics Research, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Mrunmayi Gadre
- Manipal Centre for Biotherapeutics Research, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Varadharajan Srinivasan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Kirthanashri S Vasanthan
- Manipal Centre for Biotherapeutics Research, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
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22
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Xu X, Guo Y, Chen M, Li N, Sun Y, Ren S, Xiao J, Wang D, Liu X, Pan Y. Hypoglycemic activities of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and identification of anti-oxidant components by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging detection. CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINES 2024; 16:151-161. [PMID: 38375044 PMCID: PMC10874760 DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2022.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To identify phytochemical constituents present in the extract of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and evaluate their anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic capacities. Methods The AlCl3 colorimetric method and Prussian Blue assay were used to determine the contents of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids in extraction layers, and the bioactive layers was screened through anti - oxidative activity in vitro. The Waters ACQUITY UPLC system and a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.0 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) were used to identify the ingredients. And anti-oxidative ingredients were screened by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. The ameliorative role of it was further evaluated in a high-fat, streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model and the study was carried out on NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU) by molecular docking. Results Combined with the results of activity screening in vitro, the anti - oxidative part was identified as the ethyl acetate layer. A total of 24 chemical constituents were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the ethyl acetate layer and 13 main anti-oxidative active constituents were preliminarily screened out through off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. In vivo experiments showed that flowers of X. sorbifolia could significantly reduce the blood glucose level of diabetic mice and alleviate liver cell damage. Based on the results of docking analysis related to the identified phytocompounds and oxidase which involved in type 2 diabetes, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and isoquercitrin showed a better inhibitory profile. Conclusion The ethyl acetate layer was rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids and had significant anti-oxidant activity, which could prevent hyperglycemia. This observed activity profile suggested X. sorbifolia flowers as a promising new source of tea to develop alternative natural anti-diabetic products with a high safety margin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiajing Xu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yongli Guo
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Menglin Chen
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Ning Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yi Sun
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Shumeng Ren
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Jiao Xiao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Dongmei Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xiaoqiu Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yingni Pan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Key Laboratory for TCM Material Basis Study and Innovative Drug Development of Shenyang City, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
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23
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Mun SJ, Hong YH, Shin Y, Lee J, Cho HS, Kim DS, Chung KS, Son MJ. Efficient and reproducible generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived expandable liver organoids for disease modeling. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22935. [PMID: 38129682 PMCID: PMC10739970 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50250-w] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic liver disease modeling is difficult because it is challenging to access patient tissue samples and to develop practical and relevant model systems. Previously, we developed novel proliferative and functional liver organoids from pluripotent stem cells; however, the protocol requires improvement for standardization and reproducible mass production. Here, we improved the method such that it is suitable for scalable expansion and relatively homogenous production, resulting in an efficient and reproducible process. Moreover, three medium components critical for long-term expansion were defined. Detailed transcriptome analysis revealed that fibroblast growth factor signaling, the essential pathway for hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration, was mainly enriched in proliferative liver organoids. Short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of FGFR4 impaired the generation and proliferation of organoids. Finally, glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD1a) patient-specific liver organoids were efficiently and reproducibly generated using the new protocol. They well maintained disease-specific phenotypes such as higher lipid and glycogen accumulation in the liver organoids and lactate secretion into the medium consistent with the main pathologic characteristics of patients with GSD1a. Therefore, our newly established liver organoid platform can provide scalable and practical personalized disease models and help to find new therapies for incurable liver diseases including genetic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon Ju Mun
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Hwa Hong
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongbo Shin
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), 217 Gajungro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseo Lee
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Soo Cho
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), 217 Gajungro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Soo Kim
- Department of Bioinformatics, UST, 217 Gajungro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea
- Department of Digital Biotech Innovation Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Sook Chung
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), 217 Gajungro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
- Biomedical Translational Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Myung Jin Son
- Stem Cell Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Functional Genomics, Korea University of Science & Technology (UST), 217 Gajungro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34113, Republic of Korea.
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24
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Sasikumar S, Chameettachal S, K N V, Kingshott P, Cromer B, Pati F. Strategic Replication of the Hepatic Zonation In Vitro Employing a Biomimetic Approach. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2023; 6:5224-5234. [PMID: 38014618 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00481] [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: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The varied functions of the liver are dependent on the metabolic heterogeneity exhibited by the hepatocytes within the liver lobule spanning the porto-central axis. This complex phenomenon plays an important role in maintaining the physiological homeostasis of the liver. Standard in vitro culture models fail to mimic this spatial heterogeneity of hepatocytes, assuming a homogeneous population of cells, which leads to inaccurate translation of results. Here, we demonstrate the development of an in vitro model of hepatic zonation by mimicking the microarchitecture of the liver using a 3D printed mini bioreactor and decellularized liver matrix to provide the native microenvironmental cues. There was a differential expression of hypoxic and metabolic markers across the developed mini bioreactor, showing the establishment of gradients of oxygen, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and other metabolic pathways. The model also showed the establishment of zone-dependent toxicity on treatment with acetaminophen. The developed model would thus be a promising avenue in the field of tissue engineering for understanding the liver physiology and pathophysiology and for drug screening to evaluate the potential of new pharmaceutical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyama Sasikumar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy 502284, Telangana, India
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Shibu Chameettachal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy 502284, Telangana, India
| | - Vijayasankar K N
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy 502284, Telangana, India
| | - Peter Kingshott
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
- ARC Training Centre Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials (SEAM), School of Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Brett Cromer
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Falguni Pati
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy 502284, Telangana, India
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25
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Wang X, Moore MP, Shi H, Miyata Y, Donnelly SK, Radiloff DR, Tabas I. Hepatocyte-targeted siTAZ therapy lowers liver fibrosis in NASH diet-fed chimeric mice with hepatocyte-humanized livers. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 31:101165. [PMID: 38144682 PMCID: PMC10746533 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is emerging as the most common cause of liver disease. Although many studies in mouse NASH models have suggested therapies, translation to humans is poor, with no approved drugs for NASH. One explanation may lie in differences between mouse and human hepatocytes. We used NASH diet-fed chimeric mice reconstituted with human hepatocytes (hu-liver mice) to test a mechanism-based hepatocyte-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA), GalNAc-siTaz, shown previously to block the progression to fibrotic NASH in mice. Following ablation of endogenous hepatocytes, male mice were reconstituted with human hepatocytes from a single donor with the rs738409-C/G PNPLA3 risk variant, resulting in ∼95% human hepatocyte reconstitution. The mice were then fed a high-fat choline-deficient l-amino acid-defined diet for 6 weeks to induce NASH, followed by six weekly injections of GalNAc-siTAZ to silence hepatocyte-TAZ or control GalNAc-siRNA (GalNAc-control) while still on the NASH diet. GalNAc-siTAZ lowered human hepatic TAZ and IHH, a TAZ target that promotes NASH fibrosis. Most important, GalNAc-siTAZ decreased liver inflammation, hepatocellular injury, hepatic fibrosis, and profibrogenic mediator expression versus GalNAc-control, indicating that GalNAc-siTAZ decreased the progression of NASH in mice reconstituted with human hepatocytes. In conclusion, silencing TAZ in human hepatocytes suppresses liver fibrosis in a hu-liver model of NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Wang
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Mary P. Moore
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Hongxue Shi
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ira Tabas
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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26
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Hu Y, Wang R, An N, Li C, Wang Q, Cao Y, Li C, Liu J, Wang Y. Unveiling the power of microenvironment in liver regeneration: an in-depth overview. Front Genet 2023; 14:1332190. [PMID: 38152656 PMCID: PMC10751322 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1332190] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver serves as a vital regulatory hub for various physiological processes, including sugar, protein, and fat metabolism, coagulation regulation, immune system maintenance, hormone inactivation, urea metabolism, and water-electrolyte acid-base balance control. These functions rely on coordinated communication among different liver cell types, particularly within the liver's fundamental hepatic lobular structure. In the early stages of liver development, diverse liver cells differentiate from stem cells in a carefully orchestrated manner. Despite its susceptibility to damage, the liver possesses a remarkable regenerative capacity, with the hepatic lobule serving as a secure environment for cell division and proliferation during liver regeneration. This regenerative process depends on a complex microenvironment, involving liver resident cells, circulating cells, secreted cytokines, extracellular matrix, and biological forces. While hepatocytes proliferate under varying injury conditions, their sources may vary. It is well-established that hepatocytes with regenerative potential are distributed throughout the hepatic lobules. However, a comprehensive spatiotemporal model of liver regeneration remains elusive, despite recent advancements in genomics, lineage tracing, and microscopic imaging. This review summarizes the spatial distribution of cell gene expression within the regenerative microenvironment and its impact on liver regeneration patterns. It offers valuable insights into understanding the complex process of liver regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuelei Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ruilin Wang
- Department of Cadre’s Wards Ultrasound Diagnostics, Ultrasound Diagnostic Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ni An
- Clinical Translational Science Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Li
- Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yannan Cao
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Li
- Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Liu
- Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunfang Wang
- Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Clinical Translational Science Center, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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Ni Y, Wang W, Liu Y, Jiang Y. Causal associations between liver traits and Colorectal cancer: a Mendelian randomization study. BMC Med Genomics 2023; 16:316. [PMID: 38057864 PMCID: PMC10699049 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-023-01755-w] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the causal associations between several liver traits (liver iron content, percent liver fat, alanine transaminase levels, and liver volume) and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to improve our understanding of the disease and its management. METHODS Genetic variants were used as instrumental variables, extracted from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) datasets of liver traits and CRC. The Two-Sample MR package in R was used to conduct inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR Egger, Maximum likelihood, Weighted median, and Inverse variance weighted (multiplicative random effects) MR approaches to generate overall estimates of the effect. MR analysis was conducted with Benjamini-Hochberg method-corrected P values to account for multiple testing (P < 0.013). MR-PRESSO was used to identify and remove outlier genetic variants in Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. The MR Steiger test was used to assess the validity of the assumption that exposure causes outcomes. Leave-one-out validation, pleiotropy, and heterogeneity testing were also conducted to ensure the reliability of the results. Multivariable MR was utilized for validation of our findings using the IVW method while also adjusting for potential confounding or pleiotropy bias. RESULTS The MR analysis suggested a causal effect between liver volume and a reduced risk of CRC (OR 0.60; 95% CI, 0.44-0.82; P = 0.0010) but did not provide evidence for causal effects of liver iron content, percent liver fat, or liver alanine transaminase levels. The MR-PRESSO method did not identify any outliers, and the MR Steiger test confirmed that the causal direction of the analysis results was correct in the Mendelian randomization analysis. MR results were consistent with heterogeneity and pleiotropy analyses, and leave-one-out analysis demonstrated the overall values obtained were consistent with estimates obtained when all available SNPs were included in the analysis. Multivariable MR was utilized for validation of our findings using the IVW method while also adjusting for potential confounding or pleiotropy bias. CONCLUSION The study provides tentative evidence for a causal role of liver volume in CRC, while genetically predicted levels of liver iron content, percent liver fat, and liver alanine transaminase levels were not associated with CRC risk. The findings may inform the development of targeted therapeutic interventions for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) patients, and the study highlights the importance of MR as a powerful epidemiological tool for investigating causal associations between exposures and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ni
- Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China
| | - Wenkai Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200021, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongming Liu
- Shi's Center of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200021, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Traumatology & Orthopedics, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 200021, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun Jiang
- Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China.
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Indolfo NDC, Ganzerla MD, Doratioto TR, Avelino TM, Tofani LB, Peroni LA, Rabelo RS, Arroteia KF, Figueira ACM. Combining a microphysiological system of three organ equivalents and transcriptomics to assess toxicological endpoints for cosmetic ingredients. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:5092-5106. [PMID: 37921576 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00546a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Animal testing for cosmetic ingredients and final products has been banned in Europe and is gaining legal force worldwide. However, the need for reliable testing methodologies remains for safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients. While new approach methodologies exist for many toxicological endpoints, some complex ones lack appropriate testing methods. Microphysiological systems (MPSs) have emerged as a promising tool to address this gap in pre-clinical testing, offering higher predictivity compared to animal models due to the phylogenetic distance between humans and animals. Moreover, they provide a more physiological approach than traditional in vitro testing by mimicking interconnections between different culture compartments as seen in complex organisms. This study presents a three-organ microfluidic MPS comprising skin, liver, and intestine equivalents. Combining this model with gene expression analysis, we evaluated toxicological endpoints of chemicals, demonstrating its potential for diverse applications. Our findings highlight the MPS model as a reliable and ethical method to be applied in an integrated approach for safety assessment in the cosmetic industry. It offers a promising strategy to evaluate toxicological endpoints for cosmetic ingredients and other chemicals, supporting the elimination of animal testing while ensuring consumer safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalia de Carvalho Indolfo
- Natura Cosméticos S.A., Cajamar, São Paulo, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Brazil
| | - Melissa Dibbernn Ganzerla
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Morphofunctional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Brazil
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil.
| | | | - Thayná Mendonça Avelino
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil.
| | - Larissa Bueno Tofani
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil.
| | - Luis Antonio Peroni
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil.
| | - Renata Santos Rabelo
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
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29
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Li X, Lao R, Lei J, Chen Y, Zhou Q, Wang T, Tong Y. Natural Products for Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Injury: A Review. Molecules 2023; 28:7901. [PMID: 38067630 PMCID: PMC10708418 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28237901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver plays a vital role in metabolism, synthesis, and detoxification, but it is susceptible to damage from various factors such as viral infections, drug reactions, excessive alcohol consumption, and autoimmune diseases. This susceptibility is particularly problematic for patients requiring medication, as drug-induced liver injury often leads to underestimation, misdiagnosis, and difficulties in treatment. Acetaminophen (APAP) is a widely used and safe drug in therapeutic doses but can cause liver toxicity when taken in excessive amounts. This study aimed to investigate the hepatotoxicity of APAP and explore potential treatment strategies using a mouse model of APAP-induced liver injury. The study involved the evaluation of various natural products for their therapeutic potential. The findings revealed that natural products demonstrated promising hepatoprotective effects, potentially alleviating liver damage and improving liver function through various mechanisms such as oxidative stress and inflammation, which cause changes in signaling pathways. These results underscore the importance of exploring novel treatment options for drug-induced liver injury, suggesting that further research in this area could lead to the development of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions, ultimately benefiting patients with liver injury caused by medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyangzi Li
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (X.L.); (R.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Ruyang Lao
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (X.L.); (R.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Jiawei Lei
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (X.L.); (R.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Yuting Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian 116000, China;
| | - Qi Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China;
| | - Ting Wang
- School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China; (X.L.); (R.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Yingpeng Tong
- School of Pharmacy, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, China;
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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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Gerdemann A, Cramer B, Degen GH, Veerkamp J, Günther G, Albrecht W, Behrens M, Esselen M, Ghallab A, Hengstler JG, Humpf HU. Comparative metabolism of aflatoxin B 1 in mouse, rat and human primary hepatocytes using HPLC-MS/MS. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:3179-3196. [PMID: 37794256 PMCID: PMC10567917 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03607-z] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly hepatotoxic and carcinogenic mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus species. The compound is mainly metabolized in the liver and its metabolism varies between species. The present study quantified relevant AFB1- metabolites formed by mouse, rat, and human primary hepatocytes after treatment with 1 µM and 10 µM AFB1. The use of liquid chromatographic separation coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection enabled the selective and sensitive determination of phase I and phase II metabolites of AFB1 over incubation times of up to 24 h. The binding of AFB1 to macromolecules was also considered. The fastest metabolism of AFB1 was observed in mouse hepatocytes which formed aflatoxin P1 as a major metabolite and also its glucuronidated form, while AFP1 occurred only in traces in the other species. Aflatoxin M1 was formed in all species and was, together with aflatoxin Q1 and aflatoxicol, the main metabolite in human cells. Effective epoxidation led to high amounts of DNA adducts already 30 min post-treatment, especially in rat hepatocytes. Lower levels of DNA adducts and fast DNA repair were found in mouse hepatocytes. Also, protein adducts arising from reactive intermediates were formed rapidly in all three species. Detoxification via glutathione conjugation and subsequent formation of the N-acetylcysteine derivative appeared to be similar in mice and in rats and strongly differed from human hepatocytes which did not form these metabolites at all. The use of qualitative reference material of a multitude of metabolites and the comparison of hepatocyte metabolism in three species using advanced methods enabled considerations on toxification and detoxification mechanisms of AFB1. In addition to glutathione conjugation, phase I metabolism is strongly involved in the detoxification of AFB1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Gerdemann
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Benedikt Cramer
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Gisela H. Degen
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystraße 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jannik Veerkamp
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Georgia Günther
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystraße 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Wiebke Albrecht
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystraße 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Matthias Behrens
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Melanie Esselen
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ahmed Ghallab
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystraße 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, 83523 Egypt
| | - Jan G. Hengstler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystraße 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Humpf
- Institute of Food Chemistry, University of Münster, Corrensstraße 45, 48149 Münster, Germany
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32
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Marano F. [Alternative methods to animal testing, present and future]. Biol Aujourdhui 2023; 217:199-205. [PMID: 38018947 DOI: 10.1051/jbio/2023035] [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: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Alternative methods to animal testing are used in fundamental and clinical research, for the realization of studies for regulatory purposes, and also screening operations in the development of new molecules. They are based on in vitro (cell models) or in silico (mathematical models) replacement methods. They have been largely promoted by the 3Rs rule (Replace, Reduce, Refine) which aims at regulating animal experimentation. For biomedical research, these different methods are valuable tools for better understanding the physiology of organisms and the mechanisms of the effects of chemicals and physical agents on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francelyne Marano
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 8251, Biologie fonctionnelle et adaptative, 4, rue Marie-Andrée Lagroua Weill-Hallé, 75205 Paris cedex 13, France
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33
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Flores-Estrada J, Cano-Martínez A, Vargas-González Á, Castrejón-Téllez V, Cornejo-Garrido J, Martínez-Rosas M, Guarner-Lans V, Rubio-Ruíz ME. Hepatoprotective Mechanisms Induced by Spinach Methanolic Extract in Rats with Hyperglycemia-An Immunohistochemical Analysis. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:2013. [PMID: 38001866 PMCID: PMC10669258 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12112013] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinach methanolic extract (SME) has a hepatoprotective effect due to its polyphenolic antioxidants; however, its action in parenchymal (PQ) and non-parenchymal (nPQ) cells remains unknown. This study investigates the hepatoprotective effect of SME on streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic rats (STZ), focusing on immunohistochemical analyses. Methods: The extract was prepared, and the total polyphenols and antioxidant activity were quantified. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): normoglycemic rats (NG), STZ-induced hyperglycemic (STZ), STZ treated with 400 mg/kg SME (STZ-SME), and NG treated with SME (SME) for 12 weeks. Serum liver transaminases and lipid peroxidation levels in tissue were determined. The distribution pattern and relative levels of markers related to oxidative stress [reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase-1, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase-1], of cytoprotective molecules [nuclear NRF2 and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)], of inflammatory mediators [nuclear NF-κB, TNF-α], proliferation (PCNA), and of fibrogenesis markers [TGF-β, Smad2/3, MMP-9, and TIMP1] were evaluated. Results: SME had antioxidant capacity, and it lowered serum transaminase levels in STZ-SME compared to STZ. It reduced NOX4 staining, and lipid peroxidation levels were related to low formation of ROS. In STZ-SME, the immunostaining for antioxidant enzymes increased in nPQ cells compared to STZ. However, enzymes were also localized in extra and intracellular vesicles in STZ. Nuclear NRF2 staining and HO-1 expression in PQ and nPQ were higher in STZ-SME than in STZ. Inflammatory factors were decreased in STZ-SME and were related to the percentage decrease in NF-κB nuclear staining in nPQ cells. Similarly, TGF-β (in the sinusoids) and MMP-9 (in nPQ) were increased in the STZ-SME group compared to the other groups; however, staining for CTGF, TIMP1, and Smad2/3 was lower. Conclusions: SME treatment in hyperglycemic rats induced by STZ may have hepatoprotective properties due to its scavenger capacity and the regulation of differential expression of antioxidant enzymes between the PQ and nPQ cells, reducing inflammatory and fibrogenic biomarkers in liver tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Agustina Cano-Martínez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (Á.V.-G.); (V.C.-T.); (M.M.-R.); (V.G.-L.); (M.E.R.-R.)
| | - Álvaro Vargas-González
- Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (Á.V.-G.); (V.C.-T.); (M.M.-R.); (V.G.-L.); (M.E.R.-R.)
| | - Vicente Castrejón-Téllez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (Á.V.-G.); (V.C.-T.); (M.M.-R.); (V.G.-L.); (M.E.R.-R.)
| | - Jorge Cornejo-Garrido
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Productos Naturales, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía (ENMH), Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City 07320, Mexico;
| | - Martín Martínez-Rosas
- Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (Á.V.-G.); (V.C.-T.); (M.M.-R.); (V.G.-L.); (M.E.R.-R.)
| | - Verónica Guarner-Lans
- Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (Á.V.-G.); (V.C.-T.); (M.M.-R.); (V.G.-L.); (M.E.R.-R.)
| | - María Esther Rubio-Ruíz
- Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City 14080, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (Á.V.-G.); (V.C.-T.); (M.M.-R.); (V.G.-L.); (M.E.R.-R.)
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Wu Y, Qin M, Yang X. Organ bioprinting: progress, challenges and outlook. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:10263-10287. [PMID: 37850299 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01630g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Bioprinting, as a groundbreaking technology, enables the fabrication of biomimetic tissues and organs with highly complex structures, multiple cell types, mechanical heterogeneity, and diverse functional gradients. With the growing demand for organ transplantation and the limited number of organ donors, bioprinting holds great promise for addressing the organ shortage by manufacturing completely functional organs. While the bioprinting of complete organs remains a distant goal, there has been considerable progress in the development of bioprinted transplantable tissues and organs for regenerative medicine. This review article recapitulates the current achievements of organ 3D bioprinting, primarily encompassing five important organs in the human body (i.e., the heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and lungs). Challenges from cellular techniques, biomanufacturing technologies, and organ maturation techniques are also deliberated for the broad application of organ bioprinting. In addition, the integration of bioprinting with other cutting-edge technologies including machine learning, organoids, and microfluidics is envisioned, which strives to offer the reader the prospect of bioprinting in constructing functional organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wu
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Minghao Qin
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Xue Yang
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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35
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Rajan SAP, Sherfey J, Ohri S, Nichols L, Smith JT, Parekh P, Kadar EP, Clark F, George BT, Gregory L, Tess D, Gosset JR, Liras J, Geishecker E, Obach RS, Cirit M. A Novel Milli-fluidic Liver Tissue Chip with Continuous Recirculation for Predictive Pharmacokinetics Applications. AAPS J 2023; 25:102. [PMID: 37891356 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-023-00870-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A crucial step in lead selection during drug development is accurate estimation and optimization of hepatic clearance using in vitro methods. However, current methods are limited by factors such as lack of physiological relevance, short culture/incubation times that are not consistent with drug exposure patterns in patients, use of drug absorbing materials, and evaporation during long-term incubation. To address these technological needs, we developed a novel milli-fluidic human liver tissue chip (LTC) that was designed with continuous media recirculation and optimized for hepatic cultures using human primary hepatocytes. Here, we characterized the LTC using a series of physiologically relevant metrics and test compounds to demonstrate that we could accurately predict the PK of both low- and high-clearance compounds. The non-biological characterization indicated that the cyclic olefin copolymer (COC)-based LTC exhibited negligible evaporation and minimal non-specific binding of drugs of varying ionic states and lipophilicity. Biologically, the LTC exhibited functional and polarized hepatic culture with sustained metabolic CYP activity for at least 15 days. This long-term culture was then used for drug clearance studies for low- and high-clearance compounds for at least 12 days, and clearance was estimated for a range of compounds with high in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC). We also demonstrated that LTC can be induced by rifampicin, and the culture age had insignificant effect on depletion kinetic and predicted clearance value. Thus, we used advances in bioengineering to develop a novel purpose-built platform with high reproducibility and minimal variability to address unmet needs for PK applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Sherfey
- Javelin Biotech Inc, 299 Washington street, Woburn, Massachusetts, 01801, USA
| | - Shivam Ohri
- Javelin Biotech Inc, 299 Washington street, Woburn, Massachusetts, 01801, USA
| | - Lauren Nichols
- Javelin Biotech Inc, 299 Washington street, Woburn, Massachusetts, 01801, USA
| | - J Tyler Smith
- Javelin Biotech Inc, 299 Washington street, Woburn, Massachusetts, 01801, USA
| | - Paarth Parekh
- Javelin Biotech Inc, 299 Washington street, Woburn, Massachusetts, 01801, USA
| | - Eugene P Kadar
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton Laboratories, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut, 06340, USA
| | - Frances Clark
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton Laboratories, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut, 06340, USA
| | - Billy T George
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton Laboratories, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut, 06340, USA
| | - Lauren Gregory
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton Laboratories, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut, 06340, USA
| | - David Tess
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton Laboratories, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut, 06340, USA
| | - James R Gosset
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 610 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA
| | - Jennifer Liras
- Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 610 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA
| | - Emily Geishecker
- Javelin Biotech Inc, 299 Washington street, Woburn, Massachusetts, 01801, USA
| | - R Scott Obach
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton Laboratories, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut, 06340, USA
| | - Murat Cirit
- Javelin Biotech Inc, 299 Washington street, Woburn, Massachusetts, 01801, USA.
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Sanchez-Quant E, Richter ML, Colomé-Tatché M, Martinez-Jimenez CP. Single-cell metabolic profiling reveals subgroups of primary human hepatocytes with heterogeneous responses to drug challenge. Genome Biol 2023; 24:234. [PMID: 37848949 PMCID: PMC10583437 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03075-9] [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: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xenobiotics are primarily metabolized by hepatocytes in the liver, and primary human hepatocytes are the gold standard model for the assessment of drug efficacy, safety, and toxicity in the early phases of drug development. Recent advances in single-cell genomics demonstrate liver zonation and ploidy as main drivers of cellular heterogeneity. However, little is known about the impact of hepatocyte specialization on liver function upon metabolic challenge, including hepatic metabolism, detoxification, and protein synthesis. RESULTS Here, we investigate the metabolic capacity of individual human hepatocytes in vitro. We assess how chronic accumulation of lipids enhances cellular heterogeneity and impairs the metabolisms of drugs. Using a phenotyping five-probe cocktail, we identify four functional subgroups of hepatocytes responding differently to drug challenge and fatty acid accumulation. These four subgroups display differential gene expression profiles upon cocktail treatment and xenobiotic metabolism-related specialization. Notably, intracellular fat accumulation leads to increased transcriptional variability and diminishes the drug-related metabolic capacity of hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that, upon a metabolic challenge such as exposure to drugs or intracellular fat accumulation, hepatocyte subgroups display different and heterogeneous transcriptional responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Sanchez-Quant
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus (HPC), Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maria Lucia Richter
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus (HPC), Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Maria Colomé-Tatché
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
- TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 85354, Freising, Germany.
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), 82152, Munich, Germany.
| | - Celia Pilar Martinez-Jimenez
- Helmholtz Pioneer Campus (HPC), Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
- TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich (TUM), 80333, Munich, Germany.
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Lim AY, Kato Y, Sakolish C, Valdiviezo A, Han G, Bajaj P, Stanko J, Ferguson SS, Villenave R, Hewitt P, Hardwick RN, Rusyn I. Reproducibility and Robustness of a Liver Microphysiological System PhysioMimix LC12 under Varying Culture Conditions and Cell Type Combinations. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1195. [PMID: 37892925 PMCID: PMC10603899 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10101195] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is one of the key organs for exogenous and endogenous metabolism and is often a target for drug- and chemical-driven toxicity. A wide range of experimental approaches has been established to model and characterize the mechanisms of drug- and chemical-induced hepatotoxicity. A number of microfluidics-enabled in vitro models of the liver have been developed, but the unclear translatability of these platforms has hindered their adoption by the pharmaceutical industry; to achieve wide use for drug and chemical safety evaluation, demonstration of reproducibility and robustness under various contexts of use is required. One of these commercially available platforms is the PhysioMimix LC12, a microfluidic device where cells are seeded into a 3D scaffold that is continuously perfused with recirculating cell culture media to mimic liver sinusoids. Previous studies demonstrated this model's functionality and potential applicability to preclinical drug development. However, to gain confidence in PhysioMimix LC12's robustness and reproducibility, supplementary characterization steps are needed, including the assessment of various human hepatocyte sources, contribution of non-parenchymal cells (NPCs), and comparison to other models. In this study, we performed replicate studies averaging 14 days with either primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) or induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocytes, with and without NPCs. Albumin and urea secretion, lactate dehydrogenase, CYP3A4 activity, and metabolism were evaluated to assess basal function and metabolic capacity. Model performance was characterized by different cell combinations under intra- and inter-experimental replication and compared to multi-well plates and other liver platforms. PhysioMimix LC12 demonstrated the highest metabolic function with PHHs, with or without THP-1 or Kupffer cells, for up to 10-14 days. iPSC-derived hepatocytes and PHHs co-cultured with additional NPCs demonstrated sub-optimal performance. Power analyses based on replicate experiments and different contexts of use will inform future study designs due to the limited throughput and high cell demand. Overall, this study describes a workflow for independent testing of a complex microphysiological system for specific contexts of use, which may increase end-user adoption in drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Y. Lim
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - Gang Han
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Piyush Bajaj
- Global Investigative Toxicology, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Jason Stanko
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Stephen S. Ferguson
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Remi Villenave
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip Hewitt
- Chemical and Preclinical Safety, Merck Healthcare KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Rhiannon N. Hardwick
- Discovery Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol Myers Squibb, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Alfaro AJ, Dittner C, Becker J, Loft A, Mhamane A, Maida A, Georgiadi A, Tsokanos F, Klepac K, Molocea C, El‐Merahbi R, Motzler K, Geppert J, Karikari RA, Szendrödi J, Feuchtinger A, Hofmann S, Karaca S, Urlaub H, Berriel Diaz M, Melchior F, Herzig S. Fasting-sensitive SUMO-switch on Prox1 controls hepatic cholesterol metabolism. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e55981. [PMID: 37560809 PMCID: PMC10561358 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202255981] [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: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of excess nutrients hampers proper liver function and is linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obesity. However, the signals responsible for an impaired adaptation of hepatocytes to obesogenic dietary cues remain still largely unknown. Post-translational modification by the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) allows for a dynamic regulation of numerous processes including transcriptional reprogramming. We demonstrate that specific SUMOylation of transcription factor Prox1 represents a nutrient-sensitive determinant of hepatic fasting metabolism. Prox1 is highly SUMOylated on lysine 556 in the liver of ad libitum and refed mice, while this modification is abolished upon fasting. In the context of diet-induced obesity, Prox1 SUMOylation becomes less sensitive to fasting cues. The hepatocyte-selective knock-in of a SUMOylation-deficient Prox1 mutant into mice fed a high-fat/high-fructose diet leads to a reduction of systemic cholesterol levels, associated with the induction of liver bile acid detoxifying pathways during fasting. The generation of tools to maintain the nutrient-sensitive SUMO-switch on Prox1 may thus contribute to the development of "fasting-based" approaches for the preservation of metabolic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Jimena Alfaro
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Claudia Dittner
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH)Heidelberg University, DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
| | - Janina Becker
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH)Heidelberg University, DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
| | - Anne Loft
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
- Center for Functional Genomics and Tissue Plasticity (ATLAS), SDUOdenseDenmark
| | - Amit Mhamane
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Adriano Maida
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Anastasia Georgiadi
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Foivos‐Filippos Tsokanos
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Katarina Klepac
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Claudia‐Eveline Molocea
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Rabih El‐Merahbi
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Karsten Motzler
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Julia Geppert
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Rhoda Anane Karikari
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Julia Szendrödi
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | | | - Susanna Hofmann
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration ResearchHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
| | - Samir Karaca
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry GroupMax Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry GroupMax Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesGöttingenGermany
- Bioanalytics, Institute of Clinical ChemistryUniversity Medical Center GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Mauricio Berriel Diaz
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
| | - Frauke Melchior
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg (ZMBH)Heidelberg University, DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
| | - Stephan Herzig
- Institute for Diabetes and CancerHelmholtz MunichNeuherbergGermany
- Joint Heidelberg‐IDC Translational Diabetes Program, Inner Medicine 1Heidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), and German Center for Cardiovascular Disease (DZHK)NeuherbergGermany
- Chair Molecular Metabolic ControlTechnical University MunichMunichGermany
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39
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Saran C, Brouwer KLR. Hepatic Bile Acid Transporters and Drug-induced Hepatotoxicity. Toxicol Pathol 2023; 51:405-413. [PMID: 37982363 PMCID: PMC11014762 DOI: 10.1177/01926233231212255] [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: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains a major concern in drug development from a patient safety perspective because it is the leading cause of acute liver failure. One mechanism of DILI is altered bile acid homeostasis and involves several hepatic bile acid transporters. Functional impairment of some hepatic bile acid transporters by drugs, disease, or genetic mutations may lead to toxic accumulation of bile acids within hepatocytes and increase DILI susceptibility. This review focuses on the role of hepatic bile acid transporters in DILI. Model systems, primarily in vitro and modeling tools, such as DILIsym, used in assessing transporter-mediated DILI are discussed. Due to species differences in bile acid homeostasis and drug-transporter interactions, key aspects and challenges associated with the use of preclinical animal models for DILI assessment are emphasized. Learnings are highlighted from three case studies of hepatotoxic drugs: troglitazone, tolvaptan, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (dasatinib, pazopanib, and sorafenib). The development of advanced in vitro models and novel biomarkers that can reliably predict DILI is critical and remains an important focus of ongoing investigations to minimize patient risk for liver-related adverse reactions associated with medication use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chitra Saran
- Transporter Sciences, Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism, and Bioanalytics (PDMB), Merck & Co., Inc., West Point, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kim L. R. Brouwer
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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40
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Rodriguez-Fernandez J, Garcia-Legler E, Villanueva-Badenas E, Donato MT, Gomez-Ribelles JL, Salmeron-Sanchez M, Gallego-Ferrer G, Tolosa L. Primary human hepatocytes-laden scaffolds for the treatment of acute liver failure. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 153:213576. [PMID: 37566937 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based liver therapies based on retrieving and steadying failed metabolic function(s) for acute and chronic diseases could be a valuable substitute for liver transplants, even though they are limited by the low engraftment capability and reduced functional quality of primary human hepatocytes (PHH). In this paper we propose the use of gelatin-hyaluronic acid (Gel-HA) scaffolds seeded with PHH for the treatment of liver failure. We first optimized the composition using Gel-HA hydrogels, looking for the mechanical properties closer to the human liver and determining HepG2 cells functionality. Gel-HA scaffolds with interconnected porosity (pore size 102 μm) were prepared and used for PHH culture and evaluation of key hepatic functions. PHH cultured in Gel-HA scaffolds exhibited increased albumin and urea secretion and metabolic capacity (CYP and UGT activity levels) compared to standard monolayer cultures. The transplant of the scaffold containing PHH led to an improvement in liver function (transaminase levels, necrosis) and ameliorated damage in a mouse model of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver failure. The study provided a mechanistic understanding of APAP-induced liver injury and the impact of transplantation by analyzing cytokine production and oxidative stress induction to find suitable biomarkers of cell therapy effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Rodriguez-Fernandez
- Center for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Emma Garcia-Legler
- Center for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Estela Villanueva-Badenas
- Experimental Hepatology Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe (IISLAFE), Valencia 46026, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia 46010, Spain
| | - M Teresa Donato
- Experimental Hepatology Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe (IISLAFE), Valencia 46026, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia 46010, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis Gomez-Ribelles
- Center for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia 46022, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez
- Center for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia 46022, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Valencia, Spain; Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment, Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, G12 8LT Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gloria Gallego-Ferrer
- Center for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering (CBIT), Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia 46022, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Valencia, Spain.
| | - Laia Tolosa
- Experimental Hepatology Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe (IISLAFE), Valencia 46026, Spain; Biomedical Research Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Valencia, Spain.
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41
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da Silva Nunes Barreto R, da Silva Júnior LN, Henrique Doná Rodrigues Almeida G, de Oliveira Horvath-Pereira B, da Silva TS, Garcia JM, Smith LC, Carreira ACO, Miglino MA. Placental scaffolds as a potential biological platform for embryonic stem cells differentiation into hepatic-like cells lineage: A pilot study. Tissue Cell 2023; 84:102181. [PMID: 37515966 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2023.102181] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic microenvironment plays an essential role in liver regeneration, providing the necessary conditions for cell proliferation, differentiation and tissue rearrangement. One of the key factors for hepatic tissue reconstruction is the extracellular matrix (ECM), which through collagenous and non-collagenous proteins provide a three-dimensional structure that confers support for cell adhesion and assists on their survival and maintenance. In this scenario, placental ECM may be eligible for hepatic tissue reconstruction, once these scaffolds hold the major components required for cell support. Therefore, this preliminary study aimed to access the possibility of mouse embryonic stem cells differentiation into hepatocyte-like cells on placental scaffolds in a three-dimensional dynamic system using a Rotary Cell Culture System. Following a four-phase differentiation protocol that simulates liver embryonic development events, the preliminary results showed that a significant quantity of cells adhered and interacted with the scaffold through outer and inner surfaces. Positive immunolabelling for alpha fetus protein and CK7 suggest presence of hepatoblast phenotype cells, and CK18 and Albumin positive immunolabelling suggest the presence of hepatocyte-like phenotype cells, demonstrating the presence of a heterogeneous population into the recellularized scaffolds. Periodic Acid Schiff-Diastase staining confirmed the presence of glycogen storage, indicating that differentiate cells acquired a hepatic-like phenotype. In conclusion, these preliminary results suggested that mouse placental scaffolds might be used as a biological platform for stem cells differentiation into hepatic-like cells and their establishment, which may be a promissing biomaterial for hepatic tissue reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Thamires Santos da Silva
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Joaquim Mansano Garcia
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, State University of São Paulo, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - Lawrence Charles Smith
- Centre de Recherche en Reproduction et Fertilité, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ana Claudia Oliveira Carreira
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Centre of Human and Natural Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Angelica Miglino
- Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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42
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Suominen S, Hyypijev T, Venäläinen M, Yrjänäinen A, Vuorenpää H, Lehti-Polojärvi M, Räsänen M, Seppänen A, Hyttinen J, Miettinen S, Aalto-Setälä K, Viiri LE. Improvements in Maturity and Stability of 3D iPSC-Derived Hepatocyte-like Cell Cultures. Cells 2023; 12:2368. [PMID: 37830581 PMCID: PMC10571736 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192368] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology enables differentiation of human hepatocytes or hepatocyte-like cells (iPSC-HLCs). Advances in 3D culturing platforms enable the development of more in vivo-like liver models that recapitulate the complex liver architecture and functionality better than traditional 2D monocultures. Moreover, within the liver, non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) are critically involved in the regulation and maintenance of hepatocyte metabolic function. Thus, models combining 3D culture and co-culturing of various cell types potentially create more functional in vitro liver models than 2D monocultures. Here, we report the establishment of 3D cultures of iPSC-HLCs alone and in co-culture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hASCs). The 3D cultures were performed as spheroids or on microfluidic chips utilizing various biomaterials. Our results show that both 3D spheroid and on-chip culture enhance the expression of mature liver marker genes and proteins compared to 2D. Among the spheroid models, we saw the best functionality in iPSC-HLC monoculture spheroids. On the contrary, in the chip system, the multilineage model outperformed the monoculture chip model. Additionally, the optical projection tomography (OPT) and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system revealed changes in spheroid size and electrical conductivity during spheroid culture, suggesting changes in cell-cell connections. Altogether, the present study demonstrates that iPSC-HLCs can successfully be cultured in 3D as spheroids and on microfluidic chips, and co-culturing iPSC-HLCs with NPCs enhances their functionality. These 3D in vitro liver systems are promising human-derived platforms usable in various liver-related studies, specifically when using patient-specific iPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siiri Suominen
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Tinja Hyypijev
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Mari Venäläinen
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Alma Yrjänäinen
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Hanna Vuorenpää
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mari Lehti-Polojärvi
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mikko Räsänen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Aku Seppänen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jari Hyttinen
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Susanna Miettinen
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Katriina Aalto-Setälä
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
- Heart Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Leena E. Viiri
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
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43
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Haijer F, Koets-Shajari S, Heegsma J, Serna-Salas S, Blokzijl T, Buist-Homan M, Moshage H, Faber KN. Hydroxyurea attenuates hepatic stellate cell proliferation in vitro and liver fibrogenesis in vivo. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23124. [PMID: 37552464 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300920r] [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: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis results from excessive proliferation of, and collagen production by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that is caused by chronic liver injury. No drugs are available to cure liver fibrosis. Hydroxyurea is an anti-proliferative drug that is used in benign and malignant disorders. Here, we studied the effect of hydroxyurea on primary HSCs and its anti-fibrotic effect in the CCl4 mouse model of liver fibrosis. Primary rat HSCs were cultured in the absence or presence of hydroxyurea (0.1-1.0 mmol/L). CCl4 or vehicle was administered to C57BL/6/J mice for 4 weeks, with or without hydroxyurea (100 mg/kg/day) co-treatment. We used real-time cell proliferation analysis, Oil Red O (lipid droplet) staining, immunohistochemistry, Acridine Orange staining (apoptosis), Sytox green staining (necrosis), RT-qPCR, ELISA, and Western Blotting for analysis. Hydroxyurea dose-dependently suppressed lipid droplet-loss and mRNA levels of Col1α1 and Acta2 in transdifferentiating HSCs. In fully-activated HSCs, hydroxyurea dose-dependently attenuated PCNA protein levels and BrdU incorporation, but did not reverse Col1α1 and Acta2 mRNA expression. Hydroxyurea did not induce apoptosis or necrosis in HSCs or hepatocytes. Hydroxyurea suppressed accumulation of desmin-positive HSCs and hepatic collagen deposition after CCl4 treatment. CCl4 -induced regenerative hepatocyte proliferation, Col1α1 and Acta2 mRNA expression and α-SMA protein levels were not affected. This study demonstrates that hydroxyurea inhibits HSC proliferation in vitro and attenuates early development of liver fibrosis in vivo, while preserving hepatocyte regeneration after toxic insults by CCl4. Thus, hydroxyurea may have therapeutic value against liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floris Haijer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Shiva Koets-Shajari
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janette Heegsma
- Department Laboratory Medicine, Center for Liver, Digestive, and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra Serna-Salas
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tjasso Blokzijl
- Department Laboratory Medicine, Center for Liver, Digestive, and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Manon Buist-Homan
- Department Laboratory Medicine, Center for Liver, Digestive, and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Han Moshage
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department Laboratory Medicine, Center for Liver, Digestive, and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Klaas Nico Faber
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department Laboratory Medicine, Center for Liver, Digestive, and Metabolic Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Du Z, Zhao X, Sun L, Chi B, Ma Z, Tian Z, Liu Y. Untargeted lipidomics-based study reveals the treatment mechanism of Qingxue Bawei tablets on atherosclerotic in ApoE -/- mice. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2023; 1229:123889. [PMID: 37738809 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Qingxue Bawei (QXBW) tablets, a Mongolian medicine prescription, have proved to possess good lipid-lowering and antihypertensive effects in previous studies. However, the therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of QXBW tablets on atherosclerosis (AS) have not been well studied yet. This study aimed to investigate the potential liver-protective mechanism of QXBW tablets on AS mice by hepatic lipidomics analysis. After 10 weeks of administration, serum and liver were collected for biochemical, histopathological, and lipid metabolomics analysis to evaluate the efficacy of the QXBW tablets on high-fat diet (HFD) induced mice. The experimental results indicated that QXBW tablets could ameliorate liver injury and inflammatory response in AS mice. Liver lipid data from different groups of mice were collected by UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS, and a total of 22 potential biomarkers with significant differences between the model and control groups were identified finally, of which 16 potential biomarkers were back-regulated after the QXBW tablets intervention. These 22 potential differential metabolic markers were mainly involved in glycerolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and cholesterol ester metabolism pathways. The results of this study showed that serum inflammatory factors, liver function indices, and lipid metabolism disorders were positively alleviated in AS mice after QXBW tablets treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Du
- Innovation Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Pharmacy Department of Boshan District Hospital, Zibo City, Shandong Province, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Luping Sun
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Bingqing Chi
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Zhen Ma
- Innovation Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China
| | - Zhenhua Tian
- Experimental Center, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, China.
| | - Yuecheng Liu
- Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China.
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Kim MK, Jeong W, Kang HW. Liver dECM-Gelatin Composite Bioink for Precise 3D Printing of Highly Functional Liver Tissues. J Funct Biomater 2023; 14:417. [PMID: 37623662 PMCID: PMC10455418 DOI: 10.3390/jfb14080417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent studies, liver decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)-based bioinks have gained significant attention for their excellent compatibility with hepatocytes. However, their low printability limits the fabrication of highly functional liver tissue. In this study, a new liver dECM-gelatin composite bioink (dECM gBioink) was developed to overcome this limitation. The dECM gBioink was prepared by incorporating a viscous gelatin mixture into the liver dECM material. The novel dECM gBioink showed 2.44 and 10.71 times higher bioprinting resolution and compressive modulus, respectively, than a traditional dECM bioink. In addition, the new bioink enabled stable stacking with 20 or more layers, whereas a structure printed with the traditional dECM bioink collapsed. Moreover, the proposed dECM gBioink exhibited excellent hepatocyte and endothelial cell compatibility. At last, the liver lobule mimetic structure was successfully fabricated with a precisely patterned endothelial cell cord-like pattern and primary hepatocytes using the dECM gBioink. The fabricated lobule structure exhibited excellent hepatic functionalities and dose-dependent responses to hepatotoxic drugs. These results demonstrated that the gelatin mixture can significantly improve the printability and mechanical properties of the liver dECM materials while maintaining good cytocompatibility. This novel liver dECM gBioink with enhanced 3D printability and resolution can be used as an advanced tool for engineering highly functional liver tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hyun-Wook Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), UNIST 50, UNIST-gil, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea; (M.K.K.); (W.J.)
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Sani F, Soufi Zomorrod M, Azarpira N, Soleimani M. The Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes and miR17-5p Inhibitor on Multicellular Liver Fibrosis Microtissues. Stem Cells Int 2023; 2023:8836452. [PMID: 37576406 PMCID: PMC10421706 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8836452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although several studies have been conducted on modeling human liver disease, it is still challenging to mimic nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in vitro. Here, we aimed to develop a fibrotic liver microtissue composed of hepatocytes, hepatic stellate, and endothelial cells. In addition, the therapeutic effects of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (UC-MSC-EXO) and anti-miR17-5p as new antifibrotic drugs were investigated. Methods To create an effective preclinical fibrosis model, multicellular liver microtissues (MLMs) consisting of HepG2, LX2, and HUVECs were cultured and supplemented with a mixture of palmitic acid and oleic acid for 96 hr. Then, MLMs were exposed to UC-MSC-EXO and anti-miR17-5p in different groups. The results of cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, liver enzyme levels, inflammation, and histopathology were analyzed to assess the treatment efficacy. Furthermore, the expression of collagen I (COL I) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) as critical matrix components, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), and miR-17-5p were measured. Results Free fatty acid supplementation causes fibrosis in MLMs. Our results demonstrated that UC-MSC-EXO and anti-miR17-5p attenuated TGF-β1, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 in all experimental groups. According to the suppression of the TGF-β1 pathway, LX2 activation was inhibited, reducing extracellular matrix proteins, including COL I and α-SMA. Also, miR-17-5p expression was elevated in fibrosis conditions. Furthermore, we showed that our treatments decreased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and increased albumin levels in the culture supernatant. We also found that both MSC-EXO and MSC-EXO + anti-miR17-5p treatments could reduce ROS production. Conclusion Our findings indicated that anti-miR17-5p and MSC-EXO might be promising therapeutic options for treating liver fibrosis. Furthermore, EXO + anti-miR had the best effects on boosting the fibrotic markers. Therefore, we propose this novel MLM model to understand fibrosis mechanisms better and develop new drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Sani
- Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Soufi Zomorrod
- Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Negar Azarpira
- Transplant Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Khalili Street P.O. Box 7193711351, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Masoud Soleimani
- Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Science, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Cliffe FE, Madden C, Costello P, Devitt S, Mukkunda SR, Keshava BB, Fearnhead HO, Vitkauskaite A, Dehkordi MH, Chingwaru W, Przyjalgowski M, Rebrova N, Lyons M. Mera: A scalable high throughput automated micro-physiological system. SLAS Technol 2023; 28:230-242. [PMID: 36708805 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2023.01.004] [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: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need for scalable Microphysiological Systems (MPS's)1 that can better predict drug efficacy and toxicity at the preclinical screening stage. Here we present Mera, an automated, modular and scalable system for culturing and assaying microtissues with interconnected fluidics, inbuilt environmental control and automated image capture. The system presented has multiple possible fluidics modes. Of these the primary mode is designed so that cells may be matured into a desired microtissue type and in the secondary mode the fluid flow can be re-orientated to create a recirculating circuit composed of inter-connected channels to allow drugging or staining. We present data demonstrating the prototype system Mera using an Acetaminophen/HepG2 liver microtissue toxicity assay with Calcein AM and Ethidium Homodimer (EtHD1) viability assays. We demonstrate the functionality of the automated image capture system. The prototype microtissue culture plate wells are laid out in a 3 × 3 or 4 × 10 grid format with viability and toxicity assays demonstrated in both formats. In this paper we set the groundwork for the Mera system as a viable option for scalable microtissue culture and assay development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Finola E Cliffe
- Hooke Bio Ltd, L4A Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare V14 XH92, Ireland
| | - Conor Madden
- Hooke Bio Ltd, L4A Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare V14 XH92, Ireland
| | - Patrick Costello
- Hooke Bio Ltd, L4A Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare V14 XH92, Ireland
| | - Shane Devitt
- Hooke Bio Ltd, L4A Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare V14 XH92, Ireland
| | - Sumir Ramesh Mukkunda
- Hooke Bio Ltd, L4A Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare V14 XH92, Ireland
| | | | - Howard O Fearnhead
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Biomedical Sciences, Dangan, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Aiste Vitkauskaite
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Biomedical Sciences, Dangan, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Mahshid H Dehkordi
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Biomedical Sciences, Dangan, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Walter Chingwaru
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Biomedical Sciences, Dangan, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Milosz Przyjalgowski
- Centre for Advanced Photonics and Process Analysis, Munster Technological University, Cork T12 P928, Ireland
| | - Natalia Rebrova
- Centre for Advanced Photonics and Process Analysis, Munster Technological University, Cork T12 P928, Ireland
| | - Mark Lyons
- Hooke Bio Ltd, L4A Smithstown Industrial Estate, Shannon, Co. Clare V14 XH92, Ireland.
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48
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Feng D, Xiang X, Guan Y, Guillot A, Lu H, Chang C, He Y, Wang H, Pan H, Ju C, Colgan SP, Tacke F, Wang XW, Kunos G, Gao B. Monocyte-derived macrophages orchestrate multiple cell-type interactions to repair necrotic liver lesions in disease models. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e166954. [PMID: 37338984 PMCID: PMC10378165 DOI: 10.1172/jci166954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver can fully regenerate after partial resection, and its underlying mechanisms have been extensively studied. The liver can also rapidly regenerate after injury, with most studies focusing on hepatocyte proliferation; however, how hepatic necrotic lesions during acute or chronic liver diseases are eliminated and repaired remains obscure. Here, we demonstrate that monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMFs) were rapidly recruited to and encapsulated necrotic areas during immune-mediated liver injury and that this feature was essential in repairing necrotic lesions. At the early stage of injury, infiltrating MoMFs activated the Jagged1/notch homolog protein 2 (JAG1/NOTCH2) axis to induce cell death-resistant SRY-box transcription factor 9+ (SOX9+) hepatocytes near the necrotic lesions, which acted as a barrier from further injury. Subsequently, necrotic environment (hypoxia and dead cells) induced a cluster of complement 1q-positive (C1q+) MoMFs that promoted necrotic removal and liver repair, while Pdgfb+ MoMFs activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to express α-smooth muscle actin and induce a strong contraction signal (YAP, pMLC) to squeeze and finally eliminate the necrotic lesions. In conclusion, MoMFs play a key role in repairing the necrotic lesions, not only by removing necrotic tissues, but also by inducing cell death-resistant hepatocytes to form a perinecrotic capsule and by activating α-smooth muscle actin-expressing HSCs to facilitate necrotic lesion resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dechun Feng
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiaogang Xiang
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yukun Guan
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Adrien Guillot
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hongkun Lu
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Chingwen Chang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis and
- Liver Cancer Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yong He
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Hua Wang
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Hongna Pan
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Cynthia Ju
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sean P. Colgan
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Frank Tacke
- Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Xin Wei Wang
- Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis and
- Liver Cancer Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - George Kunos
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Bin Gao
- Laboratory of Liver Diseases, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Zou J, Li J, Zhong X, Tang D, Fan X, Chen R. Liver in infections: a single-cell and spatial transcriptomics perspective. J Biomed Sci 2023; 30:53. [PMID: 37430371 PMCID: PMC10332047 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-023-00945-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is an immune organ that plays a vital role in the detection, capture, and clearance of pathogens and foreign antigens that invade the human body. During acute and chronic infections, the liver transforms from a tolerant to an active immune state. The defence mechanism of the liver mainly depends on a complicated network of intrahepatic and translocated immune cells and non-immune cells. Therefore, a comprehensive liver cell atlas in both healthy and diseased states is needed for new therapeutic target development and disease intervention improvement. With the development of high-throughput single-cell technology, we can now decipher heterogeneity, differentiation, and intercellular communication at the single-cell level in sophisticated organs and complicated diseases. In this concise review, we aimed to summarise the advancement of emerging high-throughput single-cell technologies and re-define our understanding of liver function towards infections, including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Plasmodium, schistosomiasis, endotoxemia, and corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We also unravel previously unknown pathogenic pathways and disease mechanisms for the development of new therapeutic targets. As high-throughput single-cell technologies mature, their integration into spatial transcriptomics, multiomics, and clinical data analysis will aid in patient stratification and in developing effective treatment plans for patients with or without liver injury due to infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao Zhong
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Xuegong Fan
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Ruochan Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
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50
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Lee GS, Purdy MA, Choi Y. Cell Culture Systems for Studying Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D Virus Infections. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1527. [PMID: 37511902 PMCID: PMC10381383 DOI: 10.3390/life13071527] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infections cause liver disease, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV infection remains a major global health problem. In 2019, 296 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B and about 5% of them were co-infected with HDV. In vitro cell culture systems are instrumental in the development of therapeutic targets. Cell culture systems contribute to identifying molecular mechanisms for HBV and HDV propagation, finding drug targets for antiviral therapies, and testing antiviral agents. Current HBV therapeutics, such as nucleoside analogs, effectively suppress viral replication but are not curative. Additionally, no effective treatment for HDV infection is currently available. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop therapies to treat both viral infections. A robust in vitro cell culture system supporting HBV and HDV infections (HBV/HDV) is a critical prerequisite to studying HBV/HDV pathogenesis, the complete life cycle of HBV/HDV infections, and consequently identifying new therapeutics. However, the lack of an efficient cell culture system hampers the development of novel antiviral strategies for HBV/HDV infections. In vitro cell culture models have evolved with significant improvements over several decades. Recently, the development of the HepG2-NTCP sec+ cell line, expressing the sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide receptor (NTCP) and self-assembling co-cultured primary human hepatocytes (SACC-PHHs) has opened new perspectives for a better understanding of HBV and HDV lifecycles and the development of specific antiviral drug targets against HBV/HDV infections. We address various cell culture systems along with different cell lines and how these cell culture systems can be used to provide better tools for HBV and HDV studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Sanghee Lee
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Michael A Purdy
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Youkyung Choi
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
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