1
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Chen H, Han Y, Hearne A, Monarchino A, Wiseman JS. Purinergic ligands induce extracellular acidification and increased ATP turnover in HepG2 cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2024; 96:105788. [PMID: 38320684 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105788] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Nucleosides and nucleotides at μM concentrations stimulated a 300% increase in acid secretion in HepG2 cells, which was quantitatively accounted for as increased export of lactate generated by glycogenolysis. Agonist selectivity encompassed nucleosides and nucleotides for all 5 natural nucleobases and, along with antagonist profiles, was inconsistent with a role for purinergic receptors in mediating this activity. Agonist catabolism did not contribute significantly to either low selectivity or lactate production. Lactate production was driven by an increase in ATP turnover of as much as 56%. For some agonists, especially adenosine, ATP turnover decreased precipitously at mM concentrations, correlating with known adenosine-stimulated apoptosis. We propose that nucleoside/nucleotide agonists induce a futile energy cycle via a novel mechanism, which results in increased ATP turnover and initiates a continuum of events that for some agonists culminates in apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotong Chen
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Bldg. 25, The Ridges, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA; QPS Holding LLC, 3 Innovation Way, Newark, DE 19711, United States of America.
| | - Yong Han
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Bldg. 25, The Ridges, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
| | - Abby Hearne
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Bldg. 25, The Ridges, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
| | - Anna Monarchino
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Bldg. 25, The Ridges, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
| | - Jeffrey S Wiseman
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Bldg. 25, The Ridges, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.
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2
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Müller FA, Stamou M, Englert FH, Frenzel O, Diedrich S, Suter-Dick L, Wambaugh JF, Sturla SJ. In vitro to in vivo extrapolation and high-content imaging for simultaneous characterization of chemically induced liver steatosis and markers of hepatotoxicity. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:1701-1721. [PMID: 37046073 PMCID: PMC10182956 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03490-8] [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: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Chemically induced steatosis is characterized by lipid accumulation associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and nucleus distortion. New approach methods integrating in vitro and in silico models are needed to identify chemicals that may induce these cellular events as potential risk factors for steatosis and associated hepatotoxicity. In this study we used high-content imaging for the simultaneous quantification of four cellular markers as sentinels for hepatotoxicity and steatosis in chemically exposed human liver cells in vitro. Furthermore, we evaluated the results with a computational model for the extrapolation of human oral equivalent doses (OED). First, we tested 16 reference chemicals with known capacities to induce cellular alterations in nuclear morphology, lipid accumulation, mitochondrial membrane potential and oxidative stress. Then, using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling and reverse dosimetry, OEDs were extrapolated from data of any stimulated individual sentinel response. The extrapolated OEDs were confirmed to be within biologically relevant exposure ranges for the reference chemicals. Next, we tested 14 chemicals found in food, selected from thousands of putative chemicals on the basis of structure-based prediction for nuclear receptor activation. Amongst these, orotic acid had an extrapolated OED overlapping with realistic exposure ranges. Thus, we were able to characterize known steatosis-inducing chemicals as well as data-scarce food-related chemicals, amongst which we confirmed orotic acid to induce hepatotoxicity. This strategy addresses needs of next generation risk assessment and can be used as a first chemical prioritization hazard screening step in a tiered approach to identify chemical risk factors for steatosis and hepatotoxicity-associated events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice A Müller
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marianna Stamou
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felix H Englert
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ole Frenzel
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Diedrich
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Suter-Dick
- School of Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4132, Muttenz, Switzerland
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - John F Wambaugh
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Shana J Sturla
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland.
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3
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Qiu L, Kong B, Kong T, Wang H. Recent advances in liver-on-chips: Design, fabrication, and applications. SMART MEDICINE 2023; 2:e20220010. [PMID: 39188562 PMCID: PMC11235950 DOI: 10.1002/smmd.20220010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
The liver is a multifunctional organ and the metabolic center of the human body. Most drugs and toxins are metabolized in the liver, resulting in varying degrees of hepatotoxicity. The damage of liver will seriously affect human health, so it is very important to study the prevention and treatment of liver diseases. At present, there are many research studies in this field. However, most of them are based on animal models, which are limited by the time-consuming processes and species difference between human and animals. In recent years, liver-on-chips have emerged and developed rapidly and are expected to replace animal models. Liver-on-chips refer to the use of a small number of liver cells on the chips to simulate the liver microenvironment and ultrastructure in vivo. They hold extensive applications in multiple fields by reproducing the unique physiological functions of the liver in vitro. In this review, we first introduced the physiology and pathology of liver and then described the cell system of liver-on-chips, the chip-based liver models, and the applications of liver-on-chips in liver transplantation, drug screening, and metabolic evaluation. Finally, we discussed the currently encountered challenges and future trends in liver-on-chips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linjie Qiu
- The Eighth Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
- School of MedicineSun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Bin Kong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound ImagingDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringSchool of MedicineShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Tiantian Kong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound ImagingDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringSchool of MedicineShenzhen UniversityShenzhenChina
| | - Huan Wang
- The Eighth Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityShenzhenChina
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4
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Kubickova B, Jacobs MN. Development of a reference and proficiency chemical list for human steatosis endpoints in vitro. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1126880. [PMID: 37168981 PMCID: PMC10166001 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1126880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The most prevalent liver disease in humans is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, characterised by excessive hepatic fat accumulation, or steatosis. The western diet and a sedentary lifestyle are considered to be major influences, but chemical exposure may also play a role. Suspected environmental chemicals of concern include pesticides, plasticizers, metals, and perfluorinated compounds. Here we present a detailed literature analysis of chemicals that may (or may not) be implicated in lipid accumulation in the liver, to provide a basis for developing and optimizing human steatosis-relevant in vitro test methods. Independently collated and reviewed reference and proficiency chemicals are needed to assist in the test method development where an assay is intended to ultimately be taken forward for OECD Test Guideline development purposes. The selection criteria and considerations required for acceptance of proficiency chemical selection for OECD Test Guideline development. (i.e., structural diversity, range of activity including negatives, relevant chemical sectors, global restrictions, etc.) is described herein. Of 160 chemicals initially screened for inclusion, 36 were prioritized for detailed review. Based on the selection criteria and a weight-of-evidence basis, 18 chemicals (9 steatosis inducers, 9 negatives), including some environmental chemicals of concern, were ranked as high priority chemicals to assist in vitro human steatosis test method optimisation and proficiency testing, and inform potential subsequent test method (pre-)validation.
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5
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Bednarczyk E, Lu Y, Paini A, Batista Leite S, van Grunsven LA, Worth A, Whelan M. Extension of the Virtual Cell Based Assay from a 2-D to a 3-D Cell Culture Model. Altern Lab Anim 2022; 50:45-56. [PMID: 35238679 DOI: 10.1177/02611929221082200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Prediction of chemical toxicity is very useful in risk assessment. With the current paradigm shift towards the use of in vitro and in silico systems, we present herein a theoretical mathematical description of a quasi-diffusion process to predict chemical concentrations in 3-D spheroid cell cultures. By extending a 2-D Virtual Cell Based Assay (VCBA) model into a 3-D spheroid cell model, we assume that cells are arranged in a series of concentric layers within the sphere. We formulate the chemical quasi-diffusion process by simplifying the spheroid with respect to the number of cells in each layer. The system was calibrated and tested with acetaminophen (APAP). Simulated predictions of APAP toxicity were compared with empirical data from in vitro measurements by using a 3-D spheroid model. The results of this first attempt to extend the VCBA model are promising - they show that the VCBA model simulates close correlation between the influence of compound concentration and the viability of the HepaRG 3-D cell culture. The 3-D VCBA model provides a complement to current in vitro procedures to refine experimental setups, to fill data gaps and help in the interpretation of in vitro data for the purposes of risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Bednarczyk
- European Commission, 49566Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Yanfei Lu
- European Commission, 49566Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Alicia Paini
- European Commission, 49566Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Leo A van Grunsven
- Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Andrew Worth
- European Commission, 49566Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Maurice Whelan
- European Commission, 49566Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
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6
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Piergiovanni M, Leite SB, Corvi R, Whelan M. Standardisation needs for organ on chip devices. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2857-2868. [PMID: 34251386 DOI: 10.1039/d1lc00241d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Organ on chip (OoC) devices represent the cutting edge of biotechnologies, combining advanced cell and tissue culture with microengineering. OoC is accelerating innovation in the life sciences and has the potential to revolutionise many fields including biomedical research, drug development and chemical risk assessment. In order to gain acceptance by end-users of OoC based methods and the data derived from them, and to establish OoC approaches as credible alternatives to animal testing, OoC devices need to go through an extensive qualification process. In this context, standardisation can play a key role in ensuring proper characterisation of individual devices, benchmarking against appropriate reference elements and aiding efficient communication among stakeholders. The development of standards for OoC will address several important issues such as basic terminology, device classification, and technical and biological performance. An analysis of technical and biological aspects related to OoC is presented here to identify standardisation areas specific for OoC, focusing on needs and opportunities. About 90 standards are already available from related fields including microtechnologies, medical devices and in vitro cell culture, laying the basis for future work in the OoC domain. Finally, two priority areas for OoC are identified that could be addressed with standards, namely, characterisation of small molecule absorption and measurement of microfluidic parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sofia B Leite
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
| | - Raffaella Corvi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
| | - Maurice Whelan
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
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7
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Development of a QSAR model to predict hepatic steatosis using freely available machine learning tools. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 142:111494. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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8
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Ehrlich A, Duche D, Ouedraogo G, Nahmias Y. Challenges and Opportunities in the Design of Liver-on-Chip Microdevices. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2020; 21:219-239. [PMID: 31167098 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-060418-052305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The liver is the central hub of xenobiotic metabolism and consequently the organ most prone to cosmetic- and drug-induced toxicity. Failure to detect liver toxicity or to assess compound clearance during product development is a major cause of postmarketing product withdrawal, with disastrous clinical and financial consequences. While small animals are still the preferred model in drug development, the recent ban on animal use in the European Union created a pressing need to develop precise and efficient tools to detect human liver toxicity during cosmetic development. This article includes a brief review of liver development, organization, and function and focuses on the state of the art of long-term cell culture, including hepatocyte cell sources, heterotypic cell-cell interactions, oxygen demands, and culture medium formulation. Finally, the article reviews emerging liver-on-chip devices and discusses the advantages and pitfalls of individual designs. The goal of this review is to provide a framework to design liver-on-chip devices and criteria with which to evaluate this emerging technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avner Ehrlich
- Grass Center for Bioengineering, Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Daniel Duche
- L'Oréal Research and Innovation, Aulnay-sous-Bois 93600, France
| | | | - Yaakov Nahmias
- Grass Center for Bioengineering, Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.,Tissue Dynamics Ltd., Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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9
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Hearne A, Chen H, Monarchino A, Wiseman JS. Oligomycin-induced proton uncoupling. Toxicol In Vitro 2020; 67:104907. [PMID: 32502624 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.104907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Oligomycin is a classical mitochondrial reagent that binds to the proton channel on the Fo component of ATP synthase. As a result, oligomycin blocks mitochondrial ATP synthesis, proton translocation, and O2 uptake. Here we show that oligomycin induces proton uncoupling subsequent to inhibition of ATP synthesis, as evidenced by recovery of O2 uptake to near baseline levels. Uncoupling is uniquely rapid and readily observed in HepG2 cells but is also observed at longer times in the unrelated H1299 cell line. Proton fluxes plateau at oligomycin concentrations in the region 0.25-5 μM. At the plateau, fluxes are lower than expected for the classical mitochondrial permeability transition pore, although in H1229 cells, fluxes increase to levels consistent with pore opening at higher oligomycin concentrations. Uncoupling is observed in cells metabolizing either pyruvate or lactate and reversed by addition of glucose to restore ATP synthesis. Uncoupling is not sensitive to cyclosporin A and is not reversed by the ANT inhibitor bongkrekic acid. However, bongkrekic acid inhibits uncoupling if added before oligomycin, which we interpret in terms of maintenance of mitochondrial ATP levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby Hearne
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.
| | - Haotong Chen
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.
| | - Anna Monarchino
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.
| | - Jeffrey S Wiseman
- Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA.
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10
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Kennedy MC, Hart ADM, Kruisselbrink JW, van Lenthe M, de Boer WJ, van der Voet H, Rorije E, Sprong C, van Klaveren J. A retain and refine approach to cumulative risk assessment. Food Chem Toxicol 2020; 138:111223. [PMID: 32088251 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Mixtures of substances to which humans are exposed may lead to cumulative exposure and health effects. To study their effects, it is first necessary to identify a cumulative assessment group (CAG) of substances for risk assessment or hazard testing. Excluding substances from consideration before there is sufficient evidence may underestimate the risk. Conversely, including everything and treating the inevitable uncertainties using conservative assumptions is inefficient and may overestimate the risk, with an unknown level of protection. An efficient, transparent strategy is described to retain a large group, quantifying the uncertainty of group membership and other uncertainties. Iterative refinement of the CAG then focuses on adding information for the substances with high probability of contributing significantly to the risk. Probabilities can be estimated using expert opinion or derived from data on substance properties. An example is presented with 100 pesticides, in which the retain step identified a single substance to target refinement. Using an updated hazard characterisation for this substance reduced the mean exposure estimate from 0.43 to 0.28 μg kg-bw-1 day-1 and reduced the 99.99th percentile exposure from 24.9 to 5.1 μg kg-bw-1 day-1. Other retained substances contributed little to the risk estimates, even after accounting for uncertainty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc C Kennedy
- Fera Science Ltd, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom.
| | - Andy D M Hart
- Fera Science Ltd, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes W Kruisselbrink
- Wageningen University & Research, Biometrics, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marco van Lenthe
- Wageningen University & Research, Biometrics, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Waldo J de Boer
- Wageningen University & Research, Biometrics, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hilko van der Voet
- Wageningen University & Research, Biometrics, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Emiel Rorije
- RIVM, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands, PO Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Corinne Sprong
- RIVM, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands, PO Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Jacob van Klaveren
- RIVM, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands, PO Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
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11
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Chen H, Han Y, Jahan I, Wu S, Clark BC, Wiseman JS. Extracts of maca (Lepidium meyenii) root induce increased glucose uptake by inhibiting mitochondrial function in an adipocyte cell line. J Herb Med 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hermed.2019.100282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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12
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Müller FA, Sturla SJ. Human in vitro models of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. CURRENT OPINION IN TOXICOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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13
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Delp J, Funke M, Rudolf F, Cediel A, Bennekou SH, van der Stel W, Carta G, Jennings P, Toma C, Gardner I, van de Water B, Forsby A, Leist M. Development of a neurotoxicity assay that is tuned to detect mitochondrial toxicants. Arch Toxicol 2019; 93:1585-1608. [PMID: 31190196 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-019-02473-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Many neurotoxicants affect energy metabolism in man, but currently available test methods may still fail to predict mito- and neurotoxicity. We addressed this issue using LUHMES cells, i.e., human neuronal precursors that easily differentiate into mature neurons. Within the NeuriTox assay, they have been used to screen for neurotoxicants. Our new approach is based on culturing the cells in either glucose or galactose (Glc-Gal-NeuriTox) as the main carbohydrate source during toxicity testing. Using this Glc-Gal-NeuriTox assay, 52 mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial toxicants were tested. The panel of chemicals comprised 11 inhibitors of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I (cI), 4 inhibitors of cII, 8 of cIII, and 2 of cIV; 8 toxicants were included as they are assumed to be mitochondrial uncouplers. In galactose, cells became more dependent on mitochondrial function, which made them 2-3 orders of magnitude more sensitive to various mitotoxicants. Moreover, galactose enhanced the specific neurotoxicity (destruction of neurites) compared to a general cytotoxicity (plasma membrane lysis) of the toxicants. The Glc-Gal-NeuriTox assay worked particularly well for inhibitors of cI and cIII, while the toxicity of uncouplers and non-mitochondrial toxicants did not differ significantly upon glucose ↔ galactose exchange. As a secondary assay, we developed a method to quantify the inhibition of all mitochondrial respiratory chain functions/complexes in LUHMES cells. The combination of the Glc-Gal-NeuriTox neurotoxicity screening assay with the mechanistic follow up of target site identification allowed both, a more sensitive detection of neurotoxicants and a sharper definition of the mode of action of mitochondrial toxicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Delp
- Chair for In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr. 10, 78457, Constance, Germany
- Cooperative Doctorate College InViTe, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
| | - Melina Funke
- Chair for In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr. 10, 78457, Constance, Germany
| | - Franziska Rudolf
- Chair for In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr. 10, 78457, Constance, Germany
| | - Andrea Cediel
- Swetox Unit for Toxicological Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Wanda van der Stel
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Giada Carta
- Division of Molecular and Computational Toxicology, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Jennings
- Division of Molecular and Computational Toxicology, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cosimo Toma
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via la Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Bob van de Water
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Forsby
- Swetox Unit for Toxicological Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcel Leist
- Chair for In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, Department of Inaugurated by the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstr. 10, 78457, Constance, Germany.
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14
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Cuykx M, Claes L, Rodrigues RM, Vanhaecke T, Covaci A. Metabolomics profiling of steatosis progression in HepaRG ® cells using sodium valproate. Toxicol Lett 2018; 286:22-30. [PMID: 29355688 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2017.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a frequently encountered Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI). Although this stage of the disease is reversible, it can lead to irreversible damage provoked by non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis and cirrhosis. Therefore, the assessment of NAFLD is a paramount objective in toxicological screenings of new drug candidates. In this study, a metabolomic fingerprint of NAFLD induced in HepaRG® cells at four dosing schemes by a reference toxicant, sodium valproate (NaVPA), was obtained using liquid-liquid extraction followed by liquid chromatography and accurate mass-mass spectrometry (LC-AM/MS). The combination of a strict design of experiment with a robust detection method, applied on sodium valproate, validated the possibilities of untargeted metabolomics in hepatic toxicological research. Distinctive patterns between exposed and control cells were consistently observed, multivariate analyses selected up to 200 features of interest, revealing hallmark NAFLD-biomarkers, such as diacylglycerol and triglyceride accumulation and carnitine deficiency. Initial toxic responses show increased levels of S-adenosylmethionine and mono-acetylspermidine in combination with only a moderate increase in triglycerides. New specific markers of toxicity have been observed, such as spermidines, creatine, and acetylcholine. The described design of experiment provides a valuable metabolomics platform for mechanistic research of toxicological hazards and identified new markers for steatotic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Cuykx
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Leen Claes
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Robim M Rodrigues
- Research group In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Jette, Belgium
| | - Tamara Vanhaecke
- Research group In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Jette, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
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15
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Predicting drug-induced liver injury in human with Naïve Bayes classifier approach. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2016; 30:889-898. [PMID: 27640149 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-016-9972-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the major safety concerns in drug development. Although various toxicological studies assessing DILI risk have been developed, these methods were not sufficient in predicting DILI in humans. Thus, developing new tools and approaches to better predict DILI risk in humans has become an important and urgent task. In this study, we aimed to develop a computational model for assessment of the DILI risk with using a larger scale human dataset and Naïve Bayes classifier. The established Naïve Bayes prediction model was evaluated by 5-fold cross validation and an external test set. For the training set, the overall prediction accuracy of the 5-fold cross validation was 94.0 %. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 97.1, 89.2, 93.5 and 95.1 %, respectively. The test set with the concordance of 72.6 %, sensitivity of 72.5 %, specificity of 72.7 %, positive predictive value of 80.4 %, negative predictive value of 63.2 %. Furthermore, some important molecular descriptors related to DILI risk and some toxic/non-toxic fragments were identified. Thus, we hope the prediction model established here would be employed for the assessment of human DILI risk, and the obtained molecular descriptors and substructures should be taken into consideration in the design of new candidate compounds to help medicinal chemists rationally select the chemicals with the best prospects to be effective and safe.
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Horvat T, Landesmann B, Lostia A, Vinken M, Munn S, Whelan M. Adverse outcome pathway development from protein alkylation to liver fibrosis. Arch Toxicol 2016; 91:1523-1543. [PMID: 27542122 PMCID: PMC5364266 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-016-1814-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In modern toxicology, substantial efforts are undertaken to develop alternative solutions for in vivo toxicity testing. The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept could facilitate knowledge-based safety assessment of chemicals that does not rely exclusively on in vivo toxicity testing. The construction of an AOP is based on understanding toxicological processes at different levels of biological organisation. Here, we present the developed AOP for liver fibrosis and demonstrate a linkage between hepatic injury caused by chemical protein alkylation and the formation of liver fibrosis, supported by coherent and consistent scientific data. This long-term process, in which inflammation, tissue destruction, and repair occur simultaneously, results from the complex interplay between various hepatic cell types, receptors, and signalling pathways. Due to the complexity of the process, an adequate liver fibrosis cell model for in vitro evaluation of a chemical's fibrogenic potential is not yet available. Liver fibrosis poses an important human health issue that is also relevant for regulatory purposes. An AOP described with enough mechanistic detail might support chemical risk assessment by indicating early markers for downstream events and thus facilitating the development of an in vitro testing strategy. With this work, we demonstrate how the AOP framework can support the assembly and coherent display of distributed mechanistic information from the literature to support the use of alternative approaches for prediction of toxicity. This AOP was developed according to the guidance document on developing and assessing AOPs and its supplement, the users' handbook, issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomislav Horvat
- Chemicals Safety and Alternative Methods Unit (F.3), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, Italy
| | - Brigitte Landesmann
- Chemicals Safety and Alternative Methods Unit (F.3), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, Italy.
| | - Alfonso Lostia
- Chemicals Safety and Alternative Methods Unit (F.3), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, Italy
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Center for Pharmaceutical Research, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sharon Munn
- Chemicals Safety and Alternative Methods Unit (F.3), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, Italy
| | - Maurice Whelan
- Chemicals Safety and Alternative Methods Unit (F.3), Directorate F - Health, Consumers and Reference Materials, Directorate General Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra, Italy
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Daneshian M, Kamp H, Hengstler J, Leist M, van de Water B. Highlight report: Launch of a large integrated European in vitro toxicology project: EU-ToxRisk. Arch Toxicol 2016; 90:1021-4. [PMID: 27017488 PMCID: PMC4830874 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-016-1698-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The integrated European project, EU-ToxRisk, proudly sees itself as “flagship” exploring new alternative-to-animal approaches to chemical safety evaluation. It promotes mechanism-based toxicity testing and risk assessment according to the principles laid down for toxicology for the twenty-first century. The project was officially launched in January 2016 with a kickoff meeting in Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. Over 100 scientists representing academia and industry as well as regulatory authorities attended the inaugural meeting. The project will integrate advances in in vitro and in silico toxicology, read-across methods, and adverse outcome pathways. EU-ToxRisk will continue to make use of the case study strategy deployed in SEURAT-1, a FP7 initiative ended in December 2015. Even though the development of new non-animal methods is one target of EU-ToxRisk, the project puts special emphasis on their acceptance and implementation in regulatory contexts. This €30 million Horizon 2020 project involves 38 European partners and one from the USA. EU-ToxRisk aims at the “development of a new way of risk assessment.”
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Affiliation(s)
- Mardas Daneshian
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing - Europe, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Jan Hengstler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, TU Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Marcel Leist
- Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing - Europe, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. .,Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Biomedicine, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Bob van de Water
- Division of Toxicology, Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Whelan M, Eskes C. Evolving the Principles and Practice of Validation for New Alternative Approaches to Toxicity Testing. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 856:387-399. [PMID: 27671731 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-33826-2_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Validation is essential for the translation of newly developed alternative approaches to animal testing into tools and solutions suitable for regulatory applications. Formal approaches to validation have emerged over the past 20 years or so and although they have helped greatly to progress the field, it is essential that the principles and practice underpinning validation continue to evolve to keep pace with scientific progress. The modular approach to validation should be exploited to encourage more innovation and flexibility in study design and to increase efficiency in filling data gaps. With the focus now on integrated approaches to testing and assessment that are based on toxicological knowledge captured as adverse outcome pathways, and which incorporate the latest in vitro and computational methods, validation needs to adapt to ensure it adds value rather than hinders progress. Validation needs to be pursued both at the method level, to characterise the performance of in vitro methods in relation their ability to detect any association of a chemical with a particular pathway or key toxicological event, and at the methodological level, to assess how integrated approaches can predict toxicological endpoints relevant for regulatory decision making. To facilitate this, more emphasis needs to be given to the development of performance standards that can be applied to classes of methods and integrated approaches that provide similar information. Moreover, the challenge of selecting the right reference chemicals to support validation needs to be addressed more systematically, consistently and in a manner that better reflects the state of the science. Above all however, validation requires true partnership between the development and user communities of alternative methods and the appropriate investment of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurice Whelan
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.
| | - Chantra Eskes
- SeCAM Services & Consultation on Alternative Methods, Magliaso, Switzerland
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High-throughput imaging-based nephrotoxicity prediction for xenobiotics with diverse chemical structures. Arch Toxicol 2015; 90:2793-2808. [PMID: 26612367 PMCID: PMC5065616 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-015-1638-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The kidney is a major target for xenobiotics, which include drugs, industrial chemicals, environmental toxicants and other compounds. Accurate methods for screening large numbers of potentially nephrotoxic xenobiotics with diverse chemical structures are currently not available. Here, we describe an approach for nephrotoxicity prediction that combines high-throughput imaging of cultured human renal proximal tubular cells (PTCs), quantitative phenotypic profiling, and machine learning methods. We automatically quantified 129 image-based phenotypic features, and identified chromatin and cytoskeletal features that can predict the human in vivo PTC toxicity of 44 reference compounds with ~82 % (primary PTCs) or 89 % (immortalized PTCs) test balanced accuracies. Surprisingly, our results also revealed that a DNA damage response is commonly induced by different PTC toxicants that have diverse chemical structures and injury mechanisms. Together, our results show that human nephrotoxicity can be predicted with high efficiency and accuracy by combining cell-based and computational methods that are suitable for automation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela H Degen
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, TU Dortmund, IfADo - Ardeystr. 67, 44139, Dortmund, Germany.
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Toxicology: a discipline in need of academic anchoring--the point of view of the German Society of Toxicology. Arch Toxicol 2015; 89:1881-93. [PMID: 26314262 PMCID: PMC4572062 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-015-1577-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The paper describes the importance of toxicology as a discipline, its past achievements, current scientific challenges, and future development. Toxicological expertise is instrumental in the reduction of human health risks arising from chemicals and drugs. Toxicological assessment is needed to evaluate evidence and arguments, whether or not there is a scientific base for concern. The immense success already achieved by toxicological work is exemplified by reduced pollution of air, soil, water, and safer working places. Predominantly predictive toxicological testing is derived from the findings to assess risks to humans and the environment. Assessment of the adversity of molecular effects (including epigenetic effects), the effects of mixtures, and integration of exposure and biokinetics into in vitro testing are emerging challenges for toxicology. Toxicology is a translational science with its base in fundamental science. Academic institutions play an essential part by providing scientific innovation and education of young scientists.
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