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Raja Xavier JP, Okumura T, Apweiler M, Chacko NA, Singh Y, Brucker SY, Takeda S, Lang F, Salker MS. Placental growth factor mediates pathological uterine angiogenesis by activating the NFAT5-SGK1 signaling axis in the endometrium: implications for preeclampsia development. Biol Res 2024; 57:55. [PMID: 39152497 PMCID: PMC11330076 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-024-00526-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: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
After menstruation the uterine spiral arteries are repaired through angiogenesis. This process is tightly regulated by the paracrine communication between endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs) and endothelial cells. Any molecular aberration in these processes can lead to complications in pregnancy including miscarriage or preeclampsia (PE). Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a known contributing factor for pathological angiogenesis but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether PlGF contributes to pathological uterine angiogenesis by disrupting EnSCs and endothelial paracrine communication. We observed that PlGF mediates a tonicity-independent activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) in EnSCs. NFAT5 activated downstream targets including SGK1, HIF-1α and VEGF-A. In depth characterization of PlGF - conditioned medium (CM) from EnSCs using mass spectrometry and ELISA methods revealed low VEGF-A and an abundance of extracellular matrix organization associated proteins. Secreted factors in PlGF-CM impeded normal angiogenic cues in endothelial cells (HUVECs) by downregulating Notch-VEGF signaling. Interestingly, PlGF-CM failed to support human placental (BeWo) cell invasion through HUVEC monolayer. Inhibition of SGK1 in EnSCs improved angiogenic effects in HUVECs and promoted BeWo invasion, revealing SGK1 as a key intermediate player modulating PlGF mediated anti-angiogenic signaling. Taken together, perturbed PlGF-NFAT5-SGK1 signaling in the endometrium can contribute to pathological uterine angiogenesis by negatively regulating EnSCs-endothelial crosstalk resulting in poor quality vessels in the uterine microenvironment. Taken together the signaling may impact on normal trophoblast invasion and thus placentation and, may be associated with an increased risk of complications such as PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet P Raja Xavier
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Toshiyuki Okumura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Melina Apweiler
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nirzari A Chacko
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yogesh Singh
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sara Y Brucker
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Satoru Takeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Florian Lang
- Department of Physiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Madhuri S Salker
- Department of Women's Health, University of Tübingen, 72076, Calwerstraße 7/6, Tübingen, Germany.
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2
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Shoji JY, Davis RP, Mummery CL, Krauss S. Global Literature Analysis of Organoid and Organ-on-Chip Research. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2301067. [PMID: 37479227 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202301067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Organoids and cells in organ-on-chip platforms replicate higher-level anatomical, physiological, or pathological states of tissues and organs. These technologies are widely regarded by academia, the pharmacological industry and regulators as key biomedical developments. To map advances in this emerging field, a literature analysis of 16,000 article metadata based on a quality-controlled text-mining algorithm is performed. The analysis covers titles, keywords, and abstracts of categorized academic publications in the literature and preprint databases published after 2010. The algorithm identifies and tracks 149 and 107 organs or organ substructures modeled as organoids and organ-on-chip, respectively, stem cell sources, as well as 130 diseases, and 16 groups of organisms other than human and mouse in which organoid/organ-on-chip technology is applied. The analysis illustrates changing diversity and focus in organoid/organ-on-chip research and captures its geographical distribution. The downloadable dataset provided is a robust framework for researchers to interrogate with their own questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ya Shoji
- Hybrid Technology Hub, Center of Excellence, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0372, Norway
| | - Richard P Davis
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
| | - Christine L Mummery
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
- Department of Applied Stem Cell Technologies, University of Twente, Enschede, 7522NB, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan Krauss
- Hybrid Technology Hub, Center of Excellence, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0372, Norway
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3
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Lopez I, Truskey GA. Multi-cellular engineered living systems to assess reproductive toxicology. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 127:108609. [PMID: 38759876 PMCID: PMC11179964 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108609] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Toxicants and some drugs can negatively impact reproductive health. Many toxicants haven't been tested due to lack of available models. The impact of many drugs taken during pregnancy to address maternal health may adversely affect fetal development with life-long effects and clinical trials do not examine toxicity effects on the maternal-fetal interface, requiring indirect assessment of safety and efficacy. Due to current gaps in reproductive toxicological knowledge and limitations of animal models, multi-cellular engineered living systems may provide solutions for modeling reproductive physiology and pathology for chemical and xenobiotic toxicity studies. Multi-cellular engineered living systems, such as microphysiological systems (MPS) and organoids, model of functional units of tissues. In this review, we highlight the key functions and structures of human reproductive organs and well-known representative toxicants afflicting these systems. We then discuss current approaches and specific studies where scientists have used MPS or organoids to recreate in vivo markers and cellular responses of the female and male reproductive system, as well as pregnancy-associated placenta formation and embryo development. We provide specific examples of organoids and organ-on-chip that have been used for toxicological purposes with varied success. Finally, we address current issues related to usage of MPS, emerging techniques for improving upon these complications, and improvements needed to make MPS more capable in assessing reproductive toxicology. Overall, multi-cellular engineered living systems have considerable promise to serve as a suitable, alternative reproductive biological model compared to animal studies and 2D culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Lopez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - George A Truskey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States.
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4
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Deng ZM, Dai FF, Wang RQ, Deng HB, Yin TL, Cheng YX, Chen GT. Organ-on-a-chip: future of female reproductive pathophysiological models. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:455. [PMID: 39085921 PMCID: PMC11290169 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02651-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: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The female reproductive system comprises the internal and external genitalia, which communicate through intricate endocrine pathways. Besides secreting hormones that maintain the female secondary sexual characteristics, it also produces follicles and offspring. However, the in vitro systems have been very limited in recapitulating the specific anatomy and pathophysiology of women. Organ-on-a-chip technology, based on microfluidics, can better simulate the cellular microenvironment in vivo, opening a new field for the basic and clinical research of female reproductive system diseases. This technology can not only reconstruct the organ structure but also emulate the organ function as much as possible. The precisely controlled fluidic microenvironment provided by microfluidics vividly mimics the complex endocrine hormone crosstalk among various organs of the female reproductive system, making it a powerful preclinical tool and the future of pathophysiological models of the female reproductive system. Here, we review the research on the application of organ-on-a-chip platforms in the female reproductive systems, focusing on the latest progress in developing models that reproduce the physiological functions or disease features of female reproductive organs and tissues, and highlighting the challenges and future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Min Deng
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China
| | - Fang-Fang Dai
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China
| | - Rui-Qi Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China
| | - Hong-Bing Deng
- Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Sustainable Resource and Energy, Hubei Key Laboratory of Biomass Resource Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China
| | - Tai-Lang Yin
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China.
| | - Yan-Xiang Cheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China.
| | - Gan-Tao Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430060, China.
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5
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Ma J, Xie Q, Zhang Y, Xiao Q, Liu X, Qiao C, Tian Y. Advances in microfluidic technology for sperm screening and in vitro fertilization. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024; 416:3717-3735. [PMID: 38189916 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-05120-9] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
About 18% of reproductive-age adults worldwide are affected by infertility. In vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are widely used assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) aimed at improving clinical outcomes. Efficient and noninvasive selection and isolation of highly motile sperm with intact DNA are essential for the success of IVF and ICSI and can potentially impact the therapeutic efficacy and the health of the offspring. Compared to traditional methods, microfluidic technology offers significant advantages such as low sample consumption, high efficiency, minimal damage, high integration, similar microenvironment, and high automation, providing a new platform for ARTs. Here, we review the current situation of microfluidic technology in the field of sperm motility screening and evaluation and IVF research. First, we focus on the working principle, structural design, and screening results of sperm selection microfluidic platforms. We then highlight how the multiple steps of the IVF process can be facilitated and integrated into a microfluidic chip, including oocyte capture, sperm collection and isolation, sperm sorting, fertilization, and embryo culture. Ultimately, we summarize how microfluidics can complement and optimize current sperm sorting and IVF protocols, and challenges and possible solutions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtong Ma
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Qianlin Xie
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Yusongjia Zhang
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Qirui Xiao
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, 110003, China.
| | - Chong Qiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110022, China.
- Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, 110022, China.
| | - Ye Tian
- College of Medicine and Biological Information Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110169, China.
- Foshan Graduate School of Innovation, Northeastern University, Foshan, 528300, China.
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6
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Abady MM, Jeong JS, Kwon HJ, Assiri AM, Cho J, Saadeldin IM. The reprotoxic adverse side effects of neurogenic and neuroprotective drugs: current use of human organoid modeling as a potential alternative to preclinical models. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1412188. [PMID: 38948466 PMCID: PMC11211546 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1412188] [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: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The management of neurological disorders heavily relies on neurotherapeutic drugs, but notable concerns exist regarding their possible negative effects on reproductive health. Traditional preclinical models often fail to accurately predict reprotoxicity, highlighting the need for more physiologically relevant systems. Organoid models represent a promising approach for concurrently studying neurotoxicity and reprotoxicity, providing insights into the complex interplay between neurotherapeutic drugs and reproductive systems. Herein, we have examined the molecular mechanisms underlying neurotherapeutic drug-induced reprotoxicity and discussed experimental findings from case studies. Additionally, we explore the utility of organoid models in elucidating the reproductive complications of neurodrug exposure. Have discussed the principles of organoid models, highlighting their ability to recapitulate neurodevelopmental processes and simulate drug-induced toxicity in a controlled environment. Challenges and future perspectives in the field have been addressed with a focus on advancing organoid technologies to improve reprotoxicity assessment and enhance drug safety screening. This review underscores the importance of organoid models in unraveling the complex relationship between neurotherapeutic drugs and reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam M. Abady
- Organic Metrology Group, Division of Chemical and Material Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bio-Analytical Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ji-Seon Jeong
- Organic Metrology Group, Division of Chemical and Material Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bio-Analytical Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ha-Jeong Kwon
- Organic Metrology Group, Division of Chemical and Material Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Abdullah M. Assiri
- Deperament of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jongki Cho
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Islam M. Saadeldin
- Deperament of Comparative Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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7
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Hall E, Mendiola K, Lightsey NK, Hanjaya-Putra D. Mimicking blood and lymphatic vasculatures using microfluidic systems. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2024; 18:031502. [PMID: 38726373 PMCID: PMC11081709 DOI: 10.1063/5.0175154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The role of the circulatory system, containing the blood and lymphatic vasculatures, within the body, has become increasingly focused on by researchers as dysfunction of either of the systems has been linked to serious complications and disease. Currently, in vivo models are unable to provide the sufficient monitoring and level of manipulation needed to characterize the fluidic dynamics of the microcirculation in blood and lymphatic vessels; thus in vitro models have been pursued as an alternative model. Microfluidic devices have the required properties to provide a physiologically relevant circulatory system model for research as well as the experimental tools to conduct more advanced research analyses of microcirculation flow. In this review paper, the physiological behavior of fluid flow and electrical communication within the endothelial cells of the systems are detailed and discussed to highlight their complexities. Cell co-culturing methods and other relevant organ-on-a-chip devices will be evaluated to demonstrate the feasibility and relevance of the in vitro microfluidic model. Microfluidic systems will be determined as a noteworthy model that can display physiologically relevant flow of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems, which will enable researchers to investigate the systems' prevalence in diseases and identify potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Hall
- Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | | | - N. Keilany Lightsey
- Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
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8
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Zhang S, Xu G, Wu J, Liu X, Fan Y, Chen J, Wallace G, Gu Q. Microphysiological Constructs and Systems: Biofabrication Tactics, Biomimetic Evaluation Approaches, and Biomedical Applications. SMALL METHODS 2024; 8:e2300685. [PMID: 37798902 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, microphysiological constructs and systems (MPCs and MPSs) have undergone significant development, ranging from self-organized organoids to high-throughput organ-on-a-chip platforms. Advances in biomaterials, bioinks, 3D bioprinting, micro/nanofabrication, and sensor technologies have contributed to diverse and innovative biofabrication tactics. MPCs and MPSs, particularly tissue chips relevant to absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity, have demonstrated potential as precise, efficient, and economical alternatives to animal models for drug discovery and personalized medicine. However, current approaches mainly focus on the in vitro recapitulation of the human anatomical structure and physiological-biochemical indices at a single or a few simple levels. This review highlights the recent remarkable progress in MPC and MPS models and their applications. The challenges that must be addressed to assess the reliability, quantify the techniques, and utilize the fidelity of the models are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine/Department of Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis/BioResource Research Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Guoshi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Juan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Yong Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine/Department of Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis/BioResource Research Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, Innovation Campus, University of Wollongong, North Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia
| | - Gordon Wallace
- Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, Innovation Campus, University of Wollongong, North Wollongong, NSW, 2500, Australia
| | - Qi Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou District, Beijing, 100049, China
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Yan J, Wu T, Zhang J, Gao Y, Wu JM, Wang S. Revolutionizing the female reproductive system research using microfluidic chip platform. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:490. [PMID: 38111049 PMCID: PMC10729361 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02258-7] [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: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Comprehensively understanding the female reproductive system is crucial for safeguarding fertility and preventing diseases concerning women's health. With the capacity to simulate the intricate physio- and patho-conditions, and provide diagnostic platforms, microfluidic chips have fundamentally transformed the knowledge and management of female reproductive health, which will ultimately promote the development of more effective assisted reproductive technologies, treatments, and drug screening approaches. This review elucidates diverse microfluidic systems in mimicking the ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, placenta and cervix, and we delve into the culture of follicles and oocytes, gametes' manipulation, cryopreservation, and permeability especially. We investigate the role of microfluidics in endometriosis and hysteromyoma, and explore their applications in ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and cervical cancer. At last, the current status of assisted reproductive technology and integrated microfluidic devices are introduced briefly. Through delineating the multifarious advantages and challenges of the microfluidic technology, we chart a definitive course for future research in the woman health field. As the microfluidic technology continues to evolve and advance, it holds great promise for revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of female reproductive health issues, thus propelling us into a future where we can ultimately optimize the overall wellbeing and health of women everywhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Yan
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
- State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Engineering Research Center of Ceramic Materials for Additive Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Tong Wu
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jinjin Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yueyue Gao
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jia-Min Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mould Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China.
- Engineering Research Center of Ceramic Materials for Additive Manufacturing, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430074, China.
| | - Shixuan Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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10
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Maxey AP, Travis JM, McCain ML. Regulation of oxytocin-induced calcium transients and gene expression in engineered myometrial tissues by tissue architecture and matrix rigidity. Curr Res Physiol 2023; 6:100108. [PMID: 38107790 PMCID: PMC10724203 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphys.2023.100108] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The uterus is susceptible to benign tumors known as fibroids, which have been associated with many pregnancy complications, including preterm labor. However, the impact of fibrotic tissue remodeling on the physiology of the myometrium, the smooth muscle layer of the uterus, is poorly understood, in large part due to a lack of model systems. In this study, we engineered healthy-like and fibrotic-like myometrium by culturing human myometrial smooth muscle cells on polyacrylamide hydrogels micropatterned with fibronectin to independently tune matrix rigidity and tissue alignment, respectively. We then evaluated calcium transients in response to oxytocin stimulation. Isotropic myometrial tissues on stiff substrates (representing fibrotic myometrium) had shorter calcium transients due to shorter decay time compared to aligned myometrial tissues on soft substrates (representing healthy myometrium). Calcium transients in aligned tissues had longer response times and longer decay times than isotropic tissues, irrespective of substrate stiffness. The amplitude of calcium transients was also higher on soft substrates compared to stiff substrates, irrespective of tissue alignment. We also performed RNA sequencing to detect differentially expressed genes between healthy- and fibrotic-like tissues, which revealed that a bitter taste receptor shown to induce smooth muscle relaxation, TAS2R31, was down-regulated in fibrotic-like tissues. Finally, we measured oxytocin-induced calcium transients in response to pre-treatment with progesterone, caffeine, thrombin, and nifedipine to demonstrate applications for our model system in drug screening. Both progesterone and caffeine caused a decrease in calcium transient duration, as expected, while thrombin and nifedipine had less impact. Collectively, our engineered model of the myometrium enables new insights into myometrial mechanobiology and can be extended to identify or screen novel drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina P. Maxey
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jaya M. Travis
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Megan L. McCain
- Laboratory for Living Systems Engineering, Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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11
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Kaya YA, de Zoete MR, Steba GS. Advanced Technologies for Studying Microbiome-Female Reproductive Tract Interactions: Organoids, Organoids-on-a-Chip, and Beyond. Semin Reprod Med 2023; 41:160-171. [PMID: 38262440 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1778067] [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: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
The female reproductive tract (FRT) is home to diverse microbial communities that play a pivotal role in reproductive health and disorders such as infertility, endometriosis, and cervical cancer. To understand the complex host-microbiota interactions within the FRT, models that authentically replicate the FRT's environment, including the interplay between the microbiota, mucus layer, immune system, and hormonal cycle, are key. Recent strides in organoid and microfluidic technologies are propelling research in this domain, offering insights into FRT-microbiota interactions and potential therapeutic avenues. This review delves into the current state of FRT organoid models and microbe integration techniques, evaluating their merits and challenges for specific research objectives. Emphasis is placed on innovative approaches and applications, including integrating organoids with microfluidics, and using patient-derived biobanks, as this offers potential for deeper mechanistic insights and personalized therapeutic strategies. Modeling various FRT properties in organoids is explored, from encompassing age-related epithelial features, oxygen levels, and hormonal effects to mucus layers, immune responses, and microbial interactions, highlighting their potential to transform reproductive health research and predict possible outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcel R de Zoete
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gaby S Steba
- Division of Female and Baby, Department of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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12
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Tinning H, Edge JC, DeBem THC, Deligianni F, Giovanardi G, Pensabene V, Meirelles FV, Forde N. Review: Endometrial function in pregnancy establishment in cattle. Animal 2023; 17 Suppl 1:100751. [PMID: 37567655 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The endometrium is fundamentally required for successful pregnancy in ruminants and species where the posthatching conceptus undergoes a protracted elongation and peri-implantation phase of pregnancy. Moreover, there are substantial waves of pregnancy loss during this pre- and peri-implantation period of pregnancy the precise source of which has not been clearly defined i.e., the maternal uterine contribution to this loss. Understanding the molecular interactions required for successful pregnancy in cattle will allow us to intervene to support pregnancy success during this vulnerable window. The endometrium contributes to most key developmental milestones of pregnancy establishment, including (1) contributing to the regulation of the oestrus cycle, (2) nourishing the preimplantation conceptus, (3) responding to the conceptus to create a more receptive microenvironment, (4) providing essential biophysical support, and (5) signalling and producing factors which affect the mother systemically. This review will summarise what we currently know about conceptus-maternal interactions as well as identify the gaps in our knowledge that could be filled with newer in vitro model approaches. These include the use of microfluidics, organ-on-a-chip devices, and bioinformatic approaches. This will help maximise food production efficiency (both meat and dairy) and decrease the environmental burden, while enhancing our understanding of the fundamental processes required for successful implantation in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Tinning
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - J C Edge
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - T H C DeBem
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, Pirassununga 13635-900, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - F Deligianni
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - G Giovanardi
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom; School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - V Pensabene
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - F V Meirelles
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - N Forde
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
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13
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Optimization of Parylene C and Parylene N thin films for use in cellular co-culture and tissue barrier models. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4262. [PMID: 36918711 PMCID: PMC10015097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31305-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Parylene has been used widely used as a coating on medical devices. It has also been used to fabricate thin films and porous membranes upon which to grow cells. Porous membranes are integral components of in vitro tissue barrier and co-culture models, and their interaction with cells and tissues affects the performance and physiological relevance of these model systems. Parylene C and Parylene N are two biocompatible Parylene variants with potential for use in these models, but their effect on cellular behavior is not as well understood as more commonly used cell culture substrates, such as tissue culture treated polystyrene and glass. Here, we use a simple approach for benchtop oxygen plasma treatment and investigate the changes in cell spreading and extracellular matrix deposition as well as the physical and chemical changes in material surface properties. Our results support and build on previous findings of positive effects of plasma treatment on Parylene biocompatibility while showing a more pronounced improvement for Parylene C compared to Parylene N. We measured relatively minor changes in surface roughness following plasma treatments, but significant changes in oxygen concentration at the surface persisted for 7 days and was likely the dominant factor in improving cellular behavior. Overall, this study offers facile and relatively low-cost plasma treatment protocols that provide persistent improvements in cell-substrate interactions on Parylene that match and exceed tissue culture polystyrene.
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14
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Abstract
Each month during a woman's reproductive years, the endometrium undergoes vast changes to prepare for a potential pregnancy. Diseases of the endometrium arise for numerous reasons, many of which remain unknown. These endometrial diseases, including endometriosis, adenomyosis, endometrial cancer and Asherman syndrome, affect many women, with an overall lack of efficient or permanent treatment solutions. The challenge lies in understanding the complexity of the endometrium and the extensive changes, orchestrated by ovarian hormones, that occur in multiple cell types over the period of the menstrual cycle. Appropriate model systems that closely mimic the architecture and function of the endometrium and its diseases are needed. The emergence of organoid technology using human cells is enabling a revolution in modelling the endometrium in vitro. The goal of this Review is to provide a focused reference for new models to study the diseases of the endometrium. We provide perspectives on the power of new and emerging models, from organoids to microfluidics, which have opened up a new frontier for studying endometrial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina R Murphy
- Division of Reproductive Science in Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hannes Campo
- Division of Reproductive Science in Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - J Julie Kim
- Division of Reproductive Science in Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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15
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Zommiti M, Connil N, Tahrioui A, Groboillot A, Barbey C, Konto-Ghiorghi Y, Lesouhaitier O, Chevalier S, Feuilloley MGJ. Organs-on-Chips Platforms Are Everywhere: A Zoom on Biomedical Investigation. Bioengineering (Basel) 2022; 9:646. [PMID: 36354557 PMCID: PMC9687856 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering9110646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the decades, conventional in vitro culture systems and animal models have been used to study physiology, nutrient or drug metabolisms including mechanical and physiopathological aspects. However, there is an urgent need for Integrated Testing Strategies (ITS) and more sophisticated platforms and devices to approach the real complexity of human physiology and provide reliable extrapolations for clinical investigations and personalized medicine. Organ-on-a-chip (OOC), also known as a microphysiological system, is a state-of-the-art microfluidic cell culture technology that sums up cells or tissue-to-tissue interfaces, fluid flows, mechanical cues, and organ-level physiology, and it has been developed to fill the gap between in vitro experimental models and human pathophysiology. The wide range of OOC platforms involves the miniaturization of cell culture systems and enables a variety of novel experimental techniques. These range from modeling the independent effects of biophysical forces on cells to screening novel drugs in multi-organ microphysiological systems, all within microscale devices. As in living biosystems, the development of vascular structure is the salient feature common to almost all organ-on-a-chip platforms. Herein, we provide a snapshot of this fast-evolving sophisticated technology. We will review cutting-edge developments and advances in the OOC realm, discussing current applications in the biomedical field with a detailed description of how this technology has enabled the reconstruction of complex multi-scale and multifunctional matrices and platforms (at the cellular and tissular levels) leading to an acute understanding of the physiopathological features of human ailments and infections in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Zommiti
- Research Unit Bacterial Communication and Anti-infectious Strategies (CBSA, UR4312), University of Rouen Normandie, 27000 Evreux, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Marc G. J. Feuilloley
- Research Unit Bacterial Communication and Anti-infectious Strategies (CBSA, UR4312), University of Rouen Normandie, 27000 Evreux, France
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16
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Sung B. In silico modeling of endocrine organ-on-a-chip systems. Math Biosci 2022; 352:108900. [PMID: 36075288 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2022.108900] [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: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The organ-on-a-chip (OoC) is an artificially reconstructed microphysiological system that is implemented using tissue mimics integrated into miniaturized perfusion devices. OoCs emulate dynamic and physiologically relevant features of the body, which are not available in standard in vitro methods. Furthermore, OoCs provide highly sophisticated multi-organ connectivity and biomechanical cues based on microfluidic platforms. Consequently, they are often considered ideal in vitro systems for mimicking self-regulating biophysical and biochemical networks in vivo where multiple tissues and organs crosstalk through the blood flow, similar to the human endocrine system. Therefore, OoCs have been extensively applied to simulate complex hormone dynamics and endocrine signaling pathways in a mechanistic and fully controlled manner. Mathematical and computational modeling approaches are critical for quantitatively analyzing an OoC and predicting its complex responses. In this review article, recently developed in silico modeling concepts of endocrine OoC systems are summarized, including the mathematical models of tissue-level transport phenomena, microscale fluid dynamics, distant hormone signaling, and heterogeneous cell-cell communication. From this background, whole chip-level analytic approaches in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics will be described with a focus on the spatial and temporal behaviors of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion in endocrine biochips. Finally, quantitative design frameworks for endocrine OoCs are reviewed with respect to support parameter calibration/scaling and enable predictive in vitro-in vivo extrapolations. In particular, we highlight the analytical and numerical modeling strategies of the nonlinear phenomena in endocrine systems on-chip, which are of particular importance in drug screening and environmental health applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baeckkyoung Sung
- Biosensor Group, KIST Europe Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; Division of Energy & Environment Technology, University of Science & Technology, 34113 Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
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17
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Cao Z, Xu B, Wu Y, Luan K, Du X. A comprehensive analysis of miRNA/isomiRs profile of hydrosalpinx patients with interventional ultrasound sclerotherapy. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268328. [PMID: 35969523 PMCID: PMC9377599 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrosalpinx is a chronic inflammatory condition with high recurrence rate, and it is reported among female population having fallopian tubal factor infertility. Previously, we have reported that interventional ultrasound sclerotherapy improves endometrial receptivity and pregnancy rate with negligible adverse effects in patients suffering from hydrosalpinx. During present investigation, we have used next generation sequencing (NGS) to characterize the isomiR profiles from the endometrium of patients suffering from hydrosalpinx before and after interventional ultrasound sclerotherapy. Our results indicated that miRNA arm shift and switch remained unaffected when compared in patients before and after interventional ultrasound sclerotherapy. We observed that isomiRs with trimming at 3’ and isomiRs with canonical sequences were lower in post-treatment than in pre-treatment group. Gene ontology (GO) annotation and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the expression of mature mir-30 was significantly lower in the pre-treatment as compared to post treatment group while the expression of mir-30 isomiR was 4.26-fold higher in pre-treatment when compared with the post-treatment group. These different expression patterns of mir-30 mature miRNA and mir-30 isomiRs in two groups are affecting the physiological function of the endometrium. Our results suggested that differential isomiR distribution in hydrosalpinx patients before and after treatment plays an important role in hydrosalpinx incidence and can help in designing novel strategy for the treatment of hydrosalpinx in female population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyi Cao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Bo Xu
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Kang Luan
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
| | - Xin Du
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China
- * E-mail:
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18
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Li X, Kodithuwakku SP, Chan RWS, Yeung WSB, Yao Y, Ng EHY, Chiu PCN, Lee CL. Three-dimensional culture models of human endometrium for studying trophoblast-endometrium interaction during implantation. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2022; 20:120. [PMID: 35964080 PMCID: PMC9375428 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-022-00973-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During implantation, a symphony of interaction between the trophoblast originated from the trophectoderm of the implanting blastocyst and the endometrium leads to a successful pregnancy. Defective interaction between the trophoblast and endometrium often results in implantation failure, pregnancy loss, and a number of pregnancy complications. Owing to ethical concerns of using in vivo approaches to study human embryo implantation, various in vitro culture models of endometrium were established in the past decade ranging from two-dimensional cell-based to three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM)/tissue-based culture systems. Advanced organoid systems have also been established for recapitulation of different cellular components of the maternal-fetal interface, including the endometrial glandular organoids, trophoblast organoids and blastoids. However, there is no single ideal model to study the whole implantation process leaving more research to be done pursuing the establishment of a comprehensive in vitro model that can recapitulate the biology of trophoblast-endometrium interaction during early pregnancy. This would allow us to have better understanding of the physiological and pathological process of trophoblast-endometrium interaction during implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xintong Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
| | - Suranga P Kodithuwakku
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
| | - Rachel W S Chan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
- Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - William S B Yeung
- Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuanqing Yao
- Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ernest H Y Ng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
- Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Philip C N Chiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China.
- Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Cheuk-Lun Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R., China.
- Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
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19
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Yan J, Li Z, Guo J, Liu S, Guo J. Organ-on-a-chip: A new tool for in vitro research. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 216:114626. [PMID: 35969963 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Organ-on-a-chip (OOC, organ chip) technology can closely simulate the human microenvironment, synthesize organ-like functional units on a fluidic chip substrate, and simulate the physiology of tissues and organs. It will become an increasingly important platform for in vitro drug development and screening. Most importantly, organ-on-a-chip technology, incorporating 3D cell cultures, overcomes the traditional drawbacks of 2D (flat) cell-culture technology in vitro and in vivo animal trials, neither of which generate completely reliable results when it comes to the actual human subject. It is expected that organ chips will allow huge reductions in the incidence of failure in late-stage human trials, thus slashing the cost of drug development and speeding up the introduction of drugs that are effective. There have been three key enabling technologies that have made organ chip technology possible: 3D bioprinting, fluidic chips, and 3D cell culture, of which the last has allowed cells to be cultivated under more physiologically realistic growth conditions than 2D culture. The fusion of these advanced technologies and the addition of new research methods and algorithms has enabled the construction of chip types with different structures and different uses, providing a wide range of controllable microenvironments, both for research at the cellular level and for more reliable analysis of the action of drugs on the human body. This paper summarizes some research progress of organ-on-a-chip in recent years, outlines the key technologies used and the achievements in drug screening, and makes some suggestions concerning the current challenges and future development of organ-on-a-chip technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiasheng Yan
- The M.O.E. Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, The College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, #1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China; University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Ziwei Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Fuling Central Hospital of Chongqing City, Chongqing, 408008, China
| | - Jiuchuan Guo
- The M.O.E. Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, The College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, #1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China; University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Shan Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Department of Medical Genetics, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, 610072, China.
| | - Jinhong Guo
- The M.O.E. Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, The College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, #1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China; School of Sensing Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Abstract
The failure of animal models to predict therapeutic responses in humans is a major problem that also brings into question their use for basic research. Organ-on-a-chip (organ chip) microfluidic devices lined with living cells cultured under fluid flow can recapitulate organ-level physiology and pathophysiology with high fidelity. Here, I review how single and multiple human organ chip systems have been used to model complex diseases and rare genetic disorders, to study host-microbiome interactions, to recapitulate whole-body inter-organ physiology and to reproduce human clinical responses to drugs, radiation, toxins and infectious pathogens. I also address the challenges that must be overcome for organ chips to be accepted by the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies, as well as discuss recent advances in the field. It is evident that the use of human organ chips instead of animal models for drug development and as living avatars for personalized medicine is ever closer to realization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald E Ingber
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Vascular Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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21
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A Review of Functional Analysis of Endothelial Cells in Flow Chambers. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:jfb13030092. [PMID: 35893460 PMCID: PMC9326639 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13030092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The vascular endothelial cells constitute the innermost layer. The cells are exposed to mechanical stress by the flow, causing them to express their functions. To elucidate the functions, methods involving seeding endothelial cells as a layer in a chamber were studied. The chambers are known as parallel plate, T-chamber, step, cone plate, and stretch. The stimulated functions or signals from endothelial cells by flows are extensively connected to other outer layers of arteries or organs. The coculture layer was developed in a chamber to investigate the interaction between smooth muscle cells in the middle layer of the blood vessel wall in vascular physiology and pathology. Additionally, the microfabrication technology used to create a chamber for a microfluidic device involves both mechanical and chemical stimulation of cells to show their dynamics in in vivo microenvironments. The purpose of this study is to summarize the blood flow (flow inducing) for the functions connecting to endothelial cells and blood vessels, and to find directions for future chamber and device developments for further understanding and application of vascular functions. The relationship between chamber design flow, cell layers, and microfluidics was studied.
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22
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Eastman AJ, Noble KN, Pensabene V, Aronoff DM. Leveraging bioengineering to assess cellular functions and communication within human fetal membranes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2022; 35:2795-2807. [PMID: 32787482 PMCID: PMC7878582 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1802716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The fetal membranes enclose the growing fetus and amniotic fluid. Preterm prelabor rupture of fetal membranes is a leading cause of preterm birth. Fetal membranes are composed of many different cell types, both structural and immune. These cells must coordinate functions for tensile strength and membrane integrity to contain the growing fetus and amniotic fluid. They must also balance immune responses to pathogens with maintaining maternal-fetal tolerance. Perturbation of this equilibrium can lead to preterm premature rupture of membranes without labor. In this review, we describe the formation of the fetal membranes to orient the reader, discuss some of the common forms of communication between the cell types of the fetal membranes, and delve into the methods used to tease apart this paracrine signaling within the membranes, including emerging technologies such as organ-on-chip models of membrane immunobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J. Eastman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kristen N. Noble
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37202 USA
| | - Virginia Pensabene
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK,School of Medicine, Leeds Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - David M. Aronoff
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA,Corresponding author: David M. Aronoff, MD, 1161 21st Ave South, A-2200 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2582, (615) 322-8972 (tel),
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23
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Gołąbek-Grenda A, Olejnik A. In vitro modeling of endometriosis and endometriotic microenvironment - Challenges and recent advances. Cell Signal 2022; 97:110375. [PMID: 35690293 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a chronic condition with high prevalence in reproductive age women, defined as the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, most commonly on the pelvic peritoneum. The ectopic endometrial lesions exist in a unique microenvironment created by the interaction of epithelial, stromal, endothelial, glandular, and immune cell components, dominated by inflammatory, angiogenic, and endocrine signals. Current research is directed at understanding the complex microenvironment of the lesions and its relationship with different endometriosis stages, phenotypes, and disease symptoms and at the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic concepts that minimalize the undesirable side effects of current medical management. Recreating pathophysiological cellular and molecular mechanisms and identifying clinically relevant metrics to assess drug efficacy is a great challenge for the experimental disease models. This review summarizes the complete range of available in vitro experimental systems used in endometriotic studies, which reflect the multifactorial nature of the endometriotic lesion. The article discusses the simplistic in vitro models such as primary endometrial cells and endometriotic cell lines to heterogeneous 2D co-cultures, and recently more common, 3D systems based on self-organization and controlled assembly, both in microfluidic or bioprinting methodologies. Basic research models allow studying fundamental pathological mechanisms by which menstrual endometrium adheres, invades, and establishes lesions in ectopic sites. The advanced endometriosis experimental models address the critical challenges and unsolved problems and provide an approach to drug screening and medicine discovery by mimicking the complicated behaviors of the endometriotic lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Gołąbek-Grenda
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 48 Wojska Polskiego St., 60-627 Poznan, Poland
| | - Anna Olejnik
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 48 Wojska Polskiego St., 60-627 Poznan, Poland.
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24
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Chandrasekar V, Singh AV, Maharjan RS, Dakua SP, Balakrishnan S, Dash S, Laux P, Luch A, Singh S, Pradhan M. Perspectives on the Technological Aspects and Biomedical Applications of Virus‐Like Particles/Nanoparticles in Reproductive Biology: Insights on the Medicinal and Toxicological Outlook. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202200010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ajay Vikram Singh
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Department of Chemical and Product Safety Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10 10589 Berlin Germany
| | - Romi Singh Maharjan
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Department of Chemical and Product Safety Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10 10589 Berlin Germany
| | | | | | - Sagnika Dash
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Apollo Clinic Qatar 23656 Doha Qatar
| | - Peter Laux
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Department of Chemical and Product Safety Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10 10589 Berlin Germany
| | - Andreas Luch
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) Department of Chemical and Product Safety Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10 10589 Berlin Germany
| | - Suyash Singh
- Department of Neurosurgery All India Institute of Medical Sciences Raebareli UP 226001 India
| | - Mandakini Pradhan
- Department of Fetal Medicine Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences Reabareli Road Lucknow UP 226014 India
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Thompson RE, Bouma GJ, Hollinshead FK. The Roles of Extracellular Vesicles and Organoid Models in Female Reproductive Physiology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063186. [PMID: 35328607 PMCID: PMC8954697 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Culture model systems that can recapitulate the anatomy and physiology of reproductive organs, such as three-dimensional (3D) organoid culture systems, limit the cost and welfare concerns associated with a research animal colony and provide alternative approaches to study specific processes in humans and animals. These 3D models facilitate a greater understanding of the physiological role of individual cell types and their interactions than can be accomplished with traditional monolayer culture systems. Furthermore, 3D culture systems allow for the examination of specific cellular, molecular, or hormonal interactions, without confounding factors that occur with in vivo models, and provide a powerful approach to study physiological and pathological reproductive conditions. The goal of this paper is to review and compare organoid culture systems to other in vitro cell culture models, currently used to study female reproductive physiology, with an emphasis on the role of extracellular vesicle interactions. The critical role of extracellular vesicles for intercellular communication in physiological processes, including reproduction, has been well documented, and an overview of the roles of extracellular vesicles in organoid systems will be provided. Finally, we will propose future directions for understanding the role of extracellular vesicles in normal and pathological conditions of reproductive organs, utilizing 3D organoid culture systems.
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Bonner MG, Gudapati H, Mou X, Musah S. Microfluidic systems for modeling human development. Development 2022; 149:274363. [PMID: 35156682 PMCID: PMC8918817 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The proper development and patterning of organs rely on concerted signaling events emanating from intracellular and extracellular molecular and biophysical cues. The ability to model and understand how these microenvironmental factors contribute to cell fate decisions and physiological processes is crucial for uncovering the biology and mechanisms of life. Recent advances in microfluidic systems have provided novel tools and strategies for studying aspects of human tissue and organ development in ways that have previously been challenging to explore ex vivo. Here, we discuss how microfluidic systems and organs-on-chips provide new ways to understand how extracellular signals affect cell differentiation, how cells interact with each other, and how different tissues and organs are formed for specialized functions. We also highlight key advancements in the field that are contributing to a broad understanding of human embryogenesis, organogenesis and physiology. We conclude by summarizing the key advantages of using dynamic microfluidic or microphysiological platforms to study intricate developmental processes that cannot be accurately modeled by using traditional tissue culture vessels. We also suggest some exciting prospects and potential future applications of these emerging technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makenzie G. Bonner
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA,Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Hemanth Gudapati
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Xingrui Mou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Samira Musah
- Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA,Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA,Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA,MEDx Investigator and Faculty Member at the Duke Regeneration Center, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA,Author for correspondence ()
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Groothuis P. Model Systems in Endometriosis Research: Translation, Translation, Translation! FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2022; 3:809366. [PMID: 36304048 PMCID: PMC9580766 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2021.809366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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Emerging in vitro platforms and omics technologies for studying the endometrium and early embryo-maternal interface in humans. Placenta 2022; 125:36-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Francés-Herrero E, Lopez R, Hellström M, de Miguel-Gómez L, Herraiz S, Brännström M, Pellicer A, Cervelló I. OUP accepted manuscript. Hum Reprod Update 2022; 28:798-837. [PMID: 35652272 PMCID: PMC9629485 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To provide the optimal milieu for implantation and fetal development, the female reproductive system must orchestrate uterine dynamics with the appropriate hormones produced by the ovaries. Mature oocytes may be fertilized in the fallopian tubes, and the resulting zygote is transported toward the uterus, where it can implant and continue developing. The cervix acts as a physical barrier to protect the fetus throughout pregnancy, and the vagina acts as a birth canal (involving uterine and cervix mechanisms) and facilitates copulation. Fertility can be compromised by pathologies that affect any of these organs or processes, and therefore, being able to accurately model them or restore their function is of paramount importance in applied and translational research. However, innate differences in human and animal model reproductive tracts, and the static nature of 2D cell/tissue culture techniques, necessitate continued research and development of dynamic and more complex in vitro platforms, ex vivo approaches and in vivo therapies to study and support reproductive biology. To meet this need, bioengineering is propelling the research on female reproduction into a new dimension through a wide range of potential applications and preclinical models, and the burgeoning number and variety of studies makes for a rapidly changing state of the field. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE This review aims to summarize the mounting evidence on bioengineering strategies, platforms and therapies currently available and under development in the context of female reproductive medicine, in order to further understand female reproductive biology and provide new options for fertility restoration. Specifically, techniques used in, or for, the uterus (endometrium and myometrium), ovary, fallopian tubes, cervix and vagina will be discussed. SEARCH METHODS A systematic search of full-text articles available in PubMed and Embase databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published between January 2000 and September 2021. The search terms included: bioengineering, reproduction, artificial, biomaterial, microfluidic, bioprinting, organoid, hydrogel, scaffold, uterus, endometrium, ovary, fallopian tubes, oviduct, cervix, vagina, endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, chlamydia, Asherman’s syndrome, intrauterine adhesions, uterine polyps, polycystic ovary syndrome and primary ovarian insufficiency. Additional studies were identified by manually searching the references of the selected articles and of complementary reviews. Eligibility criteria included original, rigorous and accessible peer-reviewed work, published in English, on female reproductive bioengineering techniques in preclinical (in vitro/in vivo/ex vivo) and/or clinical testing phases. OUTCOMES Out of the 10 390 records identified, 312 studies were included for systematic review. Owing to inconsistencies in the study measurements and designs, the findings were assessed qualitatively rather than by meta-analysis. Hydrogels and scaffolds were commonly applied in various bioengineering-related studies of the female reproductive tract. Emerging technologies, such as organoids and bioprinting, offered personalized diagnoses and alternative treatment options, respectively. Promising microfluidic systems combining various bioengineering approaches have also shown translational value. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The complexity of the molecular, endocrine and tissue-level interactions regulating female reproduction present challenges for bioengineering approaches to replace female reproductive organs. However, interdisciplinary work is providing valuable insight into the physicochemical properties necessary for reproductive biological processes to occur. Defining the landscape of reproductive bioengineering technologies currently available and under development for women can provide alternative models for toxicology/drug testing, ex vivo fertility options, clinical therapies and a basis for future organ regeneration studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mats Hellström
- Laboratory for Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lucía de Miguel-Gómez
- Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- Fundación IVI, IVI-RMA Global, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sonia Herraiz
- Fundación IVI, IVI-RMA Global, Valencia, Spain
- Reproductive Medicine Research Group, IIS La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mats Brännström
- Laboratory for Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Stockholm IVF-EUGIN, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antonio Pellicer
- Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
- IVI Roma Parioli, IVI-RMA Global, Rome, Italy
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Zhang P, Shao N, Qin L. Recent Advances in Microfluidic Platforms for Programming Cell-Based Living Materials. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2005944. [PMID: 34270839 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202005944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based living materials, including single cells, cell-laden fibers, cell sheets, organoids, and organs, have attracted intensive interests owing to their widespread applications in cancer therapy, regenerative medicine, drug development, and so on. Significant progress in materials, microfabrication, and cell biology have promoted the development of numerous promising microfluidic platforms for programming these cell-based living materials with a high-throughput, scalable, and efficient manner. In this review, the recent progress of novel microfluidic platforms for programming cell-based living materials is presented. First, the unique features, categories, and materials and related fabrication methods of microfluidic platforms are briefly introduced. From the viewpoint of the design principles of the microfluidic platforms, the recent significant advances of programming single cells, cell-laden fibers, cell sheets, organoids, and organs in turns are then highlighted. Last, by providing personal perspectives on challenges and future trends, this review aims to motivate researchers from the fields of materials and engineering to work together with biologists and physicians to promote the development of cell-based living materials for human healthcare-related applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengchao Zhang
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Ning Shao
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Lidong Qin
- Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
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Girardi G, Bremer AA. Advancing research on recurrent pregnancy loss: Overcoming obstacles and opportunities for translation. Am J Reprod Immunol 2021; 87:e13508. [PMID: 34716735 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is one of the most complex and challenging scenarios in reproductive medicine. New theories about the mechanisms behind RPL have recently emerged, highlighting the multifactorial nature of this serious pregnancy complication. Unfortunately, these preclinical observations are rarely validated in the human scenario, where treatment remains ineffective and empirical. New technologies such as organoids, organ-on-a-chip, and 3D printing can be used to characterize the molecular cross talk between the uterine environment with its unique inflammatory cells and the developing embryo. Understanding the mechanisms behind RPL and identifying mediators and effectors and validating these targets for prevention and therapy in humans will have a profound impact on women's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermina Girardi
- Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew A Bremer
- Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Bodke VV, Burdette JE. Advancements in Microfluidic Systems for the Study of Female Reproductive Biology. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6225875. [PMID: 33852726 PMCID: PMC8571709 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The female reproductive tract is a highly complex physiological system that consists of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina. An enhanced understanding of the molecular, cellular, and genetic mechanisms of the tract will allow for the development of more effective assisted reproductive technologies, therapeutics, and screening strategies for female specific disorders. Traditional 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional static culture systems may not always reflect the cellular and physical contexts or physicochemical microenvironment necessary to understand the dynamic exchange that is crucial for the functioning of the reproductive system. Microfluidic systems present a unique opportunity to study the female reproductive tract, as these systems recapitulate the multicellular architecture, contacts between different tissues, and microenvironmental cues that largely influence cell structure, function, behavior, and growth. This review discusses examples, challenges, and benefits of using microfluidic systems to model ovaries, fallopian tubes, endometrium, and placenta. Additionally, this review also briefly discusses the use of these systems in studying the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals and diseases such as ovarian cancer, preeclampsia, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vedant V Bodke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago 60607, USA
| | - Joanna E Burdette
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago 60607, USA
- Correspondence: Joanna E. Burdette, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA.
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Stejskalová A, Vankelecom H, Sourouni M, Ho MY, Götte M, Almquist BD. In vitro modelling of the physiological and diseased female reproductive system. Acta Biomater 2021; 132:288-312. [PMID: 33915315 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The maladies affecting the female reproductive tract (FRT) range from infections to endometriosis to carcinomas. In vitro models of the FRT play an increasingly important role in both basic and translational research, since the anatomy and physiology of the FRT of humans and other primates differ significantly from most of the commonly used animal models, including rodents. Using organoid culture to study the FRT has overcome the longstanding hurdle of maintaining epithelial phenotype in culture. Both ECM-derived and engineered materials have proved critical for maintaining a physiological phenotype of FRT cells in vitro by providing the requisite 3D environment, ligands, and architecture. Advanced materials have also enabled the systematic study of factors contributing to the invasive metastatic processes. Meanwhile, microphysiological devices make it possible to incorporate physical signals such as flow and cyclic exposure to hormones. Going forward, advanced materials compatible with hormones and optimised to support FRT-derived cells' long-term growth, will play a key role in addressing the diverse array of FRT pathologies and lead to impactful new treatments that support the improvement of women's health. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The female reproductive system is a crucial component of the female anatomy. In addition to enabling reproduction, it has wide ranging influence on tissues throughout the body via endocrine signalling. This intrinsic role in regulating normal female biology makes it susceptible to a variety of female-specific diseases. However, the complexity and human-specific features of the reproductive system make it challenging to study. This has spurred the development of human-relevant in vitro models for helping to decipher the complex issues that can affect the reproductive system, including endometriosis, infection, and cancer. In this Review, we cover the current state of in vitro models for studying the female reproductive system, and the key role biomaterials play in enabling their development.
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de Miguel-Gómez L, Romeu M, Pellicer A, Cervelló I. Strategies for managing asherman's syndrome and endometrial atrophy: Since the classical experimental models to the new bioengineering approach. Mol Reprod Dev 2021; 88:527-543. [PMID: 34293229 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Endometrial function is essential for embryo implantation and pregnancy, but managing endometrial thickness that is too thin to support pregnancy or an endometrium of compromised functionality due to intrauterine adhesions is an ongoing challenge in reproductive medicine. Here, we review current and emerging therapeutic and experimental options for endometrial regeneration with a focus on animal models used to study solutions for Asherman's syndrome and endometrial atrophy, which both involve a damaged endometrium. A review of existing literature was performed that confirmed the lack of consensus on endometrial therapeutic options, though promising new alternatives have emerged in recent years (platelet-rich plasma, exosomes derived from stem cells, bioengineering-based techniques, endometrial organoids, among others). In the future, basic research using established experimental models of endometrial pathologies (combined with new high-tech solutions) and human clinical trials with large population sizes are needed to evaluate these emerging and new endometrial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía de Miguel-Gómez
- Fundación Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (FIVI), La Fe Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
- University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mónica Romeu
- Reproductive Medicine Research Group, La Fe Health Research Institute, La Fe University Hospital, Valencia, Spain
- Women's Health Area, Human Reproduction Unit, La Fe University Hospital, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Irene Cervelló
- Fundación Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (FIVI), La Fe Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
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Bergmann S, Schindler M, Munger C, Penfold CA, Boroviak TE. Building a stem cell-based primate uterus. Commun Biol 2021; 4:749. [PMID: 34140619 PMCID: PMC8211708 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02233-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The uterus is the organ for embryo implantation and fetal development. Most current models of the uterus are centred around capturing its function during later stages of pregnancy to increase the survival in pre-term births. However, in vitro models focusing on the uterine tissue itself would allow modelling of pathologies including endometriosis and uterine cancers, and open new avenues to investigate embryo implantation and human development. Motivated by these key questions, we discuss how stem cell-based uteri may be engineered from constituent cell parts, either as advanced self-organising cultures, or by controlled assembly through microfluidic and print-based technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Bergmann
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Magdalena Schindler
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Clara Munger
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christopher A Penfold
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, UK.
- Wellcome Trust - Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Henry Wellcome Building of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Thorsten E Boroviak
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, UK.
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Organ-on-a-chip technology for the study of the female reproductive system. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 173:461-478. [PMID: 33831478 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, organs-on-a-chip and microphysiological systems have emerged as a disruptive in vitro technology for biopharmaceutical applications. By enabling new capabilities to engineer physiological living tissues and organ units in the precisely controlled environment of microfabricated devices, these systems offer great promise to advance the frontiers of basic and translational research in biomedical sciences. Here, we review an emerging body of interdisciplinary work directed towards harnessing the power of organ-on-a-chip technology for reproductive biology and medicine. The focus of this topical review is to provide an overview of recent progress in the development of microengineered female reproductive organ models with relevance to drug delivery and discovery. We introduce the engineering design of these advanced in vitro systems and examine their applications in the study of pregnancy, infertility, and reproductive diseases. We also present two case studies that use organ-on-a-chip design principles to model placental drug transport and hormonally regulated crosstalk between multiple female reproductive organs. Finally, we discuss challenges and opportunities for the advancement of reproductive organ-on-a-chip technology.
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De Bem THC, Tinning H, Vasconcelos EJR, Wang D, Forde N. Endometrium On-a-Chip Reveals Insulin- and Glucose-induced Alterations in the Transcriptome and Proteomic Secretome. Endocrinology 2021; 162:6167824. [PMID: 33693651 PMCID: PMC8143652 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqab054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The molecular interactions between the maternal environment and the developing embryo are key for early pregnancy success and are influenced by factors such as maternal metabolic status. Our understanding of the mechanism(s) through which these individual nutritional stressors alter endometrial function and the in utero environment for early pregnancy success is, however, limited. Here we report, for the first time, the use of an endometrium-on-a-chip microfluidics approach to produce a multicellular endometrium in vitro. Isolated endometrial cells (epithelial and stromal) from the uteri of nonpregnant cows in the early luteal phase (Days 4-7) were seeded in the upper chamber of the device (epithelial cells; 4-6 × 104 cells/mL) and stromal cells seeded in the lower chamber (1.5-2 × 104 cells/mL). Exposure of cells to different concentrations of glucose (0.5, 5.0, or 50 mM) or insulin (Vehicle, 1 or 10 ng/mL) was performed at a flow rate of 1 µL/minute for 72 hours. Quantitative differences in the cellular transcriptome and the secreted proteome of in vitro-derived uterine luminal fluid were determined by RNA-sequencing and tandem mass tagging mass spectrometry, respectively. High glucose concentrations altered 21 and 191 protein-coding genes in epithelial and stromal cells, respectively (P < .05), with a dose-dependent quantitative change in the protein secretome (1 and 23 proteins). Altering insulin concentrations resulted in limited transcriptional changes including transcripts for insulin-like binding proteins that were cell specific but altered the quantitative secretion of 196 proteins. These findings highlight 1 potential mechanism by which changes to maternal glucose and insulin alter uterine function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago H C De Bem
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brazil
| | - Haidee Tinning
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | | | | | - Niamh Forde
- Discovery and Translational Sciences Department, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- LeedsOmics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Correspondence: Niamh Forde, PhD, University of Leeds, LIGHT Laboratories, Clarendon Way, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK.
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Ding DC, Chang YH, Wu KC, Harnod T. The organoid: A research model for ovarian cancer. Tzu Chi Med J 2021; 34:255-260. [PMID: 35912056 PMCID: PMC9333109 DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_63_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a heterogeneous disease with a variety of distinct clinical and molecular characteristics. The currently available and common research models for EOC include tumor cell lines and patient-derived xenografts. However, these models have certain shortcomings: establishing a cell line is time-consuming, loss of genetic traits after long-term culture is a possibility, and investment is required in terms of animal care facilities. Therefore, better research models are required. Organoid technology was originally developed from colorectal cancer. Tumor organoid is a three-dimensional culture system and can help accurately recapture the tumor phenotype from the original tumor. Tumor organoid systems can overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the currently available research models. The organoid model can be used for culturing ovarian cancer subtypes, screening drugs, assessing genomes, and establishing biobanks. However, the currently available organoid models can only culture one type of cells, epithelial cells. Therefore, an organoid-on-a-chip device can be developed in the future to provide a microenvironment for cell–cell, cell–matrix, and cell–media interactions. Thus, organoid models can be used in ovarian cancer research and can generate a simulated in vivo system, enabling studies on the heterogeneity of ovarian cancer.
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Yang S, Chen Z, Cheng Y, Liu T, Pu Y, Liang G. Environmental toxicology wars: Organ-on-a-chip for assessing the toxicity of environmental pollutants. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115861. [PMID: 33120150 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution is a widespread problem, which has seriously threatened human health and led to an increase of human diseases. Therefore, it is critical to evaluate environmental pollutants quickly and efficiently. Because of obvious inter-species differences between animals and humans, and lack of physiologically-relevant microenvironment, animal models and in vitro two-dimensional (2D) models can not accurately describe toxicological effects and predicting actual in vivo responses. To make up the limitations of conventional environmental toxicology screening, organ-on-a-chip (OOC) systems are increasingly developing. OOC systems can provide a well-organized architecture with comparable to the complex microenvironment in vivo and generate realistic responses to environmental pollutants. The feasibility, adjustability and reliability of OCC systems make it possible to offer new opportunities for environmental pollutants screening, which can study their metabolism, collective response, and fate in vivo. Further progress can address the challenges to make OCC systems better investigate and evaluate environmental pollutants with high predictive power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China, 210009.
| | - Zaozao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China, 210096.
| | - Yanping Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China, 210009.
| | - Tong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China, 210009.
| | - Yuepu Pu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China, 210009.
| | - Geyu Liang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China, 210009.
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40
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Gnecco JS, Brown AT, Kan EL, Baugh L, Ives C, Loring M, Griffith LG. Physiomimetic Models of Adenomyosis. Semin Reprod Med 2020; 38:179-196. [PMID: 33176387 PMCID: PMC7803459 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1719084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Adenomyosis remains an enigmatic disease in the clinical and research communities. The high prevalence, diversity of morphological and symptomatic presentations, array of potential etiological explanations, and variable response to existing interventions suggest that different subgroups of patients with distinguishable mechanistic drivers of disease may exist. These factors, combined with the weak links to genetic predisposition, make the entire spectrum of the human condition challenging to model in animals. Here, after an overview of current approaches, a vision for applying physiomimetic modeling to adenomyosis is presented. Physiomimetics combines a system's biology analysis of patient populations to generate hypotheses about mechanistic bases for stratification with in vitro patient avatars to test these hypotheses. A substantial foundation for three-dimensional (3D) tissue engineering of adenomyosis lesions exists in several disparate areas: epithelial organoid technology; synthetic biomaterials matrices for epithelial–stromal coculture; smooth muscle 3D tissue engineering; and microvascular tissue engineering. These approaches can potentially be combined with microfluidic platform technologies to model the lesion microenvironment and can potentially be coupled to other microorgan systems to examine systemic effects. In vitro patient-derived models are constructed to answer specific questions leading to target identification and validation in a manner that informs preclinical research and ultimately clinical trial design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan S Gnecco
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Alex T Brown
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Ellen L Kan
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Lauren Baugh
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Clara Ives
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Megan Loring
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Care Collaborative, Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, Newton Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Massachusetts
| | - Linda G Griffith
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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41
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Critchley HOD, Babayev E, Bulun SE, Clark S, Garcia-Grau I, Gregersen PK, Kilcoyne A, Kim JYJ, Lavender M, Marsh EE, Matteson KA, Maybin JA, Metz CN, Moreno I, Silk K, Sommer M, Simon C, Tariyal R, Taylor HS, Wagner GP, Griffith LG. Menstruation: science and society. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020; 223:624-664. [PMID: 32707266 PMCID: PMC7661839 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Women's health concerns are generally underrepresented in basic and translational research, but reproductive health in particular has been hampered by a lack of understanding of basic uterine and menstrual physiology. Menstrual health is an integral part of overall health because between menarche and menopause, most women menstruate. Yet for tens of millions of women around the world, menstruation regularly and often catastrophically disrupts their physical, mental, and social well-being. Enhancing our understanding of the underlying phenomena involved in menstruation, abnormal uterine bleeding, and other menstruation-related disorders will move us closer to the goal of personalized care. Furthermore, a deeper mechanistic understanding of menstruation-a fast, scarless healing process in healthy individuals-will likely yield insights into a myriad of other diseases involving regulation of vascular function locally and systemically. We also recognize that many women now delay pregnancy and that there is an increasing desire for fertility and uterine preservation. In September 2018, the Gynecologic Health and Disease Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development convened a 2-day meeting, "Menstruation: Science and Society" with an aim to "identify gaps and opportunities in menstruation science and to raise awareness of the need for more research in this field." Experts in fields ranging from the evolutionary role of menstruation to basic endometrial biology (including omic analysis of the endometrium, stem cells and tissue engineering of the endometrium, endometrial microbiome, and abnormal uterine bleeding and fibroids) and translational medicine (imaging and sampling modalities, patient-focused analysis of menstrual disorders including abnormal uterine bleeding, smart technologies or applications and mobile health platforms) to societal challenges in health literacy and dissemination frameworks across different economic and cultural landscapes shared current state-of-the-art and future vision, incorporating the patient voice at the launch of the meeting. Here, we provide an enhanced meeting report with extensive up-to-date (as of submission) context, capturing the spectrum from how the basic processes of menstruation commence in response to progesterone withdrawal, through the role of tissue-resident and circulating stem and progenitor cells in monthly regeneration-and current gaps in knowledge on how dysregulation leads to abnormal uterine bleeding and other menstruation-related disorders such as adenomyosis, endometriosis, and fibroids-to the clinical challenges in diagnostics, treatment, and patient and societal education. We conclude with an overview of how the global agenda concerning menstruation, and specifically menstrual health and hygiene, are gaining momentum, ranging from increasing investment in addressing menstruation-related barriers facing girls in schools in low- to middle-income countries to the more recent "menstrual equity" and "period poverty" movements spreading across high-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary O D Critchley
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
| | - Elnur Babayev
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Serdar E Bulun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Iolanda Garcia-Grau
- Igenomix Foundation-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Peter K Gregersen
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY
| | | | | | | | - Erica E Marsh
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Kristen A Matteson
- Division of Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Jacqueline A Maybin
- Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Christine N Metz
- The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY
| | - Inmaculada Moreno
- Igenomix Foundation-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Kami Silk
- Department of Communication, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
| | - Marni Sommer
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY
| | - Carlos Simon
- Igenomix Foundation-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Boston, MA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | | | - Hugh S Taylor
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Günter P Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Linda G Griffith
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
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Lang F, Rajaxavier J, Singh Y, Brucker SY, Salker MS. The Enigmatic Role of Serum & Glucocorticoid Inducible Kinase 1 in the Endometrium. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:556543. [PMID: 33195190 PMCID: PMC7609842 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.556543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) is subject to genetic up-regulation by diverse stimulators including glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, dehydration, ischemia, radiation and hyperosmotic shock. To become active, the expressed kinase requires phosphorylation, which is accomplished by PI3K/PDK1 and mTOR dependent signaling. SGK1 enhances the expression/activity of various transport proteins including Na+/K+-ATPase as well as ion-, glucose-, and amino acid- carriers in the plasma membrane. SGK1 can further up-regulate diverse ion channels, such as Na+-, Ca2+-, K+- and Cl- channels. SGK1 regulates expression/activity of a wide variety of transcription factors (such as FKHRL1/Foxo3a, β-catenin, NFκB and p53). SGK1 thus contributes to the regulation of transport, glycolysis, angiogenesis, cell survival, immune regulation, cell migration, tissue fibrosis and tissue calcification. In this review we summarized the current findings that SGK1 plays a crucial function in the regulation of endometrial function. Specifically, it plays a dual role in the regulation of endometrial receptivity necessary for implantation and, subsequently in pregnancy maintenance. Furthermore, fetal programming of blood pressure regulation requires maternal SGK1. Underlying mechanisms are, however, still ill-defined and there is a substantial need for additional information to fully understand the role of SGK1 in the orchestration of embryo implantation, embryo survival and fetal programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lang
- Department of Physiology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Janet Rajaxavier
- Research Institute of Women’s Health, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yogesh Singh
- Research Institute of Women’s Health, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sara Y. Brucker
- Research Institute of Women’s Health, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Madhuri S. Salker
- Research Institute of Women’s Health, Eberhard-Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
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43
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Park SR, Kim SR, Lee JW, Park CH, Yu WJ, Lee SJ, Chon SJ, Lee DH, Hong IS. Development of a novel dual reproductive organ on a chip: recapitulating bidirectional endocrine crosstalk between the uterine endometrium and the ovary. Biofabrication 2020; 13. [PMID: 32998123 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/abbd29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Conventional 2D or even 3Din vitroculture models for human reproductive organs cannot properly recapitulate the bidirectional endocrine crosstalk between the uterine endometrium and the ovary. This crosstalk is essential for maintaining the various physiological features and functions of each tissue. Moreover, mostin vitromodels for the female reproductive tract also fail to mimic its multicellular structure. We therefore developed a novel 'dual reproductive organ on a chip' that reflects the bidirectional endocrine cross-talk and the complex multicellular structures by integrating various cellular components of both the human uterine endometrium and the ovary with several biodegradable natural polymers. Indeed, the bidirectional endocrine crosstalk between these two tissues is achieved through media sharing between channels, and it can markedly improve the viability of loaded cells within each chamber of the chip platform. In addition, we also identified a reliable reproductive toxicity marker, SERPINB2, which is significantly increased in response to various toxic exposures in both endometrial and ovarian follicular cells. Based on these findings, we next established a SERPINB2 luciferase reporter system that was specifically designed for detecting and quantifying the toxicity of certain substances. By introducing this SERPINB2 luciferase reporter system into the loaded cells within the chip platform, we ultimately developed an effective 'dual reproductive organ-on-chip' that was successfully used to predict the reproductive toxicity of various hazardous materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Ra Park
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea.,Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, 7-45 Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Rim Kim
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea.,Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, 7-45 Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Lee
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea.,Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, 7-45 Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Hum Park
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Wook-Joon Yu
- Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology Research Group, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Deajeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Jin Lee
- Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology Research Group, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Deajeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Joo Chon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21565, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae Ho Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Sun Hong
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, GAIHST, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea.,Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Gachon University, 7-45 Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-ku, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea
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44
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Ji W, Hou B, Lin W, Wang L, Zheng W, Li W, Zheng J, Wen X, He P. 3D Bioprinting a human iPSC-derived MSC-loaded scaffold for repair of the uterine endometrium. Acta Biomater 2020; 116:268-284. [PMID: 32911103 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Common events in the clinic, such as uterine curettage or inflammation, may lead to irreversible endometrial damage, often resulting in infertility in women of childbearing age. Currently, tissue engineering has the potential to achieve tissue manipulation, regeneration, and growth, but personalization and precision remain challenges. The application of "3D cell printing" is more in line with the clinical requirements of tissue repair. In this study, a porous grid-type human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hiMSC)-loaded hydrogel scaffold was constructed using a 3D bioprinting device. The 3D-printed hydrogel scaffold provided a permissive in vitro living environment for hiMSCs and significantly increased the survival duration of transplanted hiMSCs when compared with hiMSCs administered locally in vivo. Using an endometrial injury model, we found that hiMSC transplantation can cause early host immune responses (the serological immune response continued for more than 1 month, and the local immune response continued for approximately 1 week). Compared with the sham group, although the regenerative endometrium failed to show full restoration of the normal structure and function of the lining, implantation of the 3D-printed hiMSC-loaded scaffold not only promoted the recovery of the endometrial histomorphology (endometrial tissue and gland regeneration) and the regeneration of endometrial cells (stromal cells and epithelial cells) and endothelial cells but also improved endometrial receptivity functional indicators, namely, pinopode formation and leukemia inhibitory factor and αvβ3 expression, which partly restored the embryo implantation and pregnancy maintenance functions of the injured endometrium. These indicators were significantly better in the 3D-printed hiMSC-loaded scaffold group than in the unrepaired (empty) group, the hiMSCs alone group and the 3D scaffold group, and the empty group showed the worst repair results. Our study confirm that the 3D-printed hiMSC-loaded hydrogel scaffold may be a promising material for endometrial repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanqing Ji
- Department of Obstetrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510623, China
| | - Bo Hou
- Departments of Neurosurgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510630, China
| | - Weige Lin
- Department of Obstetrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510623, China
| | - Linli Wang
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Future Homo sapiens Research Institute Co., Ltd., China
| | - Wenhan Zheng
- Departments of Neurosurgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510630, China
| | - Weidong Li
- Department of Maternal and Child Health Information, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510623, China
| | - Xuejun Wen
- Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, 601 West Main Street, Richmond, VA 23220, USA.
| | - Ping He
- Department of Obstetrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510623, China.
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45
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Allwardt V, Ainscough AJ, Viswanathan P, Sherrod SD, McLean JA, Haddrick M, Pensabene V. Translational Roadmap for the Organs-on-a-Chip Industry toward Broad Adoption. Bioengineering (Basel) 2020; 7:E112. [PMID: 32947816 PMCID: PMC7552662 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering7030112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Organs-on-a-Chip (OOAC) is a disruptive technology with widely recognized potential to change the efficiency, effectiveness, and costs of the drug discovery process; to advance insights into human biology; to enable clinical research where human trials are not feasible. However, further development is needed for the successful adoption and acceptance of this technology. Areas for improvement include technological maturity, more robust validation of translational and predictive in vivo-like biology, and requirements of tighter quality standards for commercial viability. In this review, we reported on the consensus around existing challenges and necessary performance benchmarks that are required toward the broader adoption of OOACs in the next five years, and we defined a potential roadmap for future translational development of OOAC technology. We provided a clear snapshot of the current developmental stage of OOAC commercialization, including existing platforms, ancillary technologies, and tools required for the use of OOAC devices, and analyze their technology readiness levels. Using data gathered from OOAC developers and end-users, we identified prevalent challenges faced by the community, strategic trends and requirements driving OOAC technology development, and existing technological bottlenecks that could be outsourced or leveraged by active collaborations with academia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Allwardt
- Center for Innovative Technology, Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA; (V.A.); (S.D.S.); (J.A.M.)
| | | | - Priyalakshmi Viswanathan
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, Macclesfield SK10 4TG, UK; (P.V.); (M.H.)
| | - Stacy D. Sherrod
- Center for Innovative Technology, Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA; (V.A.); (S.D.S.); (J.A.M.)
| | - John A. McLean
- Center for Innovative Technology, Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37212, USA; (V.A.); (S.D.S.); (J.A.M.)
- Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Malcolm Haddrick
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Alderley Park, Alderley Edge, Macclesfield SK10 4TG, UK; (P.V.); (M.H.)
| | - Virginia Pensabene
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, School of Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St. James’s, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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46
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Thompson RE, Premanandan C, Pukazhenthi BS, Whitlock BK. A review of in vivo and in vitro studies of the mare endometrium. Anim Reprod Sci 2020; 222:106605. [PMID: 32987223 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2020.106605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The inner layer of the uterus, the endometrium, is responsible and necessary for many reproductive functions. Normal reproductive cyclicity, maternal recognition of pregnancy, maternal interaction with the embryo, and interaction of the reproductive tract with pathogens are dependent on the endometrium. Although most studies have been conducted in vivo using live animals, recent advances in in vitro approaches could facilitate future research in a laboratory setting with minimal effect on animals. Many reproductive studies have been performed in vivo and in vitro in equids, but new in vitro methods to study the endometrium of mares remain unexplored. In this review, there is a description of the normal anatomy and physiology of the mare endometrium in vivo, in vitro endometrial cell culture techniques that have been previously described for the mare, and opportunities for future reproductive research using in vitro methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley E Thompson
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA; Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | | | - Budhan S Pukazhenthi
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA.
| | - Brian K Whitlock
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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47
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Zubizarreta ME, Xiao S. Bioengineering models of female reproduction. Biodes Manuf 2020; 3:237-251. [PMID: 32774987 PMCID: PMC7413245 DOI: 10.1007/s42242-020-00082-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The female reproductive system consists of the ovaries, the female gonads, and the reproductive track organs of the fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina. It functions to provide hormonal support and anatomical structure for the production of new offspring. A number of endogenous and exogenous factors can impact female reproductive health and fertility, including genetic vulnerability, medications, environmental exposures, age, nutrition, and diseases, etc. To date, due to the ethical concerns of using human subjects in biomedical research, the majority of studies use in vivo animal models and 2D cell/tissue culture models to study female reproduction. However, the complexity and species difference of the female reproductive system in humans makes it difficult to compare to those of animals. Moreover, the monolayered cells cultured on flat plastics or glass lose their 3D architecture as well as the physical and/or biochemical contacts with other cells in vivo. Further, all reproductive organs do not work alone but interconnect with each other and also with non-reproductive organs to support female reproductive, endocrine, and systemic health. These facts suggest that there is an urgent and unmet need to develop representative, effective, and efficient in vitro models for studying human female reproduction. The prodigious advancements of bioengineering (e.g. biomaterials, 3D printing, and organ-on-a-chip) allow us to study female reproduction in an entirely new way. Here, we review recent advances that use bioengineering methods to study female reproduction, including the bioengineering models of the ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, embryo implantation, placenta, and reproductive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E. Zubizarreta
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Shuo Xiao
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Environmental Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
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48
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Semertzidou A, Brosens JJ, McNeish I, Kyrgiou M. Organoid models in gynaecological oncology research. Cancer Treat Rev 2020; 90:102103. [PMID: 32932156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2020.102103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Cell culture and animal models represent experimental cornerstones for the investigation of tissue, organ and body physiology in the context of gynaecological research. However, their ability to accurately reflect human mechanisms in vivo is limited. The development of organoid technologies has begun to address this limitation by providing platforms ex vivo that resemble the phenotype and genotype of the multi-cellular tissue from which they were derived more accurately. In this review, we discuss advances in organoid derivation from endometrial, ovarian, fallopian tube and cervical tissue, both benign and malignant, the manipulation of organoid microenvironment to preserve stem cell populations and achieve long-term expansion and we explore the morphological and molecular kinship of organoids to parent tissue. Apart from providing new insight into mechanisms of carcinogenesis, gynaecological cancer-derived organoids can be utilised as tools for drug screening of chemotherapeutic and hormonal compounds where they exhibit interpatient variability consistent with states in vivo and xenografted tumours allowing for patient-tailored treatment strategies. Bridging organoid with bioengineering accomplishments is clearly the way forward to the generation of organoid-on-a-chip technologies enhancing the robustness of the model and its translational potential. Undeniably, organoids are expected to stand their ground in the years to come and revolutionize development and disease modelling studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Semertzidou
- Department of Surgery and Cancer & Department of Digestion, Metabolism and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK; Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea - Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W12 0HS, UK
| | - Jan J Brosens
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Science Research Laboratories, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK; Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research, University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire, Coventry CV2 2DX, UK
| | - Iain McNeish
- Department of Surgery and Cancer & Department of Digestion, Metabolism and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Maria Kyrgiou
- Department of Surgery and Cancer & Department of Digestion, Metabolism and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK; Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea - Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W12 0HS, UK.
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Malvezzi H, Marengo EB, Podgaec S, Piccinato CDA. Endometriosis: current challenges in modeling a multifactorial disease of unknown etiology. J Transl Med 2020; 18:311. [PMID: 32787880 PMCID: PMC7425005 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02471-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory hormone-dependent condition associated with pelvic pain and infertility, characterized by the growth of ectopic endometrium outside the uterus. Given its still unknown etiology, treatments usually aim at diminishing pain and/or achieving pregnancy. Despite some progress in defining mode-of-action for drug development, the lack of reliable animal models indicates that novel approaches are required. The difficulties inherent to modeling endometriosis are related to its multifactorial nature, a condition that hinders the recreation of its pathology and the identification of clinically relevant metrics to assess drug efficacy. In this review, we report and comment endometriosis models and how they have led to new therapies. We envision a roadmap for endometriosis research, integrating Artificial Intelligence, three-dimensional cultures and organ-on-chip models as ways to achieve better understanding of physiopathological features and better tailored effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Malvezzi
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP 05652-900 Brazil
| | - Eliana Blini Marengo
- Instituto Butanta- EstabilidadeBiotech Quality Control, São Paulo, SP 05503-900 Brazil
| | - Sérgio Podgaec
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, SP 05652-900 Brazil
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50
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Gnecco JS, Ding T, Smith C, Lu J, Bruner-Tran KL, Osteen KG. Hemodynamic forces enhance decidualization via endothelial-derived prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin in a microfluidic model of the human endometrium. Hum Reprod 2020; 34:702-714. [PMID: 30789661 PMCID: PMC6443116 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Does the uterine vasculature play a localized role in promoting stromal cell decidualization in the human endometrium? SUMMARY ANSWER Our study demonstrated that hemodynamic forces induced secretion of specific endothelial cell-derived prostanoids that enhanced endometrial perivascular decidualization via a paracrine mechanism. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Differentiation of stromal cell fibroblasts into the specialized decidua of the placenta is a progesterone-dependent process; however, histologically, it has long been noted that the first morphological signs of decidualization appear in the perivascular stroma. These observations suggest that the human endometrial vasculature plays an active role in promoting stromal differentiation. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Primary human endometrial stromal cells were co-cultured for 14 days with primary uterine microvascular endothelial cells within a microfluidic Organ-on-Chip model of the endometrium. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Cultures were maintained with estradiol and a progestin, with or without continuous laminar perfusion to mimic hemodynamic forces derived from the blood flow. Some cultures additionally received exogenous agonist-mediated challenges. Decidualization in the microfluidic model was assessed morphologically and biochemically. ELISA was used to examine the culture effluent for expression of decidualization markers and prostaglandins. Immunofluorescence was used to monitor cyclooxygenase-2 expression in association with decidualization. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE A significantly enhanced stromal decidualization response was observed in the co-cultures when the endothelial cells were stimulated with hemodynamic forces (e.g. laminar shear stress) derived from controlled microfluidic perfusion (<0.001). Furthermore, the enhanced progestin-driven stromal differentiation was mediated via cyclooxygenase-2 and the paracrine action of prostaglandin E2 and prostacyclin. Altogether, these translational findings indicate that the vascular endothelium plays a key physiologic role during the early events of perivascular decidualization in the human endometrium. LARGE SCALE DATA N/A. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This report is largely an in vitro study. Although we were able to experimentally mimic hemodynamic forces in our microfluidic model, we have not yet determined the contribution of additional cell types to the decidualization process or determined the precise physiological rates of shear stress that the microvasculature of the endometrium undergoes in vivo. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Identification of specific endothelial-derived prostaglandins and their role during endometrial reproductive processes may have clinical utility as therapeutic targets for reproductive disorders such as infertility, endometriosis, adenomyosis, pre-eclampsia and poor pregnancy outcomes. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by the Veterans Affairs (I01 BX002853), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Exploration (OPP1159411), the Environmental Toxicology Training Grant (NIH T32 ES007028) and the Environmental Protection Agency STAR Center Grant (83573601). CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors report no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan S Gnecco
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Lead Contact
| | - Tianbing Ding
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Caroline Smith
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jacky Lu
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kaylon L Bruner-Tran
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kevin G Osteen
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Veteran Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville TN, USA
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