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Leaker BD, Wang Y, Tam J, Anderson RR. Analysis of culture and RNA isolation methods for precision-cut liver slices from cirrhotic rats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15349. [PMID: 38961190 PMCID: PMC11222550 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66235-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) are increasingly used as a model to investigate anti-fibrotic therapies. However, many studies use PCLS from healthy animals treated with pro-fibrotic stimuli in culture, which reflects only the early stages of fibrosis. The effects of different culture conditions on PCLS from cirrhotic animals has not been well characterized and there is no consensus on optimal methods. In this study, we report a method for the collection and culture of cirrhotic PCLS and compare the effect of common culture conditions on viability, function, and gene expression. Additionally, we compared three methods of RNA isolation and identified a protocol with high yield and purity. We observed significantly increased albumin production when cultured with insulin-transferrin-selenium and dexamethasone, and when incubated on a rocking platform. Culturing with insulin-transferrin-selenium and dexamethasone maintained gene expression closer to the levels in fresh slices. However, despite stable viability and function up to 4 days, we found significant changes in expression of key genes by day 2. Interestingly, we also observed that cirrhotic PCLS maintain viability in culture longer than slices from healthy animals. Due to the influence of matrix stiffness on fibrosis and hepatocellular function, it is important to evaluate prospective anti-fibrotic therapies in a platform that preserves tissue biomechanics. PCLS from cirrhotic animals represent a promising tool for the development of treatments for chronic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben D Leaker
- Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Thier Research Building, MGH, 55 Blossom Street, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Yongtao Wang
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua Tam
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Thier Research Building, MGH, 55 Blossom Street, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R Rox Anderson
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Thier Research Building, MGH, 55 Blossom Street, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Rastovic U, Bozzano SF, Riva A, Simoni-Nieves A, Harris N, Miquel R, Lackner C, Zen Y, Zamalloa A, Menon K, Heaton N, Chokshi S, Palma E. Human Precision-Cut Liver Slices: A Potential Platform to Study Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:150. [PMID: 38203321 PMCID: PMC10778645 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) encompasses a range of pathological conditions that are complex to study at the clinical and preclinical levels. Despite the global burden of ALD, there is a lack of effective treatments, and mortality is high. One of the reasons for the unsuccessful development of novel therapies is that experimental studies are hindered by the challenge of recapitulating this multifactorial disorder in vitro, including the contributions of hepatotoxicity, impaired lipid metabolism, fibrosis and inflammatory cytokine storm, which are critical drivers in the pathogenesis of ALD in patients and primary targets for drug development. Here, we present the unique characteristics of the culture of human precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) to replicate key disease processes in ALD. PCLS were prepared from human liver specimens and treated with ethanol alone or in combination with fatty acids and lipopolysaccharide (FA + LPS) for up to 5 days to induce hepatotoxic, inflammatory and fibrotic events associated with ALD. Alcohol insult induced hepatocyte death which was more pronounced with the addition of FA + LPS. This mixture showed a significant increase in the cytokines conventionally associated with the prototypical inflammatory response observed in severe ALD, and interestingly, alcohol alone exhibited a different effect. Profibrogenic activation was also observed in the slices and investigated in the context of slice preparation. These results support the versatility of this organotypic model to study different pathways involved in alcohol-induced liver damage and ALD progression and highlight the applicability of the PCLS for drug discovery, confirming their relevance as a bridge between preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Una Rastovic
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Sergio Francesco Bozzano
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Antonio Riva
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Arturo Simoni-Nieves
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Nicola Harris
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Rosa Miquel
- Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Carolin Lackner
- Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Yoh Zen
- Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Ane Zamalloa
- Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Krishna Menon
- Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Nigel Heaton
- Institute of Liver Studies, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Shilpa Chokshi
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Elena Palma
- The Roger Williams Institute of Hepatology, Foundation for Liver Research, London SE5 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
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3
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Wang Y, Leaker B, Qiao G, Sojoodi M, Eissa IR, Epstein ET, Eddy J, Dimowo O, Lauer GM, Chung RT, Qadan M, Lanuti M, Fuchs BC, Tanabe KK. Precision-Cut Liver Slices as an ex vivo model to evaluate antifibrotic therapies for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.30.564772. [PMID: 37961334 PMCID: PMC10635008 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.30.564772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Background Precision-Cut Liver Slices (PCLS) are an ex vivo culture model developed to study hepatic drug metabolism. One of the main benefits of this model is that it retains the structure and cellular composition of the native liver. PCLS also represents a potential model system to study liver fibrosis in a setting that more closely approximates in vivo pathology than in vitro methods. The aim of this study was to assess whether responses to antifibrotic interventions can be detected and quantified with PCLS. Methods PCLS of 250 μm thickness were prepared from four different murine fibrotic liver models: choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD), thioacetamide (TAA), diethylnitrosamine (DEN), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). PCLS were treated with 5 μM Erlotinib for 72 hours. Histology and gene expression were then compared with in vivo murine experiments and TGF-β1 activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). These types of PCLS characterization were also evaluated in PCLS from human cirrhotic liver. Results PCLS viability in culture was stable for 72 hours. Treatment of erlotinib, an EGFR inhibitor significantly inhibited the expression of profibrogenic genes Il6, Col1a1 and Timp1 in PCLS from CDAHFD-induced cirrhotic mice, and Il6, Col1a1 and Tgfb1 in PCLS from TAA-induced cirrhotic rats. Erlotinib treatment of PCLS from DEN-induced cirrhotic rats inhibited the expression of Col1a1, Timp1, Tgfb1 and Il6, which was consistent with the impact of erlotinib on Col1a1 and Tgfb1 expression in in vivo DEN-induced cirrhosis. Erlotinib treatment of PCLS from CCl4-induced cirrhosis caused reduced expression of Timp1, Col1a1 and Tgfb1, which was consistent with the effect of erlotinib in in vivo CCl4-induced cirrhosis. In addition, in HSCs at PCLS from normal mice, TGF-β1 treatment upregulated Acta2 (αSMA), while treatment with erlotinib inhibited the expression of Acta2. Similar expression results were observed in TGF-β1 treated in vitro HSCs. Expression of MMPs and TIMPs, key regulators of fibrosis progression and regression, were also significantly altered under erlotinib treatment in PCLS. Expression changes under erlotinib treatment were also corroborated with PCLS from human cirrhosis samples. Conclusion The responses to antifibrotic interventions can be detected and quantified with PCLS at the gene expression level. The antifibrotic effects of erlotinib are consistent between PCLS models of murine cirrhosis and those observed in vivo and in vitro. Similar effects were also reproduced in PCLS derived from patients with cirrhosis. PCLS is an excellent model to assess antifibrotic therapies that is aligned with the principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (3Rs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongtao Wang
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ben Leaker
- Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard-MIT program in Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Guoliang Qiao
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mozhdeh Sojoodi
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ibrahim Ragab Eissa
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eliana T. Epstein
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jonathan Eddy
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Oizoshimoshiofu Dimowo
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Georg M. Lauer
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Raymond T. Chung
- Liver Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Motaz Qadan
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Michael Lanuti
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Bryan C. Fuchs
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kenneth K. Tanabe
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Wang S, Friedman SL. Found in translation-Fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadi0759. [PMID: 37792957 PMCID: PMC10671253 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi0759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a severe form of liver disease that poses a global health threat because of its potential to progress to advanced fibrosis, leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Recent advances in single-cell methodologies, refined disease models, and genetic and epigenetic insights have provided a nuanced understanding of MASH fibrogenesis, with substantial cellular heterogeneity in MASH livers providing potentially targetable cell-cell interactions and behavior. Unlike fibrogenesis, mechanisms underlying fibrosis regression in MASH are still inadequately understood, although antifibrotic targets have been recently identified. A refined antifibrotic treatment framework could lead to noninvasive assessment and targeted therapies that preserve hepatocellular function and restore the liver's architectural integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wang
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Scott L. Friedman
- Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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5
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Lee YS, Seki E. In Vivo and In Vitro Models to Study Liver Fibrosis: Mechanisms and Limitations. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2023; 16:355-367. [PMID: 37270060 PMCID: PMC10444957 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a common result of liver injury owing to various kinds of chronic liver diseases. A deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis and identifying potential therapeutic targets of liver fibrosis is important because liver fibrosis may progress to advanced liver diseases, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite numerous studies, the underlying mechanisms of liver fibrosis remain unclear. Mechanisms of the development and progression of liver fibrosis differ according to etiologies. Therefore, appropriate liver fibrosis models should be selected according to the purpose of the study and the type of underlying disease. Many in vivo animal and in vitro models have been developed to study liver fibrosis. However, there are no perfect preclinical models for liver fibrosis. In this review, we summarize the current in vivo and in vitro models for studying liver fibrosis and highlight emerging in vitro models, including organoids and liver-on-a-chip models. In addition, we discuss the mechanisms and limitations of each model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Sun Lee
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California; Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ekihiro Seki
- Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
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6
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Chen K, Li Y, Wang B, Yan X, Tao Y, Song W, Xi Z, He K, Xia Q. Patient-derived models facilitate precision medicine in liver cancer by remodeling cell-matrix interaction. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1101324. [PMID: 37215109 PMCID: PMC10192760 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1101324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is an aggressive tumor originating in the liver with a dismal prognosis. Current evidence suggests that liver cancer is the fifth most prevalent cancer worldwide and the second most deadly type of malignancy. Tumor heterogeneity accounts for the differences in drug responses among patients, emphasizing the importance of precision medicine. Patient-derived models of cancer are widely used preclinical models to study precision medicine since they preserve tumor heterogeneity ex vivo in the study of many cancers. Patient-derived models preserving cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions better recapitulate in vivo conditions, including patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), precision-cut liver slices (PCLSs), patient-derived organoids (PDOs), and patient-derived tumor spheroids (PDTSs). In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the different modalities used to establish preclinical models for precision medicine in liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiwen Chen
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanran Li
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
| | - Bingran Wang
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuehan Yan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiying Tao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weizhou Song
- Ottawa-Shanghai Joint School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhifeng Xi
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
| | - Kang He
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Xia
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai, China
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7
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Dewyse L, De Smet V, Verhulst S, Eysackers N, Kunda R, Messaoudi N, Reynaert H, van Grunsven LA. Improved Precision-Cut Liver Slice Cultures for Testing Drug-Induced Liver Fibrosis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:862185. [PMID: 35433753 PMCID: PMC9007724 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.862185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro models of human liver disease often fail to mimic the complex 3D structures and cellular organizations found in vivo. Precision cut liver slices (PCLS) retain the complex physiological architecture of the native liver and therefore could be an exceptional in vitro liver model. However, the production of PCLS induces a spontaneous culture-induced fibrogenic reaction, limiting the application of PCLS to anti-fibrotic compounds. Our aim was to improve PCLS cultures to allow compound-induced fibrosis induction. Hepatotoxicity in PCLS cultures was analyzed by lactate dehydrogenase leakage and albumin secretion, while fibrogenesis was analyzed by qRT-PCR and western blot for hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation markers and collagen 6 secretion by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). We demonstrate that supplementation of 3 mm mouse PCLS cultures with valproate strongly reduces fibrosis and improves cell viability in our PCLS cultures for up to 5 days. Fibrogenesis can still be induced both directly and indirectly through exposure to TGFβ and the hepatotoxin acetaminophen, respectively. Finally, human PCLS cultures showed similar but less robust results. In conclusion, we optimized PCLS cultures to allow for drug-induced liver fibrosis modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza Dewyse
- Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vincent De Smet
- Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Internal Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stefaan Verhulst
- Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Eysackers
- Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rastislav Kunda
- Department of Surgery, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nouredin Messaoudi
- Department of Surgery, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Reynaert
- Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Leo A van Grunsven
- Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Liver Cell Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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8
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Best Practices and Progress in Precision-Cut Liver Slice Cultures. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22137137. [PMID: 34281187 PMCID: PMC8267882 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Thirty-five years ago, precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) were described as a promising tool and were expected to become the standard in vitro model to study liver disease as they tick off all characteristics of a good in vitro model. In contrast to most in vitro models, PCLS retain the complex 3D liver structures found in vivo, including cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions, and therefore should constitute the most reliable tool to model and to investigate pathways underlying chronic liver disease in vitro. Nevertheless, the biggest disadvantage of the model is the initiation of a procedure-induced fibrotic response. In this review, we describe the parameters and potential of PCLS cultures and discuss whether the initially described limitations and pitfalls have been overcome. We summarize the latest advances in PCLS research and critically evaluate PCLS use and progress since its invention in 1985.
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9
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Elufioye TO, Habtemariam S. Hepatoprotective effects of rosmarinic acid: Insight into its mechanisms of action. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 112:108600. [PMID: 30780110 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.108600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver diseases such as hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma are one of the major health challenges in the world and many conditions such as inadequate nutrition, viral infection, ethanol and drug abuse, xenobiotic exposure, and metabolic diseases have been implicated in the development and progression of liver diseases. Several factors including lipid peroxidation, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), peroxynitrite formation, complement factors and proinflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and chemokines, are involved in hepatic diseases. Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a natural phenolic compound found mainly in the family Lamiaceae consisting of several medicinal plants, herbs and spices. Several biological activities have been reported for RA and these include antioxidant properties as a ROS scavenger and lipid peroxidation inhibitor, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and antiangiogenic among others. This review is aimed at discussing the effects of RA on the liver, highlighting its hepatoprotective potential and the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiwo O Elufioye
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
| | - Solomon Habtemariam
- Pharmacognosy Research Laboratories & Herbal Analysis Services, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Maritime Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
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10
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Stefanovic B, Manojlovic Z, Vied C, Badger CD, Stefanovic L. Discovery and evaluation of inhibitor of LARP6 as specific antifibrotic compound. Sci Rep 2019; 9:326. [PMID: 30674965 PMCID: PMC6344531 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36841-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is characterized by excessive production of type I collagen. Biosynthesis of type I collagen in fibrosis is augmented by binding of protein LARP6 to the 5' stem-loop structure (5'SL), which is found exclusively in type I collagen mRNAs. A high throughput screen was performed to discover inhibitors of LARP6 binding to 5'SL, as potential antifibrotic drugs. The screen yielded one compound (C9) which was able to dissociate LARP6 from 5' SL RNA in vitro and to inactivate the binding of endogenous LARP6 in cells. Treatment of hepatic stellate cells (liver cells responsible for fibrosis) with nM concentrations of C9 reduced secretion of type I collagen. In precision cut liver slices, as an ex vivo model of hepatic fibrosis, C9 attenuated the profibrotic response at 1 μM. In prophylactic and therapeutic animal models of hepatic fibrosis C9 prevented development of fibrosis or hindered the progression of ongoing fibrosis when administered at 1 mg/kg. Toxicogenetics analysis revealed that only 42 liver genes changed expression after administration of C9 for 4 weeks, suggesting minimal off target effects. Based on these results, C9 represents the first LARP6 inhibitor with significant antifibrotic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branko Stefanovic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA.
| | - Zarko Manojlovic
- Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, 1450 Biggy Street, NRT 4510, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Cynthia Vied
- Translational Science Laboratory, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
| | - Crystal-Dawn Badger
- Translational Science Laboratory, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Colorado State University, 401 West Pitkin Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Lela Stefanovic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA
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11
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Jaiswal SK, Gupta VK, Ansari MD, Siddiqi NJ, Sharma B. Vitamin C acts as a hepatoprotectant in carbofuran treated rat liver slices in vitro. Toxicol Rep 2017; 4:265-273. [PMID: 28959648 PMCID: PMC5615148 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2017.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 06/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The observations of liver slices when treated with different concentrations of carbofuran were as follows:- increased LPO decreased SOD, CAT, & protein content in all the treatments
The observations of liver slices when treated with different concentrations of carbofuran along with vitamin C were as follows:- the levels of LPO, SOD, CAT & total protein content reinstated towards normal level only in liver slices treated with low concentration at higher concentration of carbofuran treatment Vitamin C does not ameliorate the hepatic toxicity induced by carbofuran
The in vitro liver slice culture may prove to be a useful model for hepatotoxicological studies and Vitamin C, as a hepatoprotectant in mammalian system. Carbamates, most commonly used pesticides in agricultural practices, have been reported to produce free radicals causing deleterious effects in animals. The present study was designed to assess the carbofuran induced oxidative stress in rat liver slices in vitro and also to evaluate protective role of vitamin C by incubating them in Krebs-Ringer HEPES Buffer (KRHB) containing incubation media (Williams medium E (WME) supplemented with glucose and antibiotics) with different concentrations of carbofuran. The results demonstrated that carbofuran caused significant increase in lipid peroxidation and inhibition in the activity of hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) in concentration dependent manner. The data with incubation medium reflected that carbofuran at lowest concentration caused an increase in SOD activity followed by its inhibition at higher concentration. Carbofuran treatment caused inhibition in the activity of catalase in liver slices and WME incubation medium. Pre-incubation of liver slices and the WME media with vitamin C restored the values of biochemical indices tested. The results indicated that carbofuran might induce oxidative stress in hepatocytes. The pretreatment with vitamin C may offer hepatoprotection from toxicity of pesticide at low concentration only.
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Key Words
- Antioxidant
- BSA, Bovine serum albumin
- CaCl2, calcium chloride
- Carbofuran
- CuSO4, copper sulphate
- DMSO, Dimethylsulfoxide
- EDTA, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- Hepatotoxicity
- In vitro
- KCl, potassium chloride
- KRHB, Krebs-Ringer HEPES Buffer
- MgSO4, magnesium sulfate
- NADH, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
- NaCl, sodium chloride
- NaOH, sodium hydroxide and MDA Malonaldialdehyde
- Oxidative stress
- RNS, reactive nitrogen species
- ROS, reactive oxygen species
- SOD, superoxide dismutase
- TBA, thiobarbituric acid
- TCA, trichloroacetic acid
- WME, Williams medium E
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vivek Kumar Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, 211002, UP, India
| | - Md Dilshad Ansari
- Department of Biochemistry, VBS Poorvanchal University, Jaunpur, 211002, UP, India
| | - Nikhat J Siddiqi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bechan Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, 211002, UP, India
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12
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Human precision-cut liver slices as a model to test antifibrotic drugs in the early onset of liver fibrosis. Toxicol In Vitro 2016; 35:77-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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13
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Yanguas SC, Cogliati B, Willebrords J, Maes M, Colle I, van den Bossche B, de Oliveira CPMS, Andraus W, Alves VAF, Leclercq I, Vinken M. Experimental models of liver fibrosis. Arch Toxicol 2015; 90:1025-1048. [PMID: 26047667 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-015-1543-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 219] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic fibrosis is a wound healing response to insults and as such affects the entire world population. In industrialized countries, the main causes of liver fibrosis include alcohol abuse, chronic hepatitis virus infection and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. A central event in liver fibrosis is the activation of hepatic stellate cells, which is triggered by a plethora of signaling pathways. Liver fibrosis can progress into more severe stages, known as cirrhosis, when liver acini are substituted by nodules, and further to hepatocellular carcinoma. Considerable efforts are currently devoted to liver fibrosis research, not only with the goal of further elucidating the molecular mechanisms that drive this disease, but equally in view of establishing effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The present paper provides a state-of-the-art overview of in vivo and in vitro models used in the field of experimental liver fibrosis research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Crespo Yanguas
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bruno Cogliati
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Joost Willebrords
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michaël Maes
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Isabelle Colle
- Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Algemeen Stedelijk Ziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium
| | - Bert van den Bossche
- Department of Abdominal Surgery and Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Surgery, Algemeen Stedelijk Ziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium
| | | | - Wellington Andraus
- Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Department of Pathology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Isabelle Leclercq
- Laboratoire d'Hépato-Gastro-Entérologie, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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14
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Lin C, Ballinger KR, Khetani SR. The application of engineered liver tissues for novel drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2015; 10:519-40. [PMID: 25840592 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2015.1032241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drug-induced liver injury remains a major cause of drug attrition. Furthermore, novel drugs are being developed for treating liver diseases. However, differences between animals and humans in liver pathways necessitate the use of human-relevant liver models to complement live animal testing during preclinical drug development. Microfabrication tools and synthetic biomaterials now allow for the creation of tissue subunits that display more physiologically relevant and long-term liver functions than possible with declining monolayers. AREAS COVERED The authors discuss acellular enzyme platforms, two-dimensional micropatterned co-cultures, three-dimensional spheroidal cultures, microfluidic perfusion, liver slices and humanized rodent models. They also present the use of cell lines, primary liver cells and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived human hepatocyte-like cells in the creation of cell-based models and discuss in silico approaches that allow integration and modeling of the datasets from these models. Finally, the authors describe the application of liver models for the discovery of novel therapeutics for liver diseases. EXPERT OPINION Engineered liver models with varying levels of in vivo-like complexities provide investigators with the opportunity to develop assays with sufficient complexity and required throughput. Control over cell-cell interactions and co-culture with stromal cells in both two dimension and three dimension are critical for enabling stable liver models. The validation of liver models with diverse sets of compounds for different applications, coupled with an analysis of cost:benefit ratio, is important for model adoption for routine screening. Ultimately, engineered liver models could significantly reduce drug development costs and enable the development of more efficacious and safer therapeutics for liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Lin
- Colorado State University, School of Biomedical Engineering , 200 W. Lake St, 1301 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1374 , USA
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15
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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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16
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Sadasivan SK, Siddaraju N, Khan KM, Vasamsetti B, Kumar NR, Haridas V, Reddy MB, Baggavalli S, Oommen AM, Pralhada Rao R. Developing an in vitro screening assay platform for evaluation of antifibrotic drugs using precision-cut liver slices. FIBROGENESIS & TISSUE REPAIR 2014; 8:1. [PMID: 25598841 PMCID: PMC4296550 DOI: 10.1186/s13069-014-0017-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background Precision-cut liver slices present different cell types of liver in a physiological context, and they have been explored as effective in vitro model systems to study liver fibrosis. Inducing fibrosis in the liver slices using toxicants like carbon tetrachloride is of less relevance to human disease conditions. Our aim for this study was to establish physiologically relevant conditions in vitro to induce fibrotic phenotypes in the liver slices. Results Precision-cut liver slices of 150 μm thickness were obtained from female C57BL/6 J mice. The slices were cultured for 24 hours in media containing a cocktail of 10 nM each of TGF-β, PDGF, 5 μM each of lysophosphatidic acid and sphingosine 1 phosphate and 0.2 μg/ml of lipopolysaccharide along with 500 μM of palmitate and were analyzed for triglyceride accumulation, stress and inflammation, myofibroblast activation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. Incubation with the cocktail resulted in increased triglyceride accumulation, a hallmark of steatosis. The levels of Acta2, a hallmark of myofibroblast activation and the levels of inflammatory genes (IL-6, TNF-α and C-reactive protein) were significantly elevated. In addition, this treatment resulted in increased levels of ECM markers - collagen, lumican and fibronectin. Conclusions This study reports the experimental conditions required to induce fibrosis associated with steatohepatitis using physiologically relevant inducers. The system presented here captures various aspects of the fibrosis process like steatosis, inflammation, stellate cell activation and ECM accumulation and serves as a platform to study the liver fibrosis in vitro and to screen small molecules for their antifibrotic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish Kumar Sadasivan
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Nethra Siddaraju
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Khaiser Mehdi Khan
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Balamuralikrishna Vasamsetti
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Nimisha R Kumar
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Vibha Haridas
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Madhusudhan B Reddy
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Somesh Baggavalli
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Anup M Oommen
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
| | - Raghavendra Pralhada Rao
- Connexios life sciences private limited, No-49, Shilpa vidya, 1st Main, 3rd phase, J P nagara, Bangalore, 560078 India
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17
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Bale SS, Vernetti L, Senutovitch N, Jindal R, Hegde M, Gough A, McCarty WJ, Bakan A, Bhushan A, Shun TY, Golberg I, DeBiasio R, Usta BO, Taylor DL, Yarmush ML. In vitro platforms for evaluating liver toxicity. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2014; 239:1180-1191. [PMID: 24764241 DOI: 10.1177/1535370214531872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is a heterogeneous organ with many vital functions, including metabolism of pharmaceutical drugs and is highly susceptible to injury from these substances. The etiology of drug-induced liver disease is still debated although generally regarded as a continuum between an activated immune response and hepatocyte metabolic dysfunction, most often resulting from an intermediate reactive metabolite. This debate stems from the fact that current animal and in vitro models provide limited physiologically relevant information, and their shortcomings have resulted in "silent" hepatotoxic drugs being introduced into clinical trials, garnering huge financial losses for drug companies through withdrawals and late stage clinical failures. As we advance our understanding into the molecular processes leading to liver injury, it is increasingly clear that (a) the pathologic lesion is not only due to liver parenchyma but is also due to the interactions between the hepatocytes and the resident liver immune cells, stellate cells, and endothelial cells; and (b) animal models do not reflect the human cell interactions. Therefore, a predictive human, in vitro model must address the interactions between the major human liver cell types and measure key determinants of injury such as the dosage and metabolism of the drug, the stress response, cholestatic effect, and the immune and fibrotic response. In this mini-review, we first discuss the current state of macro-scale in vitro liver culture systems with examples that have been commercialized. We then introduce the paradigm of microfluidic culture systems that aim to mimic the liver with physiologically relevant dimensions, cellular structure, perfusion, and mass transport by taking advantage of micro and nanofabrication technologies. We review the most prominent liver-on-a-chip platforms in terms of their physiological relevance and drug response. We conclude with a commentary on other critical advances such as the deployment of fluorescence-based biosensors to identify relevant toxicity pathways, as well as computational models to create a predictive tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam Sundhar Bale
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
| | - Lawrence Vernetti
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh PA 15260.,University of Pittsburgh Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - Nina Senutovitch
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh PA 15260.,University of Pittsburgh Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - Rohit Jindal
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
| | - Manjunath Hegde
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
| | - Albert Gough
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh PA 15260.,University of Pittsburgh Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - William J McCarty
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
| | - Ahmet Bakan
- University of Pittsburgh Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - Abhinav Bhushan
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
| | - Tong Ying Shun
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - Inna Golberg
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
| | - Richard DeBiasio
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - Berk Osman Usta
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
| | - D Lansing Taylor
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh PA 15260.,University of Pittsburgh Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh PA 15260
| | - Martin L Yarmush
- Center for Engineering in Medicine (CEM) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Shriners Hospital for Children, Boston MA 02114
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18
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Westra IM, Oosterhuis D, Groothuis GMM, Olinga P. The effect of antifibrotic drugs in rat precision-cut fibrotic liver slices. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95462. [PMID: 24755660 PMCID: PMC3995767 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Two important signaling pathways in liver fibrosis are the PDGF- and TGFβ pathway and compounds inhibiting these pathways are currently developed as antifibrotic drugs. Testing antifibrotic drugs requires large numbers of animal experiments with high discomfort. Therefore, a method to study these drugs ex vivo was developed using precision-cut liver slices from fibrotic rat livers (fPCLS), representing an ex vivo model with a multicellular fibrotic environment. We characterized the fibrotic process in fPCLS from rat livers after 3 weeks of bile duct ligation (BDL) during incubation and tested compounds predominantly inhibiting the TGFβ pathway (perindopril, valproic acid, rosmarinic acid, tetrandrine and pirfenidone) and PDGF pathway (imatinib, sorafenib and sunitinib). Gene expression of heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47), α smooth muscle actin (αSma) and pro-collagen 1A1 (Pcol1A1) and protein expression of collagens were determined. During 48 hours of incubation, the fibrosis process continued in control fPCLS as judged by the increased gene expression of the three fibrosis markers, and the protein expression of collagen 1, mature fibrillar collagen and total collagen. Most PDGF-inhibitors and TGFβ-inhibitors significantly inhibited the increase in gene expression of Hsp47, αSma and Pcol1A1. Protein expression of collagen 1 was significantly reduced by all PDGF-inhibitors and TGFβ-inhibitors, while total collagen was decreased by rosmarinic acid and tetrandrine only. However, fibrillar collagen expression was not changed by any of the drugs. In conclusion, rat fPCLS can be used as a functional ex vivo model of established liver fibrosis to test antifibrotic compounds inhibiting the PDGF- and TGFβ signalling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge M. Westra
- Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology and Targeting, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dorenda Oosterhuis
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Geny M. M. Groothuis
- Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology and Targeting, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Olinga
- Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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19
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Westra IM, Oosterhuis D, Groothuis GMM, Olinga P. Precision-cut liver slices as a model for the early onset of liver fibrosis to test antifibrotic drugs. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2014; 274:328-38. [PMID: 24321339 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2013.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2013] [Revised: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Induction of fibrosis during prolonged culture of precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) was reported. In this study, the use of rat PCLS was investigated to further characterize the mechanism of early onset of fibrosis in this model and the effects of antifibrotic compounds. Rat PCLS were incubated for 48h, viability was assessed by ATP and gene expression of PDGF-B and TGF-β1 and the fibrosis markers Hsp47, αSma and Pcol1A1 and collagen1 protein expressions were determined. The effects of the antifibrotic drugs imatinib, sorafenib and sunitinib, PDGF-pathway inhibitors, and perindopril, valproic acid, rosmarinic acid, tetrandrine and pirfenidone, TGFβ-pathway inhibitors, were determined. After 48h of incubation, viability of the PCLS was maintained and gene expression of PDGF-B was increased while TGF-β1 was not changed. Hsp47, αSma and Pcol1A1 gene expressions were significantly elevated in PCLS after 48h, which was further increased by PDGF-BB and TGF-β1. The increased gene expression of fibrosis markers was inhibited by all three PDGF-inhibitors, while TGFβ-inhibitors showed marginal effects. The protein expression of collagen 1 was inhibited by imatinib, perindopril, tetrandrine and pirfenidone. In conclusion, the increased gene expression of PDGF-B and the down-regulation of fibrosis markers by PDGF-pathway inhibitors, together with the absence of elevated TGF-β1 gene expression and the limited effect of the TGFβ-pathway inhibitors, indicated the predominance of the PDGF pathway in the early onset of fibrosis in PCLS. PCLS appear a useful model for research of the early onset of fibrosis and for testing of antifibrotic drugs acting on the PDGF pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge M Westra
- Division of Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology and Targeting, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dorenda Oosterhuis
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Geny M M Groothuis
- Division of Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology and Targeting, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Olinga
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
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20
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Yan Y, Chen C, Zhou H, Gao H, Chen L, Chen L, Gao L, Zhao R, Sun Y. Endogenous hydrogen sulfide formation mediates the liver damage in endotoxemic rats. Res Vet Sci 2012; 94:590-5. [PMID: 23151462 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2012.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Revised: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 10/15/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a naturally occurring gaseous transmitter and may play important roles in normal physiology and liver disease. AIMS To investigate the relationships between the formation of liver H2S and liver damage in endotoxemic rats caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). METHODS Male SD rats were sacrificed to acute endotoxemia and pretreated with H2S donor sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS) or H2S inhibitor dl-propargylglycine (PAG). Liver H2S concentration, liver cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) mRNA, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level, liver histopathological alteration in different time after treatment were determined. RESULTS Endotoxemia resulted in an increase in serum levels of ALT and AST. In the liver, endotoxemia induced a significant increase in the H2S concentration, and in the expression of the H2S-synthesizing enzymes CSE. Pretreatment with NaHS promoted the increase the liver H2S concentration and aggravated the LPS-induced liver damage, However, administration of PAG abolished the increase the liver H2S concentration and reduced the liver injury caused by endotoxemia. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the view that an enhanced formation of H2S contributes to the liver injury in endotoxemia. We propose that inhibition of H2S synthesis may be a useful therapeutic strategy against the liver injury associated with endotoxemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulin Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, PR China.
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21
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Fahy GM, Guan N, de Graaf IAM, Tan Y, Griffin L, Groothuis GMM. Cryopreservation of precision-cut tissue slices. Xenobiotica 2012; 43:113-32. [DOI: 10.3109/00498254.2012.728300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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22
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Westra IM, Pham BT, Groothuis GMM, Olinga P. Evaluation of fibrosis in precision-cut tissue slices. Xenobiotica 2012; 43:98-112. [DOI: 10.3109/00498254.2012.723151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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23
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Guan N, Blomsma SA, van Midwoud PM, Fahy GM, Groothuis GMM, de Graaf IAM. Effects of cryoprotectant addition and washout methods on the viability of precision-cut liver slices. Cryobiology 2012; 65:179-87. [PMID: 22722061 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2012.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2012] [Revised: 05/11/2012] [Accepted: 05/14/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Successful vitrification of organ slices is hampered by both osmotic stress and chemical toxicity of cryoprotective agents (CPAs). In the present study, we focused on the effect of osmotic stress on the viability of precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) by comparing different CPA solutions and different methods of loading and unloading the slices with the CPAs. For this purpose, we developed a gradient method to load and unload CPAs with the intention of minimizing sudden changes in osmolarity and thereby avoiding osmotic stress in the slices in comparison with the commonly used step-wise loading/unloading approach. With this gradient method, the CPA solution was introduced at a constant rate into a specially designed mixing chamber containing the slices. We showed that immediate mixing of the infused CPA and the chamber constituents occurred, which enabled us to control the CPA concentration to which PCLS were exposed as a function of time. With this method, CPA concentration versus time profiles were varied using various commercially available CPA mixtures [VMP, VM3, M22, and modified M22 (mM22)]. The viability of PCLS was determined after CPA loading and unloading and subsequent incubation during 3h at 37°C. Despite the reduction of osmotic stress, the viability of slices did not improve with gradual loading and unloading and remained considerably lower than that of untreated slices. The toxicity of the three CPA solutions did not correlate with either their potential osmotic effects or their total concentrations, and did not change strongly with exposure time in 100% CPA. The most likely explanation for these observations is that PCLS are not very sensitive to osmotic changes of the magnitude imposed in our study, and chemical toxicity of the CPA solutions is the main barrier to be overcome. The chemical toxicity of the CPAs used in this study probably originates from a source other than the total concentration of the solutions. The presented gradient method using the specially designed chamber is more time and cost effective than the step-wise method and can be universally applied to efficiently evaluate different CPA solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Guan
- Division of Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology and Targeting, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
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24
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Imatinib mesylate improves liver regeneration and attenuates liver fibrogenesis in CCL4-treated mice. J Gastrointest Surg 2012; 16:361-9. [PMID: 22068968 DOI: 10.1007/s11605-011-1764-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Accepted: 10/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS Imatinib mesylate (STI-571), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has previously been demonstrated to attenuate liver fibrogenesis through inhibition of the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in CCL(4)-treated rat models. AIMS This study aimed to further evaluate the role of STI-571 in liver regeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS All animals were divided into four groups, and mice were treated with or without CCL(4) and STI-571 (n = 6 for each group). RESULTS Activated cultured HSCs in vitro with STI-571 administration showed increased apoptosis and reduced proliferation, as determined by flow cytometric analysis, 3-(4, 5-cimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay, and confocal microscopy. STI-571 treatment attenuated liver fibrosis in vivo, as was evident in the results of histology, mRNA level, and expression analysis of smooth muscle actin and type I collagen. Mice treated with STI-571 had increased liver weight ratio and the improvement in liver regeneration was compatible with the change of serum interleukin 6 levels (p < 0.05). Further, increased apoptosis and a reduced proliferation were observed in the CCL(4)-treated mice after STI-571 treatment based on the immunohistochemical staining of Annexin V, phosphorylated STAT3, and PCNA. CONCLUSION STI-571 treatment effectively attenuated liver fibrogenesis and improved in liver regeneration in vivo and induced apoptosis in HSCs both in vitro and in vivo.
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Combined Stimulation with the Tumor Necrosis Factor α and the Epidermal Growth Factor Promotes the Proliferation of Hepatocytes in Rat Liver Cultured Slices. Int J Hepatol 2012; 2012:785786. [PMID: 23119170 PMCID: PMC3480011 DOI: 10.1155/2012/785786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Revised: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The culture liver slices are mainly used to investigate drug metabolism and xenobiotic-mediated liver injuries while apoptosis and proliferation remain unexplored in this culture model. Here, we show a transient increase in LDH release and caspase activities indicating an ischemic injury during the slicing procedure. Then, caspase activities decrease and remain low in cultured slices demonstrating a low level of apoptosis. The slicing procedure is also associated with the G0/G1 transition of hepatocytes demonstrated by the activation of stress and proliferation signalling pathways including the ERK1/2 and JNK1/2/3 MAPKinases and the transient upregulation of c-fos. The cells further progress up to mid-G1 phase as indicated by the sequential induction of c-myc and p53 mRNA levels after the slicing procedure and at 24 h of culture, respectively. The stimulation by epidermal growth factor induces the ERK1/2 phosphorylation but fails to activate expression of late G1 and S phase markers such as cyclin D1 and Cdk1 indicating that hepatocytes are arrested in mid-G1 phase of the cell cycle. However, we found that combined stimulation by the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α and the epidermal growth factor promotes the commitment to DNA replication as observed in vivo during the liver regeneration.
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ANENE-NZELU CHUKWUEMEKA, WANG YAN, YU HANRY, LIANG LEOHWA. LIVER TISSUE MODEL FOR DRUG TOXICITY SCREENING. J MECH MED BIOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219519411004083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms involved in the biotransformation of new drugs and their toxicological implications is important for drug development. In this regard, a lot of effort has been put into research to recreate the liver tissue in the laboratory for the purpose of drug screening. This has also helped to minimize the use of laboratory animal and reduce incidence of post-market withdrawal of drugs. Despite the progress made so far, cell source remains a major limitation since primary human hepatocytes are scarce and the various cell alternatives do not express all the genes found in the normal liver. In terms of tissue construct, there is a current shift to 3D models since the cell–cell interactions found in the 3D configuration enhance the morphology and function of hepatocytes. Furthermore, the engineered tissue's performance can be optimized by cocultures, perfusion-based systems, and the use of scaffolds. Nanotechnology seems promising in the field of tissue engineering, as it has been proven that cell–matrix interactions at the nano level can influence greatly on the outcome of the tissue. The review explores the various cell sources, the 3D model, flow-based systems, cocultures, and nanoscaffolds use in hepatocytes in vitro drug testing
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Affiliation(s)
| | - YAN WANG
- Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore
| | - HANRY YU
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - LEO HWA LIANG
- Division of Bioengineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Guyot C, Lepreux S, Combe C, Sarrazy V, Billet F, Balabaud C, Bioulac-Sage P, Desmoulière A. Fibrogenic cell phenotype modifications during remodelling of normal and pathological human liver in cultured slices. Liver Int 2010; 30:1529-40. [PMID: 20846345 DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2010.02342.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The debate concerning the potential remodelling and/or reversibility of cirrhotic lesions and biliary fibrosis is still open. AIMS/METHODS In this work, we have used the precision-cut liver slice (PCLS) model, which maintains cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions to study, by immunohistochemistry, the behaviour of the different fibrogenic cells, i.e. hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and portal fibroblasts, in cultured (for 1 week) PCLS derived from normal and fibrotic human livers. RESULTS In normal liver, before and after culture, α-smooth muscle (SM) actin was present only in the vessel walls. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor-β was expressed before and after culture by portal fibroblasts, and appeared after culture in HSC. Before culture, CD 34 was not expressed in parenchyma, but appeared after culture in sinusoidal endothelial cells. In cirrhotic lesions, before culture, α-SM actin, PDGF receptor-β and Thy-1 were expressed in septa; after culture, α-SM actin expression disappeared but the expression of the PDGF receptor-β and Thy-1 was maintained. In cholestatic liver specimens, α-SM actin, PDGF receptor-β and Thy-1 expression, which was present before culture in enlarged portal areas, disappeared after culture, and apoptosis was detected. In the parenchyma of both cirrhotic and cholestatic livers, the expression of the PDGF receptor-β and of CD 34, which was not observed before culture, was present in HSC and sinusoidal endothelial cells, respectively, after culture. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that during remodelling of pathological tissues in cultured liver slices, the myofibroblastic cells derived from HSC or from portal fibroblasts show different behaviours, suggesting different mechanisms of activation/deactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Guyot
- INSERM U889 and Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France
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28
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de Graaf IAM, Olinga P, de Jager MH, Merema MT, de Kanter R, van de Kerkhof EG, Groothuis GMM. Preparation and incubation of precision-cut liver and intestinal slices for application in drug metabolism and toxicity studies. Nat Protoc 2010; 5:1540-51. [PMID: 20725069 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2010.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Precision-cut tissue slices (PCTS) are viable ex vivo explants of tissue with a reproducible, well defined thickness. They represent a mini-model of the organ under study and contain all cells of the tissue in their natural environment, leaving intercellular and cell-matrix interactions intact, and are therefore highly appropriate for studying multicellular processes. PCTS are mainly used to study the metabolism and toxicity of xenobiotics, but they are suitable for many other purposes. Here we describe the protocols to prepare and incubate rat and human liver and intestinal slices. Slices are prepared from fresh liver by making a cylindrical core using a drill with a hollow bit, from which slices are cut with a specially designed tissue slicer. Intestinal tissue is embedded in cylinders of agarose before slicing. Slices remain viable for 24 h (intestine) and up to 96 h (liver) when incubated in 6- or 12-well plates under 95% O(2)/5% CO(2) atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge A M de Graaf
- Division of Pharmacokinetics, Toxicology and Targeting, Department of Pharmacy, Groningen Research Institute for Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Liver slices as a model to study fibrogenesis and test the effects of anti-fibrotic drugs on fibrogenic cells in human liver. Toxicol In Vitro 2008; 22:771-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2007.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2007] [Revised: 11/28/2007] [Accepted: 11/30/2007] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Graaf IAMD, Groothuis GMM, Olinga P. Precision-cut tissue slices as a tool to predict metabolism of novel drugs. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2007; 3:879-98. [DOI: 10.1517/17425255.3.6.879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Van de Bovenkamp M, Groothuis GMM, Meijer DKF, Olinga P. Liver fibrosis in vitro: Cell culture models and precision-cut liver slices. Toxicol In Vitro 2007; 21:545-57. [PMID: 17289342 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2006.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2006] [Revised: 12/07/2006] [Accepted: 12/18/2006] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Chronic liver injury of various etiologies can cause liver fibrosis, which is characterized by the progressive accumulation of connective tissue in the liver. As no effective treatment for liver fibrosis is available yet, extensive research is ongoing to further study the mechanisms underlying the development of disease- or toxicity-induced liver fibrosis and to identify potential pro- or anti-fibrotic properties of compounds. This review gives an overview of the in vitro methods that are currently available for this purpose. The first focus is on cell culture models, since the majority of in vitro research uses these systems. Both primary cells and cell lines as well as the use of different culture matrices and co-culture models are discussed. Second, the use of precision-cut liver slices, which recently came into attention as in vitro model for the study of fibrosis, is discussed. The overview clearly shows that continuous optimization and adaptation have extended the potential of in vitro models for liver fibrosis during the past years. By combining the use of the different cell and tissue culture models, the mechanisms underlying multicellular fibrosis development can be studied in vitro and potential pro- or anti-fibrotic properties of compounds can be identified both on single liver cell types and in human liver tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Van de Bovenkamp
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Delivery, University Center for Pharmacy, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Nanotechnology is increasingly applied to the field of medicine, particularly for the treatment of cancer. In this regard, gold nanoparticles can mediate hyperthermia induction and kill tumor cells upon laser irradiation, thereby functioning as a 'thermal scalpel'. Recent developments in gold nanoparticle design have resulted in their absorption of energy in the near-infrared wavelength spectrum, which is best suited to tissue penetration and, thus, clinical application. Furthermore, to ensure accumulation of nanoparticles in neoplastic tissue, targeting ligands are being incorporated into the thermal scalpel schema. Examples of targeting ligands include antibodies and targeted gene therapy vectors. Therapeutic efficacy has been established in cell culture models for several developed thermal scalpel systems and a small number have demonstrated a therapeutic effect in animal models of cancer. Future considerations include analysis of the biodistribution and therapeutic efficacy of thermal scalpels using stringent models of cancer. Furthermore, the immunogenicity and toxicity of thermal scalpels must be established before clinical translation can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike Everts
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, BMRII-#512, Birmingham, AL 35294-2180, USA.
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Gonzalo T, Beljaars L, van de Bovenkamp M, Temming K, van Loenen AM, Reker-Smit C, Meijer DKF, Lacombe M, Opdam F, Kéri G, Orfi L, Poelstra K, Kok RJ. Local inhibition of liver fibrosis by specific delivery of a platelet-derived growth factor kinase inhibitor to hepatic stellate cells. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2007; 321:856-65. [PMID: 17369283 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.106.114496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is characterized by excessive proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), a process in which platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) plays an important role. Inhibition of liver fibrosis via specific delivery of a PDGF kinase inhibitor to HSC might therefore be an attractive strategy. The HSC-selective carrier mannose-6-phosphate modified human serum albumin (M6PHSA) was equipped with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, 4-chloro-N-[4-methyl-3-(4-pyridin-3-yl-pyrimidin-2-ylamino)-phenyl]-benzamide (PAP19) (an imatinib derivative), by means of the platinum-based universal linkage system (ULS). The antifibrotic activity of PAP19-M6PHSA was evaluated in culture-activated rat HSC and precision-cut liver slices from fibrotic rats. After 24-h incubation, both free inhibitor PAP19 and PAP19-M6PHSA showed potent activity, as determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) and procollagen 1a1. Next, we examined the organ distribution and antifibrotic activity of PAP19-M6PHSA in bile duct-ligated (BDL) rats. Male Wistar rats at day 10 after BDL were administered a single dose of PAP19-M6PHSA and sacrificed at 2 h, 1 day, or 2 days afterward. The accumulation of PAP19-M6PHSA in the liver was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis (30% of the injected dose at 2 h) and detected in the liver by staining of the carrier. Liver drug levels were sustained at 24 and 48 h after the single dose. Furthermore, PAP19-M6PHSA reduced collagen deposition (Sirius red staining) and alphaSMA staining of activated HSC at these time points in comparison with saline-treated rats. We therefore conclude that delivery of a PDGF-kinase inhibitor to HSC is a promising technology to attenuate liver fibrogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Gonzalo
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Delivery, Groningen University Institute for Drug Exploration, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
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