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Belova AM, Basmanov DV, Prusakov KA, Lazarev VN, Klinov DV. A Microfluidic Platform for the Development of a Biosensor Based on Genetically Modified Helicobacter pylori Single Cells. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350918050020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
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Conway DE, Coon BG, Budatha M, Arsenovic PT, Orsenigo F, Wessel F, Zhang J, Zhuang Z, Dejana E, Vestweber D, Schwartz MA. VE-Cadherin Phosphorylation Regulates Endothelial Fluid Shear Stress Responses through the Polarity Protein LGN. Curr Biol 2017; 27:2219-2225.e5. [PMID: 28712573 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Fluid shear stress due to blood flow on the vascular endothelium regulates blood vessel development, remodeling, physiology, and pathology [1, 2]. A complex consisting of PECAM-1, VE-cadherin, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) that resides at endothelial cell-cell junctions transduces signals important for flow-dependent vasodilation, blood vessel remodeling, and atherosclerosis. PECAM-1 transduces forces to activate src family kinases (SFKs), which phosphorylate and transactivate VEGFRs [3-5]. By contrast, VE-cadherin functions as an adaptor that interacts with VEGFRs through their respective cytoplasmic domains and promotes VEGFR activation in flow [6]. Indeed, shear stress triggers rapid increases in force across PECAM-1 but decreases the force across VE-cadherin, in close association with downstream signaling [5]. Interestingly, VE-cadherin cytoplasmic tyrosine Y658 can be phosphorylated by SFKs [7], which is maximally induced by low shear stress in vitro and in vivo [8]. These considerations prompted us to address the involvement of VE-cadherin cytoplasmic tyrosines in flow sensing. We found that phosphorylation of a small pool of VE-cadherin on Y658 is essential for flow sensing through the junctional complex. Y658 phosphorylation induces dissociation of p120ctn, which allows binding of the polarity protein LGN. LGN is then required for multiple flow responses in vitro and in vivo, including activation of inflammatory signaling at regions of disturbed flow, and flow-dependent vascular remodeling. Thus, endothelial flow mechanotransduction through the junctional complex is mediated by a specific pool of VE-cadherin that is phosphorylated on Y658 and bound to LGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Conway
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Brian G Coon
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Madhusudhan Budatha
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Paul T Arsenovic
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Fabrizio Orsenigo
- FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Florian Wessel
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Jiasheng Zhang
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Zhenwu Zhuang
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Elisabetta Dejana
- FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Department of Biotechnological and Biomolecular Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria, 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Dietmar Vestweber
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Martin A Schwartz
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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Frijns E, Verstraelen S, Stoehr LC, Van Laer J, Jacobs A, Peters J, Tirez K, Boyles MSP, Geppert M, Madl P, Nelissen I, Duschl A, Himly M. A Novel Exposure System Termed NAVETTA for In Vitro Laminar Flow Electrodeposition of Nanoaerosol and Evaluation of Immune Effects in Human Lung Reporter Cells. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:5259-5269. [PMID: 28339192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A new prototype air-liquid interface (ALI) exposure system, a flatbed aerosol exposure chamber termed NAVETTA, was developed to investigate deposition of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) on cultured human lung A549 cells directly from the gas phase. This device mimics human lung cell exposure to NPs due to a low horizontal gas flow combined with cells exposed at the ALI. Electrostatic field assistance is applied to improve NP deposition efficiency. As proof-of-principle, cell viability and immune responses after short-term exposure to nanocopper oxide (CuO)-aerosol were determined. We found that, due to the laminar aerosol flow and a specific orientation of inverted transwells, much higher deposition rates were obtained compared to the normal ALI setup. Cellular responses were monitored with postexposure incubation in submerged conditions, revealing CuO dissolution in a concentration-dependent manner. Cytotoxicity was the result of ionic and nonionic Cu fractions. Using the optimized inverted ALI/postincubation procedure, pro-inflammatory immune responses, in terms of interleukin (IL)-8 promoter and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) activity, were observed within short time, i.e. One hour exposure to ALI-deposited CuO-NPs and 2.5 h postincubation. NAVETTA is a novel option for mimicking human lung cell exposure to NPs, complementing existing ALI systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Frijns
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) , Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Sandra Verstraelen
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) , Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Linda Corinna Stoehr
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS) , Department of Molecular Biology, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jo Van Laer
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) , Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - An Jacobs
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) , Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Jan Peters
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) , Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Kristof Tirez
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) , Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Matthew Samuel Powys Boyles
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS) , Department of Molecular Biology, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mark Geppert
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS) , Department of Molecular Biology, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Pierre Madl
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS) , Department of Molecular Biology, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Inge Nelissen
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV) , Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Albert Duschl
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS) , Department of Molecular Biology, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Martin Himly
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS) , Department of Molecular Biology, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
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Salloum S, Holmes JA, Jindal R, Bale SS, Brisac C, Alatrakchi N, Lidofsky A, Kruger A, Fusco DN, Luther J, Schaefer E, Lin W, Yarmush ML, Chung RT. Exposure to human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus in hepatic and stellate cell lines reveals cooperative profibrotic transcriptional activation between viruses and cell types. Hepatology 2016; 64:1951-1968. [PMID: 27531241 PMCID: PMC5116014 DOI: 10.1002/hep.28766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection accelerates progressive liver fibrosis; however, the mechanisms remain poorly understood. HCV and HIV independently induce profibrogenic markers transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFβ1) (mediated by reactive oxygen species [ROS]) and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) in hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells in monoculture; however, they do not account for cellular crosstalk that naturally occurs. We created an in vitro coculture model and investigated the contributions of HIV and HCV to hepatic fibrogenesis. Green fluorescent protein reporter cell lines driven by functional ROS (antioxidant response elements), NFκB, and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (SMAD3) promoters were created in Huh7.5.1 and LX2 cells, using a transwell to generate cocultures. Reporter cell lines were exposed to HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV. Activation of the 3 pathways was measured and compared according to infection status. Extracellular matrix products (collagen type 1 alpha 1 (CoL1A1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1)) were also measured. Both HCV and HIV independently activated TGFβ1 signaling through ROS (antioxidant response elements), NFκB, and SMAD3 in both cell lines in coculture. Activation of these profibrotic pathways was additive following HIV/HCV coexposure. This was confirmed when examining CoL1A1 and TIMP1, where messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly higher in LX2 cells in coculture following HIV/HCV coexposure compared with either virus alone. In addition, expression of these profibrotic genes was significantly higher in the coculture model compared to either cell type in monoculture, suggesting an interaction and feedback mechanism between Huh7.5.1 and LX2 cells. CONCLUSION HIV accentuates an HCV-driven profibrogenic program in hepatocyte and hepatic stellate cell lines through ROS, NFκB, and TGFβ1 up-regulation; coculture of hepatocyte and hepatic stellate cell lines significantly increased expression of CoL1A1 and TIMP1; and our novel coculture reporter cell model represents an efficient and more authentic system for studying transcriptional fibrosis responses and may provide important insights into hepatic fibrosis. (Hepatology 2016;64:1951-1968).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadi Salloum
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Jacinta A. Holmes
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Rohit Jindal
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Shyam S. Bale
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Cynthia Brisac
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Nadia Alatrakchi
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Anna Lidofsky
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Annie Kruger
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Dahlene N. Fusco
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Jay Luther
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Esperance Schaefer
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Wenyu Lin
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Martin L. Yarmush
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
| | - Raymond T. Chung
- Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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Moharil J, Lei P, Tian J, Gaile DP, Andreadis ST. Lentivirus Live Cell Array for Quantitative Assessment of Gene and Pathway Activation during Myogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141365. [PMID: 26505747 PMCID: PMC4624764 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cell differentiation involves multiple cascades of transcriptional regulation that govern the cell fate. To study the real-time dynamics of this complex process, quantitative and high throughput live cell assays are required. Herein, we developed a lentiviral library of promoters and transcription factor binding sites to quantitatively capture the gene expression dynamics over a period of several days during myogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) harvested from two different anatomic locations, bone marrow and hair follicle. Our results enabled us to monitor the sequential activation of signaling pathways and myogenic gene promoters at various stages of differentiation. In conjunction with chemical inhibitors, the lentiviral array (LVA) results also revealed the relative contribution of key signaling pathways that regulate the myogenic differentiation. Our study demonstrates the potential of LVA to monitor the dynamics of gene and pathway activation during MSC differentiation as well as serve as a platform for discovery of novel molecules, genes and pathways that promote or inhibit complex biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janhavi Moharil
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 908 Furnas Hall, Amherst, NY 14260–4200, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Kimball, Buffalo, NY 14214–3000, United States of America
| | - Pedro Lei
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 908 Furnas Hall, Amherst, NY 14260–4200, United States of America
| | - Jun Tian
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 908 Furnas Hall, Amherst, NY 14260–4200, United States of America
| | - Daniel P. Gaile
- Department of Biostatistics, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Kimball, Buffalo, NY 14214–3000, United States of America
| | - Stelios T. Andreadis
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 908 Furnas Hall, Amherst, NY 14260–4200, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Amherst, NY 14260–4200, United States of America
- Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Stoehr LC, Endes C, Radauer-Preiml I, Boyles MSP, Casals E, Balog S, Pesch M, Petri-Fink A, Rothen-Rutishauser B, Himly M, Clift MJD, Duschl A. Assessment of a panel of interleukin-8 reporter lung epithelial cell lines to monitor the pro-inflammatory response following zinc oxide nanoparticle exposure under different cell culture conditions. Part Fibre Toxicol 2015; 12:29. [PMID: 26415698 PMCID: PMC4587722 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-015-0104-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stably transfected lung epithelial reporter cell lines pose an advantageous alternative to replace complex experimental techniques to monitor the pro-inflammatory response following nanoparticle (NP) exposure. Previously, reporter cell lines have been used under submerged culture conditions, however, their potential usefulness in combination with air-liquid interface (ALI) exposures is currently unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare a panel of interleukin-8 promoter (pIL8)-reporter cell lines (i.e. green or red fluorescent protein (GFP, RFP), and luciferase (Luc)), originating from A549 lung epithelial type II-like cells cells, following NPs exposure under both submerged and ALI conditions. METHODS All cell lines were exposed to zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs at 0.6 and 6.2 μg/cm(2) for 3 and 16 hours under both submerged and ALI conditions. Following physicochemical characterization, the cytotoxic profile of the ZnO-NPs was determined for each exposure scenario. Expression of IL-8 from all cell types was analyzed at the promoter level and compared to the mRNA (qRT-PCR) and protein level (ELISA). RESULTS In summary, each reporter cell line detected acute pro-inflammatory effects following ZnO exposure under each condition tested. The pIL8-Luc cell line was the most sensitive in terms of reporter signal strength and onset velocity following TNF-α treatment. Both pIL8-GFP and pIL8-RFP also showed a marked signal induction in response to TNF-α, although only after 16 hrs. In terms of ZnO-NP-induced cytotoxicity pIL8-RFP cells were the most affected, whilst the pIL8-Luc were found the least responsive. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the use of fluorescence-based reporter cell lines can provide a useful tool in screening the pro-inflammatory response following NP exposure in both submerged and ALI cell cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda C Stoehr
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria. .,Grimm Aerosol Technik GmbH & Co. KG, Ainring, Germany.
| | - Carola Endes
- BioNanomaterials, Adolphe Merkle Institute, Université de Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Isabella Radauer-Preiml
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Matthew S P Boyles
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Eudald Casals
- Institut Català de Nanotecnologia (ICN), Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Sandor Balog
- Soft Matter Scattering, Adolphe Merkle Institute, Université de Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Markus Pesch
- Grimm Aerosol Technik GmbH & Co. KG, Ainring, Germany.
| | - Alke Petri-Fink
- BioNanomaterials, Adolphe Merkle Institute, Université de Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | | | - Martin Himly
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Martin J D Clift
- BioNanomaterials, Adolphe Merkle Institute, Université de Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Albert Duschl
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
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Usta OB, McCarty WJ, Bale S, Hegde M, Jindal R, Bhushan A, Golberg I, Yarmush ML. Microengineered cell and tissue systems for drug screening and toxicology applications: Evolution of in-vitro liver technologies. TECHNOLOGY 2015; 3:1-26. [PMID: 26167518 PMCID: PMC4494128 DOI: 10.1142/s2339547815300012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The liver performs many key functions, the most prominent of which is serving as the metabolic hub of the body. For this reason, the liver is the focal point of many investigations aimed at understanding an organism's toxicological response to endogenous and exogenous challenges. Because so many drug failures have involved direct liver toxicity or other organ toxicity from liver generated metabolites, the pharmaceutical industry has constantly sought superior, predictive in-vitro models that can more quickly and efficiently identify problematic drug candidates before they incur major development costs, and certainly before they are released to the public. In this broad review, we present a survey and critical comparison of in-vitro liver technologies along a broad spectrum, but focus on the current renewed push to develop "organs-on-a-chip". One prominent set of conclusions from this review is that while a large body of recent work has steered the field towards an ever more comprehensive understanding of what is needed, the field remains in great need of several key advances, including establishment of standard characterization methods, enhanced technologies that mimic the in-vivo cellular environment, and better computational approaches to bridge the gap between the in-vitro and in-vivo results.
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Affiliation(s)
- O B Usta
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - W J McCarty
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - S Bale
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - M Hegde
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - R Jindal
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - A Bhushan
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - I Golberg
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - M L Yarmush
- Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospital for Children, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, USA ; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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8
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Padmashali RM, Mistriotis P, Liang MS, Andreadis ST. Lentiviral arrays for live-cell dynamic monitoring of gene and pathway activity during stem cell differentiation. Mol Ther 2014; 22:1971-82. [PMID: 24895998 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2014.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncovering the complexity of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation requires novel methods to capture the dynamics of the process in a quantitative and high-throughput manner. To this end, we developed a lentiviral array (LVA) of reporters to capture the dynamics of gene and pathway activity during MSC differentiation into adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic lineages. Our results identified signature promoters and pathways with unique activation profile for each MSC lineage. In combination with chemical inhibitors, lineage-specific reporters predicted the effects of signaling pathway perturbations on MSC differentiation. Interestingly, some pathways were critical for differentiation into all lineages, while others had differential effects on each lineage. Our study suggests that when combined with large chemical or siRNA libraries, the reporter LVA can be used to uncover novel genes and signaling pathways affecting complex biological processes such as stem cell differentiation or reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshan M Padmashali
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Bioengineering Laboratory, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Amherst, New York, USA
| | - Panagiotis Mistriotis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Bioengineering Laboratory, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Amherst, New York, USA
| | - Mao-shih Liang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Bioengineering Laboratory, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Amherst, New York, USA
| | - Stelios T Andreadis
- 1] Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Bioengineering Laboratory, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Amherst, New York, USA [2] Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, New York, Amherst, USA [3] Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, Buffalo, New York, USA
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Roelse M, de Ruijter NC, Vrouwe EX, Jongsma MA. A generic microfluidic biosensor of G protein-coupled receptor activation—monitoring cytoplasmic [Ca2+] changes in human HEK293 cells. Biosens Bioelectron 2013; 47:436-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2013.03.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Revised: 03/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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10
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Gao S, Seker E, Casali M, Wang F, Bale SS, Price GM, Yarmush ML. Ex vivo gene delivery to hepatocytes: techniques, challenges, and underlying mechanisms. Ann Biomed Eng 2012; 40:1851-61. [PMID: 22484829 PMCID: PMC3901163 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-012-0555-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Accepted: 03/19/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Gene delivery to primary hepatocytes is an important tool for a number of applications including the study of liver cell biology and pathology, drug screening, and gene therapy. Robust transfection of primary hepatocytes, however, is significantly more difficult to achieve than in cell lines or readily dividing primary cells. In this report, we investigated in vitro gene delivery to both primary rat hepatocytes and Huh7.5.1 cells (a hepatoma cell line) using a number of viral and non-viral methods, including Lipofectamine 2000, FuGene HD, Nucleofection, Magnetofection, and lentiviruses. Our results showed that Lipofectamine 2000 is the most efficient reagent for green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene delivery to primary rat hepatocytes (33.3 ± 1.8% transfection efficiency) with minimal adverse effect on several hepatic functions, such as urea and albumin secretion. The lentiviral vectors used in this study exhibited undetectable gene delivery to primary rat hepatocytes but significant delivery to Huh7.5.1 cells (>80% transfection efficiency). In addition, we demonstrated lentiviral-based and spatially defined delivery of the GFP gene to Huh7.5.1 cells for use in biological microelectromechanical systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Gao
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospitals for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Erkin Seker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Monica Casali
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospitals for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Fangjing Wang
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospitals for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Shyam Sundhar Bale
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospitals for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Gavrielle M. Price
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospitals for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Martin L. Yarmush
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Shriners Hospitals for Children, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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11
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Kim J, Taylor D, Agrawal N, Wang H, Kim H, Han A, Rege K, Jayaraman A. A programmable microfluidic cell array for combinatorial drug screening. LAB ON A CHIP 2012; 12:1813-22. [PMID: 22456798 DOI: 10.1039/c2lc21202a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
We describe the development of a fully automatic and programmable microfluidic cell culture array that integrates on-chip generation of drug concentrations and pair-wise combinations with parallel culture of cells for drug candidate screening applications. The device has 64 individually addressable cell culture chambers in which cells can be cultured and exposed either sequentially or simultaneously to 64 pair-wise concentration combinations of two drugs. For sequential exposure, a simple microfluidic diffusive mixer is used to generate different concentrations of drugs from two inputs. For generation of 64 pair-wise combinations from two drug inputs, a novel time dependent variable concentration scheme is used in conjunction with the simple diffusive mixer to generate the desired combinations without the need for complex multi-layer structures or continuous medium perfusion. The generation of drug combinations and exposure to specific cell culture chambers are controlled using a LabVIEW interface capable of automatically running a multi-day drug screening experiment. Our cell array does not require continuous perfusion for keeping cells exposed to concentration gradients, minimizing the amount of drug used per experiment, and cells cultured in the chamber are not exposed to significant shear stress continuously. The utility of this platform is demonstrated for inducing loss of viability of PC3 prostate cancer cells using combinations of either doxorubicin or mitoxantrone with TRAIL (TNF-alpha Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand) either in a sequential or simultaneous format. Our results demonstrate that the device can capture the synergy between different sensitizer drugs and TRAIL and demonstrate the potential of the microfluidic cell array for screening and optimizing combinatorial drug treatments for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeongyun Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3122, USA
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12
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The inflammatory response to double stranded DNA in endothelial cells is mediated by NFκB and TNFα. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19910. [PMID: 21611132 PMCID: PMC3097212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Accepted: 04/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells represent an important barrier between the intravascular compartment and extravascular tissues, and therefore serve as key sensors, communicators, and amplifiers of danger signals in innate immunity and inflammation. Double stranded DNA (dsDNA) released from damaged host cells during injury or introduced by pathogens during infection, has emerged as a potent danger signal. While the dsDNA-mediated immune response has been extensively studied in immune cells, little is known about the direct and indirect effects of dsDNA on the vascular endothelium. In this study we show that direct dsDNA stimulation of endothelial cells induces a potent proinflammatory response as demonstrated by increased expression of ICAM1, E-selectin and VCAM1, and enhanced leukocyte adhesion. This response was dependent on the stress kinases JNK and p38 MAPK, required the activation of proinflammatory transcription factors NFκB and IRF3, and triggered the robust secretion of TNFα for sustained secondary activation of the endothelium. DNA-induced TNFα secretion proved to be essential in vivo, as mice deficient in the TNF receptor were unable to mount an acute inflammatory response to dsDNA. Our findings suggest that the endothelium plays an active role in mediating dsDNA-induced inflammatory responses, and implicate its importance in establishing an acute inflammatory response to sterile injury or systemic infection, where host or pathogen derived dsDNA may serve as a danger signal.
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13
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Soto-Gutierrez A, Basma H, Navarro-Alvarez N, Uygun BE, Yarmush ML, Kobayashi N, Fox IJ. Differentiating stem cells into liver. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2011; 25:149-63. [PMID: 21412354 DOI: 10.5661/bger-25-149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Research involving differentiated embryonic stem (ES) cells may revolutionize the study of liver disease, improve the drug discovery process, and assist in the development of stem-cell-based clinical therapies. Generation of ES cell-derived hepatic tissue has benefited from an understanding of the cytokines, growth factors and biochemical compounds that are essential in liver development, and this knowledge has been used to mimic some aspects of embryonic development in vitro. Although great progress has been made in differentiating human ES cells into liver cells, current protocols have not yet produced cells with the phenotype of a mature hepatocyte. There is a significant need to formally establish criteria that would define what constitutes a functional human stem cell-derived hepatocyte. Here, we explore current challenges and future opportunities in development and use of ES cell-derived liver cells. ES-derived hepatocytes could be used to better understand liver biology, begin the process of "personalizing" health care, and to treat some forms of liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandroo Soto-Gutierrez
- Center for Engineering in Medicine and Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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14
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Janorkar AV, Harris LM, Murphey BS, Sowell BL. Use of three-dimensional spheroids of hepatocyte-derived reporter cells to study the effects of intracellular fat accumulation and subsequent cytokine exposure. Biotechnol Bioeng 2011; 108:1171-80. [PMID: 21449029 DOI: 10.1002/bit.23025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2010] [Revised: 11/22/2010] [Accepted: 11/29/2010] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a family of liver diseases associated with obesity. Initial stage of NAFLD is characterized by a fatty liver, referred to as steatosis, which progresses in some individuals to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver failure. In order to study and treat the many liver diseases such as NAFLD, an improved in vitro cellular model is needed. Several studies in the past have attempted to elucidate these mechanisms using primary hepatocytes or relevant hepatoma cell lines in two-dimensional (2D) monolayer in vitro cultures. These 2D planar culture systems, unfortunately, do not represent the complex architecture of hepatic tissue in vivo. Therefore, we have engineered an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP)-polyethyleneimine (PEI) copolymer and shown that ELP-PEI coated surfaces influenced H35 rat hepatoma cell morphology to create 3D spheroids. Our reporter cell model recapitulates many cellular features of the human disease, including fatty acid uptake, intracellular triglyceride accumulation, decreased proliferation, decreased liver-specific function, and increased reactive oxygen species accumulation. Finally, to demonstrate the utility of the reporter cells for studying transcriptional regulation, we compared the transcriptional dynamics of nuclear factor κB (NFκB) in response to its classical inducer (tumor necrosis factor-α, TNF-α) under lean and fatty conditions in both 2D and 3D culture configurations. We found that, in 3D spheroids, linoleic acid treatment activated NFκB at earlier time points during the development of steatosis, but suppressed the TNF-mediated NFκB activation at later time points. These studies therefore provide a good starting point to evaluate such relationships observed during NAFLD in a 3D in vitro cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amol V Janorkar
- Department of Biomedical Materials Science, School of Dentistry, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi 39216, USA.
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15
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Jindal R, Patel SJ, Yarmush ML. Tissue-engineered model for real-time monitoring of liver inflammation. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2010; 17:113-22. [PMID: 20684748 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2009.0782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue-engineered in vitro models have the potential to be used for investigating inflammation in the complex microenvironment found in vivo. We have developed an in vitro model of hepatic tissue that facilitates real-time monitoring of endothelium activation in liver tissue. This was achieved by creating a layered coculture model in which hepatocytes were embedded in collagen gel and a reporter clone of endothelial cells, which synthesizes green fluorescent protein in response to nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation, was overlaid on top of the gel. The efficacy of our approach was established by monitoring in real time the dynamics of NF-κB-regulated fluorescence in response to tumor necrosis factor α. Our studies revealed that endothelial cells in coculture with hepatocytes exhibited a similar NF-κB-mediated fluorescence to both pulse and step stimulation of lipopolysaccharide. By contrast, endothelial cells in monoculture displayed enhanced NF-κB-regulated fluorescence to step in comparison to pulse lipopolysaccharide stimulation. The NF-κB-mediated fluorescence correlated with endothelial cell expression of NF-κB-regulated genes such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and E-Selectin, as well as with leukocyte adhesion. These findings suggest that our model provides a powerful platform for investigating hepatic endothelium activation in real time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Jindal
- 1 Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital , Harvard Medical School, and the Shriners Hospitals for Children, Boston, Massachusetts
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16
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Tian J, Alimperti S, Lei P, Andreadis ST. Lentiviral microarrays for real-time monitoring of gene expression dynamics. LAB ON A CHIP 2010; 10:1967-1975. [PMID: 20520864 DOI: 10.1039/c003153d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
We developed scalable live-cell microarrays to measure gene expression dynamics in real time and in a high-throughput manner. To this end, we generated dual-promoter lentiviral vectors harboring a transcriptional regulatory element encoding for green fluorescence protein to monitor cell activation in response to exogenous stimuli and a constitutive promoter driving red fluorescence protein for internal signal normalization. Lentivirus preparations were immobilized in a microarray format and after transduction on the array surface target cells were treated with cytokines and interrogated in real time using automated fluorescence microscopy, providing rich dynamic information over a period of several days. Data normalization by red fluorescence intensity eliminated errors due to spot-to-spot variability in transduction efficiency or changes in cell proliferation upon cytokine treatment. These results suggest that the lentivirus microarray can monitor gene expression in real-time and high-throughput manner thereby providing a useful tool for quantitative measurements of gene expression dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Tian
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 908 Furnas Hall, Amherst, NY 14260-4200, USA
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17
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Huang Z, Moya C, Jayaraman A, Hahn J. Using the Tet-On system to develop a procedure for extracting transcription factor activation dynamics. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2010; 6:1883-9. [PMID: 20552111 DOI: 10.1039/c003229h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The regulation of gene expression by transcription factors through different expression and activation dynamics is an important aspect of genomics and systems biology. Reporter systems using green fluorescent protein (GFP) or luciferase are often used to infer transcription factor dynamics. We recently used an inverse problem solution of GFP reporter profiles to demonstrate that the activation dynamics of a model transcription actor (NF-kappaB) can be reconstructed from GFP data. This approach assumes that the general nature of the transcription factor dynamics is known; however, it is non-trivial to determine the exact nature of the transcription factor dynamics as it often depends upon the cell type and the stimulus used to activate the transcription factor. This, in turn, limits the determination of accurate transcription factor dynamics from reporter data, especially since the model used for solution of an inverse problem needs to be verified. To address this point, we developed a reporter cell line for expressing GFP using an inducible, artificial transcription factor (tTA) and minimal promoter system. The artificial transcription factor can be activated independent of the cellular regulatory machinery through addition of doxycycline. This allows us to directly control the dynamics of the artificial transcription factor, and thereby, develop a model describing its activation dynamics from reporter data. Our experimental data and model predictions are in good agreement, and illustrate the utility of our approach. Future work will focus on using the developed approach, i.e. solution of an inverse problem involving the model describing expression of GFP, to extract the dynamics of transcription factors that are currently uncharacterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuyi Huang
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 200 Jack E Brown, College Station, TX 77843-3122, USA
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18
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Foteinou P, Yang E, Androulakis IP. NETWORKS, BIOLOGY AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING: A CASE STUDY IN INFLAMMATION. Comput Chem Eng 2009; 33:2028-2041. [PMID: 20161495 PMCID: PMC2796781 DOI: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2009.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Biological systems can be modeled as networks of interacting components across multiple scales. A central problem in computational systems biology is to identify those critical components and the rules that define their interactions and give rise to the emergent behavior of a host response. In this paper we will discuss two fundamental problems related to the construction of transcription factor networks and the identification of networks of functional modules describing disease progression. We focus on inflammation as a key physiological response of clinical and translational importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- P.T. Foteinou
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - E. Yang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - I. P. Androulakis
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road Piscataway, NJ 08854
- Chemical & Biochemical Engineering Department, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854
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19
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Kerschgens J, Egener-Kuhn T, Mermod N. Protein-binding microarrays: probing disease markers at the interface of proteomics and genomics. Trends Mol Med 2009; 15:352-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2009.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2009] [Revised: 06/08/2009] [Accepted: 06/08/2009] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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20
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Nuclear translocation kinetics of NF-kappaB in macrophages challenged with pathogens in a microfluidic platform. Biomed Microdevices 2009; 11:693-700. [PMID: 19169824 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-008-9281-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
We have developed a microfluidic platform for real-time imaging of host-pathogen interactions and cellular signaling events. Host cells are immobilized in a controlled environment for optical interrogation of the kinetics and stochasticity of immune response to pathogenic challenges. Here, we have quantitatively measured activation of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway in RAW264.7 murine macrophage-like cells. This was achieved by measuring the cytoplasm-to-nucleus translocation kinetics of a green fluorescent protein fusion construct to the NF-kappaB transcription factor subunit RelA (GFP-RelA). Translocation kinetics in response to live bacteria and purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenges were measured, and this work presents the first demonstration of live imaging of host cell infection on a microfluidic platform with quantitative analysis of an early (<0.5 h from infection) immune signaling event. Our data show that a 1,000x increase in the LPS dose led to a ~10x increase in a host cell activation metric we developed in order to describe NF-kappaB translocation kinetics. Using this metric, live bacteria challenges were assigned an equivalent LPS dose as a first step towards comparing NF-kappaB translocation kinetics between TLR4-only pathway signaling (activated by LPS) and multiple pathway signaling (activated by whole bacteria). The device also contains a unique architecture for capturing and fluidically isolating single host cells for the purpose of differentiating between primary and secondary immune signaling.
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21
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Flow-based microfluidic device for quantifying bacterial chemotaxis in stable, competing gradients. Appl Environ Microbiol 2009; 75:4557-64. [PMID: 19411425 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02952-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemotaxis is the migration of cells in gradients of chemoeffector molecules. Although multiple, competing gradients must often coexist in nature, conventional approaches for investigating bacterial chemotaxis are suboptimal for quantifying migration in response to gradients of multiple signals. In this work, we developed a microfluidic device for generating precise and stable gradients of signaling molecules. We used the device to investigate the effects of individual and combined chemoeffector gradients on Escherichia coli chemotaxis. Laminar flow-based diffusive mixing was used to generate gradients, and the chemotactic responses of cells expressing green fluorescent protein were determined using fluorescence microscopy. Quantification of the migration profiles indicated that E. coli was attracted to the quorum-sensing molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2) but was repelled from the stationary-phase signal indole. Cells also migrated toward higher concentrations of isatin (indole-2,3-dione), an oxidized derivative of indole. Attraction to AI-2 overcame repulsion by indole in equal, competing gradients. Our data suggest that concentration-dependent interactions between attractant and repellent signals may be important determinants of bacterial colonization of the gut.
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22
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Janorkar AV, King KR, Megeed Z, Yarmush ML. Development of an in vitro cell culture model of hepatic steatosis using hepatocyte-derived reporter cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2009; 102:1466-74. [PMID: 19061238 DOI: 10.1002/bit.22191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fatty liver disease is a problem of growing clinical importance due to its association with the increasingly prevalent conditions of obesity and diabetes. While steatosis represents a reversible state of excess intrahepatic lipid, it is also associated with increased susceptibility to oxidative and cytokine stresses and progression to irreversible hepatic injury characterized by steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and malignancy. Currently, the molecular mechanisms underlying progression of this dynamic disease remain poorly understood, particularly at the level of transcriptional regulation. We recently constructed a library of stable monoclonal green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter cells that enable transcriptional regulation to be studied dynamically in living cells. Here, we adapt the reporter cells to create a model of steatosis that will allow investigation of transcriptional dynamics associated with the development of steatosis and the response to subsequent "second hit" stresses. The reporter model recapitulates many cellular features of the human disease, including fatty acid uptake, intracellular triglyceride accumulation, increased reactive oxygen species accumulation, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, increased susceptibility to apoptotic cytokine stresses, and decreased proliferation. Finally, to demonstrate the utility of the reporter cells for studying transcriptional regulation, we compared the transcriptional dynamics of nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB), heat shock response element (HSE), and glucocorticoid response element (GRE) in response to their classical inducers under lean and fatty conditions and found that intracellular lipid accumulation was associated with dose-dependent impairment of NFkappaB and HSE but not GRE activation. Thus, steatotic reporter cells represent an efficient model for studying transcriptional responses and have the potential to provide important insights into the progression of fatty liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amol V Janorkar
- The Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Burns Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 51 Blossom Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
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23
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Roach KL, King KR, Uygun K, Hand SC, Kohane IS, Yarmush ML, Toner M. High-throughput single cell arrays as a novel tool in biopreservation. Cryobiology 2009; 58:315-21. [PMID: 19303403 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2009.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2008] [Revised: 01/13/2009] [Accepted: 03/10/2009] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Microwell array cytometry is a novel high-throughput experimental technique that makes it possible to correlate pre-stress cell phenotypes and post-stress outcomes with single cell resolution. Because the cells are seeded in a high density grid of cell-sized microwells, thousands of individual cells can be tracked and imaged through manipulations as extreme as freezing or drying. Unlike flow cytometry, measurements can be made at multiple time points for the same set of cells. Unlike conventional image cytometry, image analysis is greatly simplified by arranging the cells in a spatially defined pattern and physically separating them from one another. To demonstrate the utility of microwell array cytometry in the field of biopreservation, we have used it to investigate the role of mitochondrial membrane potential in the cryopreservation of primary hepatocytes. Even with optimized cryopreservation protocols, the stress of freezing almost always leads to dysfunction or death in part of the cell population. To a large extent, cell fate is dominated by the stochastic nature of ice crystal nucleation, membrane rupture, and other biophysical processes, but natural variation in the initial cell population almost certainly plays an important and under-studied role. Understanding why some cells in a population are more likely to survive preservation will be invaluable for the development of new approaches to improve preservation yields. For this paper, primary hepatocytes were seeded in microwell array devices, imaged using the mitochondrial dyes Rh123 or JC-1, cryopreserved for up to a week, rapidly thawed, and checked for viability after a short recovery period. Cells with a high mitochondrial membrane potential before freezing were significantly less likely to survive the freezing process, though the difference in short term viability was fairly small. The results demonstrate that intrinsic cell factors do play an important role in cryopreservation survival, even in the short term where extrinsic biophysical factors would be expected to dominate. We believe that microwell array cytometry will be an important tool for a wide range of studies in biopreservation and stress biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth L Roach
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, BioMEMS Resource Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Shriners Hospital for Children, Bldg 114, 16th Street, Charlestown, Boston, MA 02129, USA
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24
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Yang E, Yarmush ML, Androulakis IP. Transcription factor network reconstruction using the living cell array. J Theor Biol 2009; 256:393-407. [PMID: 18996398 PMCID: PMC3208267 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2008.09.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2008] [Revised: 08/28/2008] [Accepted: 09/26/2008] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The objective of identifying transcriptional regulatory networks is to provide insights as to what governs an organism's long term response to external stimuli. We explore the coupling of the living cell array (LCA), a novel microfluidics device which utilizes fluorescence levels as a surrogate for transcription factor activity with reverse Euler deconvolution (RED) a computational technique proposed in this work to decipher the dynamics of the interactions. It is hypothesized that these two methods will allow us to first assess the underlying network architecture associated with the transcription factor network as well as specific mechanistic consequences of transcription factor activation such as receptor dimerization or tolerance. The overall approach identifies evidence of time-lagged response which may be indicative of mechanisms such as receptor dimerization, tolerance mechanisms which are evidence of various receptor mediated dynamics, and feedback loops which regulate the response of an organism to changing environmental conditions. Furthermore, through the exploration of multiple network architectures, we were able to obtain insights as to the role each transcription factor plays in the overall response and their overall redundancy in the organism's response to external perturbations. Thus, the LCA along with the proposed analysis technique is a valuable tool for identifying the possible architectures and mechanisms underlying the transcriptional response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Martin L. Yarmush
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ioannis P. Androulakis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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25
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Foteinou PT, Calvano SE, Lowry SF, Androulakis IP. Translational potential of systems-based models of inflammation. Clin Transl Sci 2009; 2:85-9. [PMID: 20443873 PMCID: PMC5350791 DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-8062.2008.00051.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A critical goal of translational research is to convert basic science to clinically relevant actions related to disease prevention, diagnosis, and eventually enable physicians to identify and evaluate treatment strategies. Integrated initiatives are identified as valuable in uncovering the mechanism underpinning the progression of human diseases. Tremendous opportunities have emerged in the context of systems biology that aims at the deconvolution of complex phenomena to their constituent elements and the quantification of the dynamic interactions between these components through the development of appropriate computational and mathematical models. In this review, we discuss the potential role systems-based translation research can have in the quest to better understand and modulate the inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- P T Foteinou
- Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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26
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Huang Z, Senocak F, Jayaraman A, Hahn J. Integrated modeling and experimental approach for determining transcription factor profiles from fluorescent reporter data. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2008; 2:64. [PMID: 18637177 PMCID: PMC2491602 DOI: 10.1186/1752-0509-2-64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2008] [Accepted: 07/17/2008] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Background The development of quantitative models of signal transduction, as well as parameter estimation to improve existing models, depends on the ability to obtain quantitative information about various proteins that are part of the signaling pathway. However, commonly-used measurement techniques such as Western blots and mobility shift assays provide only qualitative or semi-quantitative data which cannot be used for estimating parameters. Thus there is a clear need for techniques that enable quantitative determination of signal transduction intermediates. Results This paper presents an integrated modeling and experimental approach for quantitatively determining transcription factor profiles from green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter data. The technique consists of three steps: (1) creating data sets for green fluorescent reporter systems upon stimulation, (2) analyzing the fluorescence images to determine fluorescence intensity profiles using principal component analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering, and (3) computing the transcription factor concentration from the fluorescence intensity profiles by inverting a model describing transcription, translation, and activation of green fluorescent proteins. We have used this technique to quantitatively characterize activation of the transcription factor NF-κB by the cytokine TNF-α. In addition, we have applied the quantitative NF-κB profiles obtained from our technique to develop a model for TNF-α signal transduction where the parameters were estimated from the obtained data. Conclusion The technique presented here for computing transcription factor profiles from fluorescence microscopy images of reporter cells generated quantitative data on the magnitude and dynamics of NF-κB activation by TNF-α. The obtained results are in good agreement with qualitative descriptions of NF-κB activation as well as semi-quantitative experimental data from the literature. The profiles computed from the experimental data have been used to re-estimate parameters for a NF-κB model and the results of additional experiments are predicted very well by the model with the new parameter values. While the presented approach has been applied to NF-κB and TNF-α signaling, it can be used to determine the profile of any transcription factor as long as GFP reporter fluorescent profiles are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuyi Huang
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3122, USA.
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27
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El-Guendy N, Sinai AP. Potential problems inherent in cell-based stable NF-kappaB-GFP reporter systems. Mol Cell Biochem 2008; 312:147-55. [PMID: 18327667 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-008-9730-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2007] [Accepted: 02/25/2008] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) family of transcription factors plays a central role in numerous physiological processes including development, cell survival, immunity, and inflammation. We generated a series of stable clonal lines in mouse embryonic fibroblasts carrying NF-kappaB-GFP plasmid as a reporter. These cell lines were selected by flow cytometry for their high responsiveness to tumor necrosis factor (TNFalpha) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), two classic NF-kappaB-inducing stimuli. Although all clones were generated from the same parental cell line, they each had a distinctive pattern of response to NF-kappaB stimuli. While exhibiting distinct profiles with regard to the GFP reporter, analysis of endogenous NF-kappaB downstream targets did not always show the same variability. This suggests that in the absence of confirmation of the signaling outcomes using endogenous outputs, considerable caution must be exercised in the interpretation of data using stable reporter systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia El-Guendy
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 800 Rose St., Lexington, KY 40536, USA
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28
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Halter M, Tona A, Bhadriraju K, Plant AL, Elliott JT. Automated live cell imaging of green fluorescent protein degradation in individual fibroblasts. Cytometry A 2007; 71:827-34. [PMID: 17828790 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.20461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
To accurately interpret the data from fluorescent proteins as reporters of gene activation within living cells, it is important to understand the kinetics of the degradation of the reporter proteins. We examined the degradation kinetics over a large number (>1,000) of single, living cells from a clonal population of NIH3T3 fibroblasts that were stably transfected with a destabilized, enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) reporter driven by the tenascin-C promoter. Data collection and quantification of the fluorescence protein within a statistically significant number of individual cells over long times (14 h) by automated microscopy was facilitated by culturing cells on micropatterned arrays that confined their migration and allowed them to be segmented using phase contrast images. To measure GFP degradation rates unambiguously, protein synthesis was inhibited with cycloheximide. Results from automated live cell microscopy and image analysis indicated a wide range of cell-to-cell variability in the GFP fluorescence within individual cells. Degradation for this reporter was analyzed as a first order rate process with a degradation half-life of 2.8 h. We found that GFP degradation rates were independent of the initial intensity of GFP fluorescence within cells. This result indicates that higher GFP abundance in some cells is likely due to higher rates of gene expression, because it is not due to systematically lower rates of protein degradation. The approach described in this study will assist the quantification and understanding of gene activity within live cells using fluorescent protein reporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Halter
- Cell and Tissue Measurements Group, Biochemical Science Division, Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
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29
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Yang E, Foteinou P, King K, Yarmush M, Androulakis I. A novel non-overlapping bi-clustering algorithm for network generation using living cell array data. Bioinformatics 2007; 23:2306-13. [PMID: 17827207 PMCID: PMC3208260 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btm335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION The living cell array quantifies the contribution of activated transcription factors upon the expression levels of their target genes. The direct manipulation of the regulatory mechanisms offers enormous possibilities for deciphering the machinery that activates and controls gene expression. We propose a novel bi-clustering algorithm for generating non-overlapping clusters of reporter genes and conditions and demonstrate how this information can be interpreted in order to assist in the construction of transcription factor interaction networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - P.T. Foteinou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
| | - K.R. King
- Center for Engineering in Medicine/Surgical Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - M.L. Yarmush
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
- Center for Engineering in Medicine/Surgical Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - I.P. Androulakis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854
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King KR, Wang S, Irimia D, Jayaraman A, Toner M, Yarmush ML. A high-throughput microfluidic real-time gene expression living cell array. LAB ON A CHIP 2007; 7:77-85. [PMID: 17180208 PMCID: PMC3205973 DOI: 10.1039/b612516f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of gene expression are fundamental to the coordination of cellular responses. Measurement of temporal gene expression patterns is currently limited to destructive low-throughput techniques such as northern blotting, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and DNA microarrays. We report a scalable experimental platform that combines microfluidic addressability with quantitative live cell imaging of fluorescent protein transcriptional reporters to achieve real-time characterization of gene expression programs in living cells. Integrated microvalve arrays control row-seeding and column-stimulation of 256 nanoliter-scale bioreactors to create a high density matrix of stimulus-response experiments. We demonstrate the approach in the context of hepatic inflammation by acquiring approximately 5000 single-time-point measurements in each automated and unattended experiment. Experiments can be assembled in hours and perform the equivalent of months of conventional experiments. By enabling efficient investigation of dynamic gene expression programs, this technology has the potential to make significant impacts in basic science, drug development, and clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R. King
- Center for Engineering and Medicine and Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 51 Blosson St. Rm 406, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Fax: (617) 371-4950; Tel: (617) 371-4882
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Science and Technology, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Sihong Wang
- Center for Engineering and Medicine and Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 51 Blosson St. Rm 406, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Fax: (617) 371-4950; Tel: (617) 371-4882
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Daniel Irimia
- Center for Engineering and Medicine and Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 51 Blosson St. Rm 406, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Fax: (617) 371-4950; Tel: (617) 371-4882
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Arul Jayaraman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Mehmet Toner
- Center for Engineering and Medicine and Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 51 Blosson St. Rm 406, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Fax: (617) 371-4950; Tel: (617) 371-4882
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Science and Technology, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Martin L. Yarmush
- Center for Engineering and Medicine and Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 51 Blosson St. Rm 406, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Fax: (617) 371-4950; Tel: (617) 371-4882
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Division of Health Science and Technology, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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Nahmias Y, Berthiaume F, Yarmush ML. Integration of technologies for hepatic tissue engineering. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2006; 103:309-29. [PMID: 17195468 DOI: 10.1007/10_029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The liver is the largest internal organ in the body, responsible for over 500 metabolic, regulatory, and immune functions. Loss of liver function leads to liver failure which causes over 25,000 deaths/year in the United States. Efforts in the field of hepatic tissue engineering include the design of bioartificial liver systems to prolong patient's lives during liver failure, for drug toxicity screening and for the study of liver regeneration, ischemia/reperfusion injury, fibrosis, viral infection, and inflammation. This chapter will overview the current state-of-the-art in hepatology including isolated perfused liver, culture of liver slices and tissue explants, hepatocyte culture on collagen "sandwich" and spheroids, coculture of hepatocytes with non-parenchymal cells, and the integration of these culture techniques with microfluidics and reactor design. This work will discuss the role of oxygen and medium composition in hepatocyte culture and present promising new technologies for hepatocyte proliferation and function. We will also discuss liver development, architecture, and function as they relate to these culture techniques. Finally, we will review current opportunities and major challenges in integrating cell culture, bioreactor design, and microtechnology to develop new systems for novel applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaakov Nahmias
- Center for Engineering in Medicine, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Burns Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 51 Blossom St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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