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Xia M, Varmazyad M, Palacin IP, Gavlock DC, Debiasio R, LaRocca G, Reese C, Florentino R, Faccioli LAP, Brown JA, Vernetti LA, Schurdak ME, Stern AM, Gough A, Behari J, Soto-Gutierrez A, Taylor DL, Miedel M. Comparison of Wild-Type and High-risk PNPLA3 variants in a Human Biomimetic Liver Microphysiology System for Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease Precision Therapy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.22.590608. [PMID: 38712213 PMCID: PMC11071381 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.22.590608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a worldwide health epidemic with a global occurrence of approximately 30%. The pathogenesis of MASLD is a complex, multisystem disorder driven by multiple factors including genetics, lifestyle, and the environment. Patient heterogeneity presents challenges for developing MASLD therapeutics, creation of patient cohorts for clinical trials and optimization of therapeutic strategies for specific patient cohorts. Implementing pre-clinical experimental models for drug development creates a significant challenge as simple in vitro systems and animal models do not fully recapitulate critical steps in the pathogenesis and the complexity of MASLD progression. To address this, we implemented a precision medicine strategy that couples the use of our liver acinus microphysiology system (LAMPS) constructed with patient-derived primary cells. We investigated the MASLD-associated genetic variant PNPLA3 rs738409 (I148M variant) in primary hepatocytes, as it is associated with MASLD progression. We constructed LAMPS with genotyped wild type and variant PNPLA3 hepatocytes together with key non-parenchymal cells and quantified the reproducibility of the model. We altered media components to mimic blood chemistries, including insulin, glucose, free fatty acids, and immune activating molecules to reflect normal fasting (NF), early metabolic syndrome (EMS) and late metabolic syndrome (LMS) conditions. Finally, we investigated the response to treatment with resmetirom, an approved drug for metabolic syndrome-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), the progressive form of MASLD. This study using primary cells serves as a benchmark for studies using patient biomimetic twins constructed with patient iPSC-derived liver cells using a panel of reproducible metrics. We observed increased steatosis, immune activation, stellate cell activation and secretion of pro-fibrotic markers in the PNPLA3 GG variant compared to wild type CC LAMPS, consistent with the clinical characterization of this variant. We also observed greater resmetirom efficacy in PNPLA3 wild type CC LAMPS compared to the GG variant in multiple MASLD metrics including steatosis, stellate cell activation and the secretion of pro-fibrotic markers. In conclusion, our study demonstrates the capability of the LAMPS platform for the development of MASLD precision therapeutics, enrichment of patient cohorts for clinical trials, and optimization of therapeutic strategies for patient subgroups with different clinical traits and disease stages.
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Sakolish C, Moyer HL, Tsai HHD, Ford LC, Dickey AN, Wright FA, Han G, Bajaj P, Baltazar MT, Carmichael PL, Stanko JP, Ferguson SS, Rusyn I. Analysis of reproducibility and robustness of a renal proximal tubule microphysiological system OrganoPlate 3-lane 40 for in vitro studies of drug transport and toxicity. Toxicol Sci 2023; 196:52-70. [PMID: 37555834 PMCID: PMC10613961 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Microphysiological systems are an emerging area of in vitro drug development, and their independent evaluation is important for wide adoption and use. The primary goal of this study was to test reproducibility and robustness of a renal proximal tubule microphysiological system, OrganoPlate 3-lane 40, as an in vitro model for drug transport and toxicity studies. This microfluidic model was compared with static multiwell cultures and tested using several human renal proximal tubule epithelial cell (RPTEC) types. The model was characterized in terms of the functional transport for various tubule-specific proteins, epithelial permeability of small molecules (cisplatin, tenofovir, and perfluorooctanoic acid) versus large molecules (fluorescent dextrans, 60-150 kDa), and gene expression response to a nephrotoxic xenobiotic. The advantages offered by OrganoPlate 3-lane 40 as compared with multiwell cultures are the presence of media flow, albeit intermittent, and increased throughput compared with other microfluidic models. However, OrganoPlate 3-lane 40 model appeared to offer only limited (eg, MRP-mediated transport) advantages in terms of either gene expression or functional transport when compared with the multiwell plate culture conditions. Although OrganoPlate 3-lane 40 can be used to study cellular uptake and direct toxic effects of small molecules, it may have limited utility for drug transport studies. Overall, this study offers refined experimental protocols and comprehensive comparative data on the function of RPETCs in traditional multiwell culture and microfluidic OrganoPlate 3-lane 40, information that will be invaluable for the prospective end-users of in vitro models of the human proximal tubule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Sakolish
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Haley L Moyer
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Han-Hsuan D Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Lucie C Ford
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Allison N Dickey
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Fred A Wright
- Bioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
- Department of Statistics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - Gang Han
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Piyush Bajaj
- Global Investigative Toxicology, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02141, USA
| | - Maria T Baltazar
- Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Unilever, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Paul L Carmichael
- Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Unilever, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK
| | - Jason P Stanko
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Stephen S Ferguson
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
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Lim AY, Kato Y, Sakolish C, Valdiviezo A, Han G, Bajaj P, Stanko J, Ferguson SS, Villenave R, Hewitt P, Hardwick RN, Rusyn I. Reproducibility and Robustness of a Liver Microphysiological System PhysioMimix LC12 under Varying Culture Conditions and Cell Type Combinations. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1195. [PMID: 37892925 PMCID: PMC10603899 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10101195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The liver is one of the key organs for exogenous and endogenous metabolism and is often a target for drug- and chemical-driven toxicity. A wide range of experimental approaches has been established to model and characterize the mechanisms of drug- and chemical-induced hepatotoxicity. A number of microfluidics-enabled in vitro models of the liver have been developed, but the unclear translatability of these platforms has hindered their adoption by the pharmaceutical industry; to achieve wide use for drug and chemical safety evaluation, demonstration of reproducibility and robustness under various contexts of use is required. One of these commercially available platforms is the PhysioMimix LC12, a microfluidic device where cells are seeded into a 3D scaffold that is continuously perfused with recirculating cell culture media to mimic liver sinusoids. Previous studies demonstrated this model's functionality and potential applicability to preclinical drug development. However, to gain confidence in PhysioMimix LC12's robustness and reproducibility, supplementary characterization steps are needed, including the assessment of various human hepatocyte sources, contribution of non-parenchymal cells (NPCs), and comparison to other models. In this study, we performed replicate studies averaging 14 days with either primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) or induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocytes, with and without NPCs. Albumin and urea secretion, lactate dehydrogenase, CYP3A4 activity, and metabolism were evaluated to assess basal function and metabolic capacity. Model performance was characterized by different cell combinations under intra- and inter-experimental replication and compared to multi-well plates and other liver platforms. PhysioMimix LC12 demonstrated the highest metabolic function with PHHs, with or without THP-1 or Kupffer cells, for up to 10-14 days. iPSC-derived hepatocytes and PHHs co-cultured with additional NPCs demonstrated sub-optimal performance. Power analyses based on replicate experiments and different contexts of use will inform future study designs due to the limited throughput and high cell demand. Overall, this study describes a workflow for independent testing of a complex microphysiological system for specific contexts of use, which may increase end-user adoption in drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Y. Lim
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Yuki Kato
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Laboratory for Drug Discovery and Development, Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Courtney Sakolish
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Alan Valdiviezo
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Gang Han
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Piyush Bajaj
- Global Investigative Toxicology, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
| | - Jason Stanko
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Stephen S. Ferguson
- Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Remi Villenave
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip Hewitt
- Chemical and Preclinical Safety, Merck Healthcare KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Rhiannon N. Hardwick
- Discovery Toxicology, Pharmaceutical Candidate Optimization, Bristol Myers Squibb, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Kato Y, Lim AY, Sakolish C, Valdiviezo A, Moyer HL, Hewitt P, Bajaj P, Han G, Rusyn I. Analysis of reproducibility and robustness of OrganoPlate® 2-lane 96, a liver microphysiological system for studies of pharmacokinetics and toxicological assessment of drugs. Toxicol In Vitro 2022; 85:105464. [PMID: 36057418 PMCID: PMC10015056 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2022.105464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Establishing the functionality, reproducibility, robustness, and reliability of microphysiological systems is a critical need for adoption of these technologies. A high throughput microphysiological system for liver studies was recently proposed in which induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes (iHeps) and non-parenchymal cells (endothelial cells and THP-1 cells differentiated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate into macrophage-like cells) were co-cultured in OrganoPlate® 2-lane 96 devices. The goal of this study was to evaluate this platform using additional cell types and conditions and characterize its utility and reproducibility. Primary human hepatocytes or iHeps, with and without non-parenchymal cells, were cultured for up to 17 days. Image-based cell viability, albumin and urea secretion into culture media, CYP3A4 activity and drug metabolism were assessed. The iHeps co-cultured with non-parenchymal cells demonstrated stable cell viability and function up to 17 days; however, variability was appreciable both within and among studies. The iHeps in monoculture did not form clusters and lost viability and function over time. The primary human hepatocytes in monoculture also exhibited low cell viability and hepatic function. Metabolism of various drugs was most efficient when iHeps were co-cultured with non-parenchymal cells. Overall, we found that the OrganoPlate® 2-lane 96 device, when used with iHeps and non-parenchymal cells, is a functional liver microphysiological model; however, the high-throughput nature of this model is somewhat dampened by the need for replicates to compensate for high variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kato
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Laboratory for Drug Discovery and Development, Shionogi Pharmaceutical Research Center, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka 561-0825, Japan
| | - Alicia Y Lim
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Courtney Sakolish
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Alan Valdiviezo
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Haley L Moyer
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Philip Hewitt
- Chemical and Preclinical Safety, Merck Healthcare KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Piyush Bajaj
- Global Investigative Toxicology, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi USA, MA 01701, USA
| | - Gang Han
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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Valdiviezo A, Brown GE, Michell AR, Trinconi CM, Bodke VV, Khetani SR, Luo YS, Chiu WA, Rusyn I. Reanalysis of Trichloroethylene and Tetrachloroethylene Metabolism to Glutathione Conjugates Using Human, Rat, and Mouse Liver in Vitro Models to Improve Precision in Risk Characterization. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:117009. [PMID: 36445294 PMCID: PMC9707501 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are high-priority chemicals subject to numerous human health risk evaluations by a range of agencies. Metabolism of TCE and PCE determines their ultimate toxicity; important uncertainties exist in quantitative characterization of metabolism to genotoxic moieties through glutathione (GSH) conjugation and species differences therein. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to address these uncertainties using novel in vitro liver models, interspecies comparison, and a sensitive assay for quantification of GSH conjugates of TCE and PCE, S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)glutathione (DCVG) and S-(1,2,2-trichlorovinyl) glutathione (TCVG), respectively. METHODS Liver in vitro models used herein were suspension, 2-D culture, and micropatterned coculture (MPCC) with primary human, rat, and mouse hepatocytes, as well as human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocytes (iHep). RESULTS We found that, although efficiency of metabolism varied among models, consistent with known differences in their metabolic capacity, formation rates of DCVG and TCVG generally followed the patterns human ≥ rat ≥ mouse , and primary hepatocytes > iHep . Data derived from MPCC were most consistent with estimates from physiologically based pharmacokinetic models calibrated to in vivo data. DISCUSSION For TCE, the new data provided additional empirical support for inclusion of GSH conjugation-mediated kidney effects as critical for the derivation of noncancer toxicity values. For PCE, the data reduced previous uncertainties regarding the extent of TCVG formation in humans; this information was used to update several candidate kidney-specific noncancer toxicity values. Overall, MPCC-derived data provided physiologically relevant estimates of GSH-mediated metabolism of TCE and PCE to reduce uncertainties in interspecies extrapolation that constrained previous risk evaluations, thereby increasing the precision of risk characterizations of these high-priority toxicants. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12006.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Valdiviezo
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Grace E. Brown
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ashlin R. Michell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Vedant V. Bodke
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Salman R. Khetani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yu-Syuan Luo
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Weihsueh A. Chiu
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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Rusyn I, Sakolish C, Kato Y, Stephan C, Vergara L, Hewitt P, Bhaskaran V, Davis M, Hardwick R, Ferguson SS, Stanko JP, Bajaj P, Adkins K, Sipes NS, Hunter S, Baltazar MT, Carmichael PL, Sadh K, Becker RA. Microphysiological Systems Evaluation: Experience of TEX-VAL Tissue Chip Testing Consortium. Toxicol Sci 2022; 188:143-152. [PMID: 35689632 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfac061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Much has been written and said about the promise and excitement of microphysiological systems, miniature devices that aim to recreate aspects of human physiology on a chip. The rapid explosion of the offerings and persistent publicity placed high expectations on both product manufacturers and regulatory agencies to adopt the data. Inevitably, discussions of where this technology fits in chemical testing paradigms are ongoing. Some end-users became early adopters, while others have taken a more cautious approach because of the high cost and uncertainties of their utility. Here, we detail the experience of a public-private collaboration established for testing of diverse microphysiological systems. Collectively, we present a number of considerations on practical aspects of using microphysiological systems in the context of their applications in decision-making. Specifically, future end-users need to be prepared for extensive on-site optimization and have access to a wide range of imaging and other equipment. We reason that cells, related reagents and the technical skills of the research staff, not the devices themselves, are the most critical determinants of success. Extrapolation from concentration-response effects in microphysiological systems to human blood or oral exposures, difficulties with replicating the whole organ, and long-term functionality remain as critical challenges. Overall, we conclude that it is unlikely that a rodent- or human-equivalent model is achievable through a finite number of microphysiological systems in the near future; therefore, building consensus and promoting the gradual incorporation of these models into tiered approaches for safety assessment and decision-making is the sensible path to wide adoption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843
| | - Courtney Sakolish
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843
| | - Yuki Kato
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843
| | - Clifford Stephan
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, 77030
| | - Leoncio Vergara
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX, 77030
| | - Philip Hewitt
- Chemical and Preclinical Safety, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Myrtle Davis
- Discovery Toxicology, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, 08543
| | | | - Stephen S Ferguson
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709
| | - Jason P Stanko
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709
| | - Piyush Bajaj
- Global Investigative Toxicology, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, MA, 01701, Framingham
| | - Karissa Adkins
- Global Investigative Toxicology, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, MA, 01701, Framingham
| | - Nisha S Sipes
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711
| | - Sid Hunter
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711
| | - Maria T Baltazar
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Bedfordshire, MK44, 1LQ, United Kingdom Sharnbrook
| | - Paul L Carmichael
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Bedfordshire, MK44, 1LQ, United Kingdom Sharnbrook
| | - Kritika Sadh
- Unilever Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Colworth Science Park, Bedfordshire, MK44, 1LQ, United Kingdom Sharnbrook
| | - Richard A Becker
- American Chemistry Council, 700 2nd Street NE, Washington, DC, 20002
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