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Li Y, Cheng S, Shi H, Yuan R, Gao C, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Deng Z, Huang J. 3D embedded bioprinting of large-scale intestine with complex structural organization and blood capillaries. Biofabrication 2024; 16:045001. [PMID: 38914075 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/ad5b1b] [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: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Accurate reproduction of human intestinal structure and functionin vitrois of great significance for understanding the development and disease occurrence of the gut. However, mostin vitrostudies are often confined to 2D models, 2.5D organ chips or 3D organoids, which cannot fully recapitulate the tissue architecture, microenvironment and cell compartmentalization foundin vivo. Herein, a centimeter-scale intestine tissue that contains intestinal features, such as hollow tubular structure, capillaries and tightly connected epithelium with invivo-likering folds, crypt-villi, and microvilli is constructed by 3D embedding bioprinting. In our strategy, a novel photocurable bioink composed of methacrylated gelatin, methacrylated sodium alginate and poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate is developed for the fabrication of intestinal model. The Caco-2 cells implanted in the lumen are induced by the topological structures of the model to derive microvilli, crypt-villi, and tight junctions, simulating the intestinal epithelial barrier. The human umbilical vein endothelial cells encapsulated within the model gradually form microvessels, mimicking the dense capillary network in the intestine. This intestine-like tissue, which closely resembles the structure and cell arrangement of the human gut, can act as a platform to predict the therapeutic and toxic side effects of new drugs on the intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Li
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China
- Organoid Innovation Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengnan Cheng
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China
- Organoid Innovation Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Haihua Shi
- Department of Gastrointestinal surgery, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou 215001, People's Republic of China
| | - Renshun Yuan
- Department of Gastrointestinal surgery, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou 215001, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Gao
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China
- Organoid Innovation Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuhan Wang
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China
- Organoid Innovation Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China
- Organoid Innovation Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Zongwu Deng
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China
- Organoid Innovation Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Huang
- School of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People's Republic of China
- Organoid Innovation Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Division of Nanobiomedicine, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, People's Republic of China
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2
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Furtado KL, Plott L, Markovetz M, Powers D, Wang H, Hill DB, Papin J, Allbritton NL, Tamayo R. Clostridioides difficile-mucus interactions encompass shifts in gene expression, metabolism, and biofilm formation. mSphere 2024; 9:e0008124. [PMID: 38837404 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00081-24] [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: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In a healthy colon, the stratified mucus layer serves as a crucial innate immune barrier to protect the epithelium from microbes. Mucins are complex glycoproteins that serve as a nutrient source for resident microflora and can be exploited by pathogens. We aimed to understand how the intestinal pathogen, Clostridioides difficile, independently uses or manipulates mucus to its benefit, without contributions from members of the microbiota. Using a 2-D primary human intestinal epithelial cell model to generate physiologic mucus, we assessed C. difficile-mucus interactions through growth assays, RNA-Seq, biophysical characterization of mucus, and contextualized metabolic modeling. We found that host-derived mucus promotes C. difficile growth both in vitro and in an infection model. RNA-Seq revealed significant upregulation of genes related to central metabolism in response to mucus, including genes involved in sugar uptake, the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, and the glycine cleavage system. In addition, we identified differential expression of genes related to sensing and transcriptional control. Analysis of mutants with deletions in highly upregulated genes reflected the complexity of C. difficile-mucus interactions, with potential interplay between sensing and growth. Mucus also stimulated biofilm formation in vitro, which may in turn alter the viscoelastic properties of mucus. Context-specific metabolic modeling confirmed differential metabolism and the predicted importance of enzymes related to serine and glycine catabolism with mucus. Subsequent growth experiments supported these findings, indicating mucus is an important source of serine. Our results better define responses of C. difficile to human gastrointestinal mucus and highlight flexibility in metabolism that may influence pathogenesis. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile results in upward of 250,000 infections and 12,000 deaths annually in the United States. Community-acquired infections continue to rise, and recurrent disease is common, emphasizing a vital need to understand C. difficile pathogenesis. C. difficile undoubtedly interacts with colonic mucus, but the extent to which the pathogen can independently respond to and take advantage of this niche has not been explored extensively. Moreover, the metabolic complexity of C. difficile remains poorly understood but likely impacts its capacity to grow and persist in the host. Here, we demonstrate that C. difficile uses native colonic mucus for growth, indicating C. difficile possesses mechanisms to exploit the mucosal niche. Furthermore, mucus induces metabolic shifts and biofilm formation in C. difficile, which has potential ramifications for intestinal colonization. Overall, our work is crucial to better understand the dynamics of C. difficile-mucus interactions in the context of the human gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L Furtado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lucas Plott
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew Markovetz
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Deborah Powers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David B Hill
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jason Papin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Nancy L Allbritton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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3
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Kim R, Sung JH. Microfluidic gut-axis-on-a-chip models for pharmacokinetic-based disease models. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2024; 18:031507. [PMID: 38947281 PMCID: PMC11210976 DOI: 10.1063/5.0206271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The low success rate of new drugs transitioning from animal testing to human clinical trials necessitates the development of more accurate and representative in vitro models. Recent advances in multi-organ-on-a-chip technology offer promising avenues for studying complex organ-organ interactions. Gut-liver-on-a-chip systems hold particular promise for mimicking the intricate interplay between the gut and liver, which play crucial roles in nutrient absorption, drug metabolism, detoxification, and immune response. Here, we discuss the key components of the gut-liver axis, including the gut epithelium, liver cells, gut microbiota, and their roles in the organ functions. We then explore the potential of gut-liver-on-a-chip models to replicate the intricate interactions between the two organs for pharmacokinetic studies and their expansion to more complicated multi-organ models. Finally, we provide perspectives and future directions for developing more physiologically relevant gut-liver-axis models for more efficient drug development, studying liver diseases, and personalizing treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raehyun Kim
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong 30016, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Hwan Sung
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea
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4
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Wang H, Kim R, Wang Y, Furtado KL, Sims CE, Tamayo R, Allbritton NL. In vitro co-culture of Clostridium scindens with primary human colonic epithelium protects the epithelium against Staphylococcus aureus. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1382389. [PMID: 38681959 PMCID: PMC11045926 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1382389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
A complex and dynamic network of interactions exists between human gastrointestinal epithelium and intestinal microbiota. Therefore, comprehending intestinal microbe-epithelial cell interactions is critical for the understanding and treatment of intestinal diseases. Primary human colonic epithelial cells derived from a healthy human donor were co-cultured with Clostridium scindens (C. scindens), a probiotic obligate anaerobe; Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a facultative anaerobe and intestinal pathogen; or both bacterial species in tandem. The co-culture hanging basket platform used for these experiments possessed walls of controlled oxygen (O2) permeability to support the formation of an O2 gradient across the intestinal epithelium using cellular O2 consumption, resulting in an anaerobic luminal and aerobic basal compartment. Both the colonic epithelial cells and C. scindens remained viable over 48 h during co-culture. In contrast, co-culture with S. aureus elicited significant damage to colonic epithelial cells within 24 h. To explore the influence of the intestinal pathogen on the epithelium in the presence of the probiotic bacteria, colonic epithelial cells were inoculated sequentially with the two bacterial species. Under these conditions, C. scindens was capable of repressing the production of S. aureus enterotoxin. Surprisingly, although C. scindens converted cholic acid to secondary bile acids in the luminal medium, the growth of S. aureus was not significantly inhibited. Nevertheless, this combination of probiotic and pathogenic bacteria was found to benefit the survival of the colonic epithelial cells compared with co-culture of the epithelial cells with S. aureus alone. This platform thus provides an easy-to-use and low-cost tool to study the interaction between intestinal bacteria and colonic cells in vitro to better understand the interplay of intestinal microbiota with human colonic epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Raehyun Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kathleen L. Furtado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Christopher E. Sims
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Medicine/Division of Rheumatology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Nancy L. Allbritton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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5
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Xiao J, Guo X, Wang Z. Crosstalk between hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and short-chain fatty acids in inflammatory bowel disease: key clues toward unraveling the mystery. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1385907. [PMID: 38605960 PMCID: PMC11007100 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1385907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The human intestinal tract constitutes a complex ecosystem, made up of countless gut microbiota, metabolites, and immune cells, with hypoxia being a fundamental environmental characteristic of this ecology. Under normal physiological conditions, a delicate balance exists among these complex "residents", with disruptions potentially leading to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The core pathology of IBD features a disrupted intestinal epithelial barrier, alongside evident immune and microecological disturbances. Central to these interconnected networks is hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), which is a key regulator in gut cells for adapting to hypoxic conditions and maintaining gut homeostasis. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), as pivotal gut metabolites, serve as vital mediators between the host and microbiota, and significantly influence intestinal ecosystem. Recent years have seen a surge in research on the roles and therapeutic potential of HIF-1α and SCFAs in IBD independently, yet reviews on HIF-1α-mediated SCFAs regulation of IBD under hypoxic conditions are scarce. This article summarizes evidence of the interplay and regulatory relationship between SCFAs and HIF-1α in IBD, pivotal for elucidating the disease's pathogenesis and offering promising therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyin Xiao
- Graduate School, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
- Department of Anorectal, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Xiajun Guo
- Department of Geriatric, the First People’s Hospital of Xiangtan City, Xiangtan, China
| | - Zhenquan Wang
- Department of Anorectal, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
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6
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Delong LM, Witt CE, Pennell M, Ross AE. A microfluidic chip for sustained oxygen gradient formation in the intestine ex vivo. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1918-1929. [PMID: 38372633 PMCID: PMC10998727 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00793f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The oxygen gradient across the intestine influences intestinal physiology and the microbial environment of the microbiome. The microbiome releases metabolites that communicate with enterochromaffin cells, neuronal cells, and resident immune cells to facilitate the bidirectional communication across the gut-brain axis. Measuring communication between various cell types within the intestine could provide essential information about key regulators of gut and brain health; however, the microbial environment of the intestine is heavily dependent on the physiological oxygen gradient that exists across the intestinal wall. Likewise, there exist a need for methods which enable real-time monitoring of intestinal signaling ex vivo yet this remains challenging due to the inability to adequately culture intestinal tissue ex vivo while also exposing the appropriate locations of the intestine for probe insertion and monitoring. Here, we designed and fabricated a 3D printed microfluidic device to maintain the oxygen gradient across precision cut murine intestinal slices with the capability to couple to external neurochemical recording techniques. The gradient is maintained from outlets below while allowing access to the slice from above for detection with fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) and carbon-fiber microelectrodes. A series of 11 outlet ports were designed to lay underneath the slice which were connected to channels to deliver oxygenated vs. deoxygenated media. Outlet ports were designed in an oval shape where deoxygenated media was delivered to the center of the slice and oxygenated media is delivered to the outer portion of the slice to mimic the location of oxygen across the intestine. An oxygen sensitive fluorescent dye, tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)dichlororuthenium(II), was used to characterize the tunability of the gradient. Viability of the tissue was confirmed by both fluorescence microscopy and FSCV. Additionally, we measured simultaneous serotonin and melatonin signaling with FSCV in the intestine for the first time. Overall, this chip provides a significant advance in our ability to culture intestinal slices ex vivo with the added benefit of direct access for measurements and imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Delong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, 312 College Dr., 404 Crosley Tower, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0172, USA.
| | - Colby E Witt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, 312 College Dr., 404 Crosley Tower, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0172, USA.
| | - Madison Pennell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, 312 College Dr., 404 Crosley Tower, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0172, USA.
| | - Ashley E Ross
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, 312 College Dr., 404 Crosley Tower, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0172, USA.
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7
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Furtado KL, Plott L, Markovetz M, Powers D, Wang H, Hill DB, Papin J, Allbritton NL, Tamayo R. Clostridioides difficile-mucus interactions encompass shifts in gene expression, metabolism, and biofilm formation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.01.578425. [PMID: 38352512 PMCID: PMC10862863 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.01.578425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
In a healthy colon, the stratified mucus layer serves as a crucial innate immune barrier to protect the epithelium from microbes. Mucins are complex glycoproteins that serve as a nutrient source for resident microflora and can be exploited by pathogens. We aimed to understand how the intestinal pathogen, Clostridioides diffiicile, independently uses or manipulates mucus to its benefit, without contributions from members of the microbiota. Using a 2-D primary human intestinal epithelial cell model to generate physiologic mucus, we assessed C. difficile-mucus interactions through growth assays, RNA-Seq, biophysical characterization of mucus, and contextualized metabolic modeling. We found that host-derived mucus promotes C. difficile growth both in vitro and in an infection model. RNA-Seq revealed significant upregulation of genes related to central metabolism in response to mucus, including genes involved in sugar uptake, the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, and the glycine cleavage system. In addition, we identified differential expression of genes related to sensing and transcriptional control. Analysis of mutants with deletions in highly upregulated genes reflected the complexity of C. difficile-mucus interactions, with potential interplay between sensing and growth. Mucus also stimulated biofilm formation in vitro, which may in turn alter viscoelastic properties of mucus. Context-specific metabolic modeling confirmed differential metabolism and predicted importance of enzymes related to serine and glycine catabolism with mucus. Subsequent growth experiments supported these findings, indicating mucus is an important source of serine. Our results better define responses of C. difficile to human gastrointestinal mucus and highlight a flexibility in metabolism that may influence pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L. Furtado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lucas Plott
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Markovetz
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Deborah Powers
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David B. Hill
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jason Papin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Rita Tamayo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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McCoy R, Oldroyd S, Yang W, Wang K, Hoven D, Bulmer D, Zilbauer M, Owens RM. In Vitro Models for Investigating Intestinal Host-Pathogen Interactions. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306727. [PMID: 38155358 PMCID: PMC10885678 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases are increasingly recognized as a major threat worldwide due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance and the emergence of novel pathogens. In vitro models that can adequately mimic in vivo gastrointestinal physiology are in high demand to elucidate mechanisms behind pathogen infectivity, and to aid the design of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions. There exists a trade-off between simple and high throughput models and those that are more complex and physiologically relevant. The complexity of the model used shall be guided by the biological question to be addressed. This review provides an overview of the structure and function of the intestine and the models that are developed to emulate this. Conventional models are discussed in addition to emerging models which employ engineering principles to equip them with necessary advanced monitoring capabilities for intestinal host-pathogen interrogation. Limitations of current models and future perspectives on the field are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reece McCoy
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
| | - Sophie Oldroyd
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
| | - Woojin Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
- Wellcome‐MRC Cambridge Stem Cell InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0AWUK
| | - Kaixin Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
| | - Darius Hoven
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
| | - David Bulmer
- Department of PharmacologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 1PDUK
| | - Matthias Zilbauer
- Wellcome‐MRC Cambridge Stem Cell InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 0AWUK
| | - Róisín M. Owens
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
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9
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Kim R, Sung JH. Recent Advances in Gut- and Gut-Organ-Axis-on-a-Chip Models. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2302777. [PMID: 38243887 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202302777] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
The human gut extracts nutrients from the diet while forming the largest barrier against the outer environment. In addition, the gut actively maintains homeostasis through intricate interactions with the gut microbes, the immune system, the enteric nervous system, and other organs. These interactions influence digestive health and, furthermore, play crucial roles in systemic health and disease. Given its primary role in absorbing and metabolizing orally administered drugs, there is significant interest in the development of preclinical in vitro model systems that can accurately emulate the intestine in vivo. A gut-on-a-chip system holds great potential as a testing and screening platform because of its ability to emulate the physiological aspects of in vivo tissues and expandability to incorporate and combine with other organs. This review aims to identify the key physiological features of the human gut that need to be incorporated to build more accurate preclinical models and highlights the recent progress in gut-on-a-chip systems and competing technologies toward building more physiologically relevant preclinical model systems. Furthermore, various efforts to construct multi-organ systems with the gut, called gut-organ-axis-on-a-chip models, are discussed. In vitro gut models with physiological relevance can provide valuable platforms for bridging the gap between preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raehyun Kim
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong, 30016, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Hwan Sung
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul, 04066, Republic of Korea
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10
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Wang H, Ning X, Zhao F, Zhao H, Li D. Human organoids-on-chips for biomedical research and applications. Theranostics 2024; 14:788-818. [PMID: 38169573 PMCID: PMC10758054 DOI: 10.7150/thno.90492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Human organoids-on-chips (OrgOCs) are the synergism of human organoids (HOs) technology and microfluidic organs-on-chips (OOCs). OOCs can mimic extrinsic characteristics of organs, such as environmental clues of living tissue, while HOs are more amenable to biological analysis and genetic manipulation. By spatial cooperation, OrgOCs served as 3D organotypic living models allowing them to recapitulate critical tissue-specific properties and forecast human responses and outcomes. It represents a giant leap forward from the regular 2D cell monolayers and animal models in the improved human ecological niche modeling. In recent years, OrgOCs have offered potential promises for clinical studies and advanced the preclinical-to-clinical translation in medical and industrial fields. In this review, we highlight the cutting-edge achievements in OrgOCs, introduce the key features of OrgOCs architectures, and share the revolutionary applications in basic biology, disease modeling, preclinical assay and precision medicine. Furthermore, we discuss how to combine a wide range of disciplines with OrgOCs and accelerate translational applications, as well as the challenges and opportunities of OrgOCs in biomedical research and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Department of Interventional & Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
- Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Xiufan Ning
- Department of Interventional & Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Interventional & Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Dong Li
- Department of Interventional & Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
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11
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Keitel L, Braun K, Finger M, Kosfeld U, Yordanov S, Büchs J. Carbon dioxide and trace oxygen concentrations impact growth and product formation of the gut bacterium Phocaeicola vulgatus. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:391. [PMID: 38062358 PMCID: PMC10701953 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-03127-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The promising yet barely investigated anaerobic species Phocaeicola vulgatus (formerly Bacteroides vulgatus) plays a vital role for human gut health and effectively produces organic acids. Among them is succinate, a building block for high-value-added chemicals. Cultivating anaerobic bacteria is challenging, and a detailed understanding of P. vulgatus growth and metabolism is required to improve succinate production. One significant aspect is the influence of different gas concentrations. CO2 is required for the growth of P. vulgatus. However, it is a greenhouse gas that should not be wasted. Another highly interesting aspect is the sensitivity of P. vulgatus towards O2. In this work, the effects of varying concentrations of both gases were studied in the in-house developed Respiratory Activity MOnitoring System (RAMOS), which provides online monitoring of CO2, O2, and pressure under gassed conditions. The RAMOS was combined with a gas mixing system to test CO2 and O2 concentrations in a range of 0.25-15.0 vol% and 0.0-2.5 vol%, respectively. RESULTS Changing the CO2 concentration in the gas supply revealed a CO2 optimum of 3.0 vol% for total organic acid production and 15.0 vol% for succinate production. It was demonstrated that the organic acid composition changed depending on the CO2 concentration. Furthermore, unrestricted growth of P. vulgatus up to an O2 concentration of 0.7 vol% in the gas supply was proven. The viability decreased rapidly at concentrations larger than or equal to 1.3 vol% O2. CONCLUSIONS The study showed that P. vulgatus requires little CO2, has a distinct O2 tolerance and is therefore well suited for industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Keitel
- Chair of Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kristina Braun
- Chair of Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Maurice Finger
- Chair of Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Udo Kosfeld
- Chair of Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Stanislav Yordanov
- Chair of Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jochen Büchs
- Chair of Biochemical Engineering (AVT.BioVT), RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstraße 51, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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12
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Nara S, Parasher G, Malhotra BD, Rawat M. Novel role of folate (vitamin B9) released by fermenting bacteria under Human Intestine like environment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20226. [PMID: 37980374 PMCID: PMC10657476 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47243-0] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The anaerobic region of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has been replicated in the anaerobic chamber of a microbial fuel cell (MFC). Electroactive biomolecules released by the facultative anaerobes (Providencia rettgeri) under anoxic conditions have been studied for their potential role for redox balance. MALDI study reveals the presence of vitamin B9 (folate), 6-methylpterin, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and pteroic acid called pterin pool. ATR-FTIR studies further confirm the presence of the aromatic ring and side chains of folate, 6-methylpterin and PABA groups. The photoluminescence spectra of the pool exhibit the maximum emission at 420, 425, 440, and 445 nm when excited by 310, 325, 350, and 365 nm wavelengths (day 20 sample) highlighting the presence of tunable bands. The cyclic voltammetric studies indicate the active participation of pterin pool molecules in the transfer of electrons with redox potentials at - 0.2 V and - 0.4 V for p-aminobenzoate and pterin groups, respectively. In addition, it is observed that under prolonged conditions of continuous oxidative stress (> 20 days), quinonoid tetrahydrofolate is formed, leading to temporary storage of charge. The results of the present study may potentially be useful in designing effective therapeutic strategies for the management of various GI diseases by promoting or blocking folate receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharda Nara
- Nanobioelectronics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Gulshan Parasher
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Bansi Dhar Malhotra
- Nanobioelectronics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, 110042, India.
- Environmental Sciences & Biomedical Metrology, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr K.S. Krishnan Road, New Delhi, 110012, India.
| | - Manmeet Rawat
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, The Penn State University College of Medicine, Penn State University, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
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13
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Schorr L, Mathies M, Elinav E, Puschhof J. Intracellular bacteria in cancer-prospects and debates. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2023; 9:76. [PMID: 37813921 PMCID: PMC10562400 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-023-00446-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that some human cancers may harbor low-biomass microbial ecosystems, spanning bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Bacteria, the most-studied kingdom in this context, are suggested by these studies to localize within cancer cells, immune cells and other tumor microenvironment cell types, where they are postulated to impact multiple cancer-related functions. Herein, we provide an overview of intratumoral bacteria, while focusing on intracellular bacteria, their suggested molecular activities, communication networks, host invasion and evasion strategies, and long-term colonization capacity. We highlight how the integration of sequencing-based and spatial techniques may enable the recognition of bacterial tumor niches. We discuss pitfalls, debates and challenges in decisively proving the existence and function of intratumoral microbes, while reaching a mechanistic elucidation of their impacts on tumor behavior and treatment responses. Together, a causative understanding of possible roles played by intracellular bacteria in cancer may enable their future utilization in diagnosis, patient stratification, and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Schorr
- Microbiome and Cancer Division, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marius Mathies
- Microbiome and Cancer Division, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eran Elinav
- Microbiome and Cancer Division, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Systems Immunology Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel.
| | - Jens Puschhof
- Microbiome and Cancer Division, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
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14
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Perry EK, Tan MW. Bacterial biofilms in the human body: prevalence and impacts on health and disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1237164. [PMID: 37712058 PMCID: PMC10499362 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1237164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms can be found in most environments on our planet, and the human body is no exception. Consisting of microbial cells encased in a matrix of extracellular polymers, biofilms enable bacteria to sequester themselves in favorable niches, while also increasing their ability to resist numerous stresses and survive under hostile circumstances. In recent decades, biofilms have increasingly been recognized as a major contributor to the pathogenesis of chronic infections. However, biofilms also occur in or on certain tissues in healthy individuals, and their constituent species are not restricted to canonical pathogens. In this review, we discuss the evidence for where, when, and what types of biofilms occur in the human body, as well as the diverse ways in which they can impact host health under homeostatic and dysbiotic states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Man-Wah Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, United States
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15
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Deng S, Li C, Cao J, Cui Z, Du J, Fu Z, Yang H, Chen P. Organ-on-a-chip meets artificial intelligence in drug evaluation. Theranostics 2023; 13:4526-4558. [PMID: 37649608 PMCID: PMC10465229 DOI: 10.7150/thno.87266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug evaluation has always been an important area of research in the pharmaceutical industry. However, animal welfare protection and other shortcomings of traditional drug development models pose obstacles and challenges to drug evaluation. Organ-on-a-chip (OoC) technology, which simulates human organs on a chip of the physiological environment and functionality, and with high fidelity reproduction organ-level of physiology or pathophysiology, exhibits great promise for innovating the drug development pipeline. Meanwhile, the advancement in artificial intelligence (AI) provides more improvements for the design and data processing of OoCs. Here, we review the current progress that has been made to generate OoC platforms, and how human single and multi-OoCs have been used in applications, including drug testing, disease modeling, and personalized medicine. Moreover, we discuss issues facing the field, such as large data processing and reproducibility, and point to the integration of OoCs and AI in data analysis and automation, which is of great benefit in future drug evaluation. Finally, we look forward to the opportunities and challenges faced by the coupling of OoCs and AI. In summary, advancements in OoCs development, and future combinations with AI, will eventually break the current state of drug evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwen Deng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Caifeng Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Robot Intelligent Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences & MEGAROBO, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Junxian Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Zhao Cui
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Jiang Du
- Yunnan Biovalley Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Kunming 650503, China
| | - Zheng Fu
- Robot Intelligent Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences & MEGAROBO, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Hongjun Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Robot Intelligent Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences & MEGAROBO, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Yunnan Biovalley Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Kunming 650503, China
- Robot Intelligent Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences & MEGAROBO, Beijing 100700, China
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16
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Mikami Y, Grubb BR, Rogers TD, Dang H, Asakura T, Kota P, Gilmore RC, Okuda K, Morton LC, Sun L, Chen G, Wykoff JA, Ehre C, Vilar J, van Heusden C, Livraghi-Butrico A, Gentzsch M, Button B, Stutts MJ, Randell SH, O’Neal WK, Boucher RC. Chronic airway epithelial hypoxia exacerbates injury in muco-obstructive lung disease through mucus hyperconcentration. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabo7728. [PMID: 37285404 PMCID: PMC10664029 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abo7728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Unlike solid organs, human airway epithelia derive their oxygen from inspired air rather than the vasculature. Many pulmonary diseases are associated with intraluminal airway obstruction caused by aspirated foreign bodies, virus infection, tumors, or mucus plugs intrinsic to airway disease, including cystic fibrosis (CF). Consistent with requirements for luminal O2, airway epithelia surrounding mucus plugs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) lungs are hypoxic. Despite these observations, the effects of chronic hypoxia (CH) on airway epithelial host defense functions relevant to pulmonary disease have not been investigated. Molecular characterization of resected human lungs from individuals with a spectrum of muco-obstructive lung diseases (MOLDs) or COVID-19 identified molecular features of chronic hypoxia, including increased EGLN3 expression, in epithelia lining mucus-obstructed airways. In vitro experiments using cultured chronically hypoxic airway epithelia revealed conversion to a glycolytic metabolic state with maintenance of cellular architecture. Chronically hypoxic airway epithelia unexpectedly exhibited increased MUC5B mucin production and increased transepithelial Na+ and fluid absorption mediated by HIF1α/HIF2α-dependent up-regulation of β and γENaC (epithelial Na+ channel) subunit expression. The combination of increased Na+ absorption and MUC5B production generated hyperconcentrated mucus predicted to perpetuate obstruction. Single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analyses of chronically hypoxic cultured airway epithelia revealed transcriptional changes involved in airway wall remodeling, destruction, and angiogenesis. These results were confirmed by RNA-in situ hybridization studies of lungs from individuals with MOLD. Our data suggest that chronic airway epithelial hypoxia may be central to the pathogenesis of persistent mucus accumulation in MOLDs and associated airway wall damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Mikami
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Barbara R. Grubb
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Troy D. Rogers
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Hong Dang
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Takanori Asakura
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Pradeep Kota
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Rodney C. Gilmore
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Kenichi Okuda
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Lisa C. Morton
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Ling Sun
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Gang Chen
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jason A. Wykoff
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Camille Ehre
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Juan Vilar
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Catharina van Heusden
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | | | - Martina Gentzsch
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Brian Button
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - M. Jackson Stutts
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Scott H. Randell
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Wanda K. O’Neal
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Richard C. Boucher
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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17
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Kim R. Advanced Organotypic In Vitro Model Systems for Host-Microbial Coculture. BIOCHIP JOURNAL 2023; 17:1-27. [PMID: 37363268 PMCID: PMC10201494 DOI: 10.1007/s13206-023-00103-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
In vitro model systems have been advanced to recapitulate important physiological features of the target organ in vivo more closely than the conventional cell line cultures on a petri dish. The advanced organotypic model systems can be used as a complementary or alternative tool for various testing and screening. Numerous data from germ-free animal studies and genome sequencings of clinical samples indicate that human microbiota is an essential part of the human body, but current in vitro model systems rarely include them, which can be one of the reasons for the discrepancy in the tissue phenotypes and outcome of therapeutic intervention between in vivo and in vitro tissues. A coculture model system with appropriate microbes and host cells may have great potential to bridge the gap between the in vitro model and the in vivo counterpart. However, successfully integrating two species in one system introduces new variables to consider and poses new challenges to overcome. This review aims to provide perspectives on the important factors that should be considered for developing organotypic bacterial coculture models. Recent advances in various organotypic bacterial coculture models are highlighted. Finally, challenges and opportunities in developing organotypic microbial coculture models are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raehyun Kim
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong, Republic of Korea
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18
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Blachier F. Amino Acid-Derived Bacterial Metabolites in the Colorectal Luminal Fluid: Effects on Microbial Communication, Metabolism, Physiology, and Growth. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1317. [PMID: 37317289 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Undigested dietary and endogenous proteins, as well as unabsorbed amino acids, can move from the terminal part of the ileum into the large intestine, where they meet a dense microbial population. Exfoliated cells and mucus released from the large intestine epithelium also supply nitrogenous material to this microbial population. The bacteria in the large intestine luminal fluid release amino acids from the available proteins, and amino acids are then used for bacterial protein synthesis, energy production, and in other various catabolic pathways. The resulting metabolic intermediaries and end products can then accumulate in the colorectal fluid, and their concentrations appear to depend on different parameters, including microbiota composition and metabolic activity, substrate availability, and the capacity of absorptive colonocytes to absorb these metabolites. The aim of the present review is to present how amino acid-derived bacterial metabolites can affect microbial communication between both commensal and pathogenic microorganisms, as well as their metabolism, physiology, and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Blachier
- Université Paris-Saclay, AgroParisTech, INRAe, UMR PNCA, 91120 Palaiseau, France
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19
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Satta S, Rockwood SJ, Wang K, Wang S, Mozneb M, Arzt M, Hsiai TK, Sharma A. Microfluidic Organ-Chips and Stem Cell Models in the Fight Against COVID-19. Circ Res 2023; 132:1405-1424. [PMID: 37167356 PMCID: PMC10171291 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.122.321877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the virus underlying COVID-19, has now been recognized to cause multiorgan disease with a systemic effect on the host. To effectively combat SARS-CoV-2 and the subsequent development of COVID-19, it is critical to detect, monitor, and model viral pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss recent advancements in microfluidics, organ-on-a-chip, and human stem cell-derived models to study SARS-CoV-2 infection in the physiological organ microenvironment, together with their limitations. Microfluidic-based detection methods have greatly enhanced the rapidity, accessibility, and sensitivity of viral detection from patient samples. Engineered organ-on-a-chip models that recapitulate in vivo physiology have been developed for many organ systems to study viral pathology. Human stem cell-derived models have been utilized not only to model viral tropism and pathogenesis in a physiologically relevant context but also to screen for effective therapeutic compounds. The combination of all these platforms, along with future advancements, may aid to identify potential targets and develop novel strategies to counteract COVID-19 pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Satta
- Division of Cardiology and Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Medicine, Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, California (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.)
| | - Sarah J Rockwood
- Stanford University Medical Scientist Training Program, Palo Alto, CA (S.J.R.)
| | - Kaidong Wang
- Division of Cardiology and Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Medicine, Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, California (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.)
| | - Shaolei Wang
- Division of Cardiology and Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Medicine, Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, California (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.)
| | - Maedeh Mozneb
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Smidt Heart Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Cancer Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Madelyn Arzt
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Smidt Heart Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Cancer Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Tzung K Hsiai
- Division of Cardiology and Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.), University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Medicine, Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, California (S.S., K.W., S.W., T.K.H.)
| | - Arun Sharma
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Smidt Heart Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Cancer Institute (M.M., M.A., A.S.), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
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20
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Palasantzas VEJM, Tamargo-Rubio I, Le K, Slager J, Wijmenga C, Jonkers IH, Kumar V, Fu J, Withoff S. iPSC-derived organ-on-a-chip models for personalized human genetics and pharmacogenomics studies. Trends Genet 2023; 39:268-284. [PMID: 36746737 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have now correlated hundreds of genetic variants with complex genetic diseases and drug efficacy. Functional characterization of these factors remains challenging, particularly because of the lack of human model systems. Molecular and nanotechnological advances, in particular the ability to generate patient-specific PSC lines, differentiate them into diverse cell types, and seed and combine them on microfluidic chips, have led to the establishment of organ-on-a-chip (OoC) platforms that recapitulate organ biology. OoC technology thus provides unique personalized platforms for studying the effects of host genetics and environmental factors on organ physiology. In this review we describe the technology and provide examples of how OoCs may be used for disease modeling and pharmacogenetic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E J M Palasantzas
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Isabel Tamargo-Rubio
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kieu Le
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jelle Slager
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cisca Wijmenga
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Iris H Jonkers
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Centre for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jingyuan Fu
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sebo Withoff
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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21
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Athanasopoulou K, Adamopoulos PG, Scorilas A. Unveiling the Human Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiome: The Past, Present, and Future of Metagenomics. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030827. [PMID: 36979806 PMCID: PMC10045138 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Over 1014 symbiotic microorganisms are present in a healthy human body and are responsible for the synthesis of vital vitamins and amino acids, mediating cellular pathways and supporting immunity. However, the deregulation of microbial dynamics can provoke diverse human diseases such as diabetes, human cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. The human gastrointestinal tract constitutes a hospitable environment in which a plethora of microbes, including diverse species of archaea, bacteria, fungi, and microeukaryotes as well as viruses, inhabit. In particular, the gut microbiome is the largest microbiome community in the human body and has drawn for decades the attention of scientists for its significance in medical microbiology. Revolutions in sequencing techniques, including 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing and whole genome sequencing, facilitate the detection of microbiomes and have opened new vistas in the study of human microbiota. Especially, the flourishing fields of metagenomics and metatranscriptomics aim to detect all genomes and transcriptomes that are retrieved from environmental and human samples. The present review highlights the complexity of the gastrointestinal tract microbiome and deciphers its implication not only in cellular homeostasis but also in human diseases. Finally, a thorough description of the widely used microbiome detection methods is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantina Athanasopoulou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis G Adamopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15701 Athens, Greece
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22
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Xiang X, Wang X, Shang Y, Ding Y. Microfluidic intestine-on-a-chip: Current progress and further perspectives of probiotic-foodborne pathogen interactions. Trends Food Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
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23
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Guo Y, Chen X, Gong P, Li G, Yao W, Yang W. The Gut-Organ-Axis Concept: Advances the Application of Gut-on-Chip Technology. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044089. [PMID: 36835499 PMCID: PMC9962350 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestine is considered to be a vital digestive organ to absorb nutrients and is the largest immune organ, while numerous microorganisms coexist with the host. It is well known that the complex interactions between the gut microbiota and the host's immune system inevitably affect the function of other organs, creating an "axis" between them. During the past few years, a new technique based mainly on microfluidics and cell biology has been developed to emulate the structure, function, and microenvironment of the human gut, called the "gut-on-chip". This microfluidic chip provides insight into key aspects of gut function in health and disease, such as the gut-brain axis, gut-liver axis, gut-kidney axis, and gut-lung axis. In this review, we first describe the basic theory of the gut axis and the various composition and parameter monitoring of the gut microarray systems, as well as summarize the development and emerging advances in the gut-organ-on-chip, with a focus on the host-gut flora and nutrient metabolism, and highlight their role in pathophysiological studies. In addition, this paper discusses the challenges and prospects for the current development and further use of the gut-organ-on-chip platform.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pin Gong
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-13772196479
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24
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Nguyen NM, Cho J, Lee C. Gut Microbiota and Alzheimer's Disease: How to Study and Apply Their Relationship. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044047. [PMID: 36835459 PMCID: PMC9958597 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiota (GM), the microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, contribute to the regulation of brain homeostasis through bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain. GM disturbance has been discovered to be related to various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) has emerged as an enticing subject not only to understand AD pathology but also to provide novel therapeutic strategies for AD. In this review, the general concept of the MGBA and its impacts on the development and progression of AD are described. Then, diverse experimental approaches for studying the roles of GM in AD pathogenesis are presented. Finally, the MGBA-based therapeutic strategies for AD are discussed. This review provides concise guidance for those who wish to obtain a conceptual and methodological understanding of the GM and AD relationship with an emphasis on its practical application.
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Liu J, Lu R, Zheng X, Hou W, Wu X, Zhao H, Wang G, Tian T. Establishment of a gut-on-a-chip device with controllable oxygen gradients to study the contribution of Bifidobacterium bifidum to inflammatory bowel disease. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:2504-2517. [PMID: 36779280 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01490d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Supplemental Bifidobacterium has been shown to aid in the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the progression and mechanisms are largely unstudied, partly because of a lack of appropriate models. In vitro human gut models must accurately recreate oxygen concentration gradients consistent with those in vivo to mimic gene expression, metabolism, and host-microbiome interactions. A non-equipment-intensive and inexpensive method for constructing the gut-on-a-chip with physiological oxygen concentration gradients remains challenging. Here, we propose a simple strategy using numerical simulations in a dual-channel gut-on-a-chip to guide chip design and achieve controllable oxygen gradients. By varying the size of microchannels, blocking the oxygen penetration of the polydimethylsiloxane layer at a given location, and controlling the flow of hypoxic/aerobic media, this strategy creates steep gradients across the intestinal epithelium. IBD symptoms were induced on the chip by tumor necrosis factor-α and lipopolysaccharide treatment. Bifidobacterium bifidum has been validated to contribute to the stability of the intestinal epithelial barrier, including preventing epithelial barrier disruption and promoting the repair of damaged intestinal epithelial cell monolayers. These effects may be associated with the co-localization of Bifidobacterium bifidum and ZO-1. This simple but robust approach for designing microfluidic devices is applicable to various organs-on-chips in which fluid dynamics and concentration profiles between different media must be considered. With the customized chip, the integration of activated Bifidobacterium bifidum provides an initial step toward developing a multi-factorial IBD platform. The approach could be scaled up for disease modeling, high-throughput drug screening and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Ronghao Lu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Xiaolin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Wensheng Hou
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Xiaoying Wu
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Hezhao Zhao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Guixue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
| | - Tian Tian
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China.
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Hodgkinson K, El Abbar F, Dobranowski P, Manoogian J, Butcher J, Figeys D, Mack D, Stintzi A. Butyrate's role in human health and the current progress towards its clinical application to treat gastrointestinal disease. Clin Nutr 2023; 42:61-75. [PMID: 36502573 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Butyrate is a key energy source for colonocytes and is produced by the gut microbiota through fermentation of dietary fiber. Butyrate is a histone deacetylase inhibitor and also signals through three G-protein coupled receptors. It is clear that butyrate has an important role in gastrointestinal health and that butyrate levels can impact both host and microbial functions that are intimately coupled with each other. Maintaining optimal butyrate levels improves gastrointestinal health in animal models by supporting colonocyte function, decreasing inflammation, maintaining the gut barrier, and promoting a healthy microbiome. Butyrate has also shown protective actions in the context of intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, graft-versus-host disease of the gastrointestinal tract, and colon cancer, whereas lower levels of butyrate and/or the microbes which are responsible for producing this metabolite are associated with disease and poorer health outcomes. However, clinical efforts to increase butyrate levels in humans and reverse these negative outcomes have generated mixed results. This article discusses our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms of butyrate action with a focus on the gastrointestinal system, the links between host and microbial factors, and the efforts that are currently underway to apply the knowledge gained from the bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendra Hodgkinson
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Faiha El Abbar
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Peter Dobranowski
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Juliana Manoogian
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - James Butcher
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Daniel Figeys
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - David Mack
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada; Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre and Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Alain Stintzi
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada.
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Intestinal organoids as advanced modeling platforms to study the role of host-microbiome interaction in homeostasis and disease. BMB Rep 2023; 56:15-23. [PMID: 36379514 PMCID: PMC9887104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
After birth, animals are colonized by a diverse community of microorganisms. The digestive tract is known to contain the largest number of microbiome in the body. With emergence of the gut-brain axis, the importance of gut microbiome and its metabolites in host health has been extensively studied in recent years. The establishment of organoid culture systems has contributed to studying intestinal pathophysiology by replacing current limited models. Owing to their architectural and functional complexity similar to a real organ, co-culture of intestinal organoids with gut microbiome can provide mechanistic insights into the detrimental role of pathobiont and the homeostatic function of commensal symbiont. Here organoid-based bacterial co-culture techniques for modeling host-microbe interactions are reviewed. This review also summarizes representative studies that explore impact of enteric microorganisms on intestinal organoids to provide a better understanding of host-microbe interaction in the context of homeostasis and disease. [BMB Reports 2023; 56(1): 15-23].
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Kakni P, Jutten B, Teixeira Oliveira Carvalho D, Penders J, Truckenmüller R, Habibovic P, Giselbrecht S. Hypoxia-tolerant apical-out intestinal organoids to model host-microbiome interactions. J Tissue Eng 2023; 14:20417314221149208. [PMID: 36699634 PMCID: PMC9869231 DOI: 10.1177/20417314221149208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbiome is an integral part of the gut and is essential for its proper function. Imbalances of the microbiota can be devastating and have been linked with several gastrointestinal conditions. Current gastrointestinal models do not fully reflect the in vivo situation. Thus, it is important to establish more advanced in vitro models to study host-microbiome/pathogen interactions. Here, we developed for the first time an apical-out human small intestinal organoid model in hypoxia, where the apical surface is directly accessible and exposed to a hypoxic environment. These organoids mimic the intestinal cell composition, structure and functions and provide easy access to the apical surface. Co-cultures with the anaerobic strains Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium longum showed successful colonization and probiotic benefits on the organoids. These novel hypoxia-tolerant apical-out small intestinal organoids will pave the way for unraveling unknown mechanisms related to host-microbiome interactions and serve as a tool to develop microbiome-related probiotics and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Kakni
- Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Barry Jutten
- Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Teixeira Oliveira Carvalho
- Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - John Penders
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Infection Prevention, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Roman Truckenmüller
- Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Pamela Habibovic
- Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Giselbrecht
- Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands,Stefan Giselbrecht, Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering, MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, Maastricht 6229 ER, The Netherlands.
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Biagini F, Daddi C, Calvigioni M, De Maria C, Zhang YS, Ghelardi E, Vozzi G. Designs and methodologies to recreate in vitro human gut microbiota models. Biodes Manuf 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42242-022-00210-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe human gut microbiota is widely considered to be a metabolic organ hidden within our bodies, playing a crucial role in the host’s physiology. Several factors affect its composition, so a wide variety of microbes residing in the gut are present in the world population. Individual excessive imbalances in microbial composition are often associated with human disorders and pathologies, and new investigative strategies to gain insight into these pathologies and define pharmaceutical therapies for their treatment are needed. In vitro models of the human gut microbiota are commonly used to study microbial fermentation patterns, community composition, and host-microbe interactions. Bioreactors and microfluidic devices have been designed to culture microorganisms from the human gut microbiota in a dynamic environment in the presence or absence of eukaryotic cells to interact with. In this review, we will describe the overall elements required to create a functioning, reproducible, and accurate in vitro culture of the human gut microbiota. In addition, we will analyze some of the devices currently used to study fermentation processes and relationships between the human gut microbiota and host eukaryotic cells.
Graphic abstract
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30
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Rudolph SE, Longo BN, Tse MW, Houchin MR, Shokoufandeh MM, Chen Y, Kaplan DL. Crypt-Villus Scaffold Architecture for Bioengineering Functional Human Intestinal Epithelium. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2022; 8:4942-4955. [PMID: 36191009 PMCID: PMC10379436 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.2c00851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Crypt-villus architecture in the small intestine is crucial for the structural integrity of the intestinal epithelium and maintenance of gut homeostasis. We utilized three-dimensional (3D) printing and inverse molding techniques to form three-dimensional (3D) spongy scaffold systems that resemble the intestinal crypt-villus microarchitecture. The scaffolds consist of silk fibroin protein with curved lumens with rows of protruding villi with invaginating crypts to generate the architecture. Intestinal cell (Caco-2, HT29-MTX) attachment and growth, as well as long-term culture support were demonstrated with cell polarization and tissue barrier properties compared to two-dimensional (2D) Transwell culture controls. Further, physiologically relevant oxygen gradients were generated in the 3D system. The various advantages of this system may be ascribed to the more physiologically relevant 3D environment, offering a system for the exploration of disease pathogenesis, host-microbiome interactions, and therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Rudolph
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Brooke N Longo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Megan W Tse
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Megan R Houchin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Mina M Shokoufandeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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Wang C, Cancino A, Baste J, Marten D, Joshi AA, Nasreen A, Bhushan A. Causative Role of Anoxic Environment in Bacterial Regulation of Human Intestinal Function. Cell Mol Bioeng 2022; 15:493-504. [PMID: 36444344 PMCID: PMC9700550 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-022-00735-x] [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: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Life on Earth depends on oxygen; human tissues require oxygen signaling, whereas many microorganisms, including bacteria, thrive in anoxic environments. Despite these differences, human tissues and bacteria coexist in close proximity to each other such as in the intestine. How oxygen governs intestinal-bacterial interactions remains poorly understood. Methods To address to this gap, we created a dual-oxygen environment in a microfluidic device to study the role of oxygen in regulating the regulation of intestinal enzymes and proteins by gut bacteria. Two-layer microfluidic devices were designed using a fluid transport model and fabricated using soft lithography. An oxygen-sensitive material was integrated to determine the oxygen levels. The intestinal cells were cultured in the upper chamber of the device. The cells were differentiated, upon which bacterial strains, a facultative anaerobe, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917, and an obligate anaerobe, Bifidobacterium Adolescentis, were cultured with the intestinal cells. Results The microfluidic device successfully established a dual-oxygen environment. Of particular importance in our findings was that both strains significantly upregulated mucin proteins and modulated several intestinal transporters and transcription factors but only under the anoxic-oxic oxygen gradient, thus providing evidence of the role of oxygen on bacterial-epithelial signaling. Conclusions Our work that integrates cell and molecular biology with bioengineering presents a novel strategy to engineer an accessible experimental system to provide tailored oxygenated environments. The work could provide new avenues to study intestine-microbiome signaling and intestinal tissue engineering, as well as a novel perspective on the indirect effects of gut bacteria on tissues including tumors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-022-00735-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyao Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3255 S. Dearborn Street, Wishnick Hall, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Andrea Cancino
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3255 S. Dearborn Street, Wishnick Hall, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Jasmine Baste
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3255 S. Dearborn Street, Wishnick Hall, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Daniel Marten
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3255 S. Dearborn Street, Wishnick Hall, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Advait Anil Joshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3255 S. Dearborn Street, Wishnick Hall, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Amreen Nasreen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3255 S. Dearborn Street, Wishnick Hall, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
| | - Abhinav Bhushan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3255 S. Dearborn Street, Wishnick Hall, Chicago, IL 60616 USA
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Kwon JE, Jo SH, Song WS, Lee JS, Jeon HJ, Park JH, Kim YR, Baek JH, Kim MG, Kwon SY, Kim JS, Yang YH, Kim YG. Investigation of metabolic crosstalk between host and pathogenic Clostridioides difficile via multiomics approaches. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:971739. [PMID: 36118584 PMCID: PMC9478559 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.971739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile is a gram-positive anaerobic bacterium that causes antibiotic-associated infections in the gut. C. difficile infection develops in the intestine of a host with an imbalance of the intestinal microbiota and, in severe cases, can lead to toxic megacolon, intestinal perforation, and even death. Despite its severity and importance, however, the lack of a model to understand host-pathogen interactions and the lack of research results on host cell effects and response mechanisms under C. difficile infection remain limited. Here, we developed an in vitro anaerobic-aerobic C. difficile infection model that enables direct interaction between human gut epithelial cells and C. difficile through the Mimetic Intestinal Host–Microbe Interaction Coculture System. Additionally, an integrative multiomics approach was applied to investigate the biological changes and response mechanisms of host cells caused by C. difficile in the early stage of infection. The C. difficile infection model was validated through the induction of disaggregation of the actin filaments and disruption of the intestinal epithelial barrier as the toxin-mediated phenotypes following infection progression. In addition, an upregulation of stress-induced chaperones and an increase in the ubiquitin proteasomal pathway were identified in response to protein stress that occurred in the early stage of infection, and downregulation of proteins contained in the electron transfer chain and ATP synthase was observed. It has been demonstrated that host cell energy metabolism is inhibited through the glycolysis of Caco-2 cells and the reduction of metabolites belonging to the TCA cycle. Taken together, our C. difficile infection model suggests a new biological response pathway in the host cell induced by C. difficile during the early stage of infection at the molecular level under anaerobic-aerobic conditions. Therefore, this study has the potential to be applied to the development of future therapeutics through basic metabolic studies of C. difficile infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Eun Kwon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung-Hyun Jo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Won-Suk Song
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae-Seung Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyo-Jin Jeon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji-Hyeon Park
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ye-Rim Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji-Hyun Baek
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Min-Gyu Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seo-Young Kwon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae-Seok Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yung-Hun Yang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yun-Gon Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Yun-Gon Kim,
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33
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Juarez VM, Montalbine AN, Singh A. Microbiome as an immune regulator in health, disease, and therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 188:114400. [PMID: 35718251 PMCID: PMC10751508 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
New discoveries in drugs and drug delivery systems are focused on identifying and delivering a pharmacologically effective agent, potentially targeting a specific molecular component. However, current drug discovery and therapeutic delivery approaches do not necessarily exploit the complex regulatory network of an indispensable microbiota that has been engineered through evolutionary processes in humans or has been altered by environmental exposure or diseases. The human microbiome, in all its complexity, plays an integral role in the maintenance of host functions such as metabolism and immunity. However, dysregulation in this intricate ecosystem has been linked with a variety of diseases, ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to cancer. Therapeutics and bacteria have an undeniable effect on each other and understanding the interplay between microbes and drugs could lead to new therapies, or to changes in how existing drugs are delivered. In addition, targeting the human microbiome using engineered therapeutics has the potential to address global health challenges. Here, we present the challenges and cutting-edge developments in microbiome-immune cell interactions and outline novel targeting strategies to advance drug discovery and therapeutics, which are defining a new era of personalized and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria M Juarez
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Alyssa N Montalbine
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ankur Singh
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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Chen Y, Rudolph S, Longo BN, Pace F, Roh T, Condruti R, Gee M, Watnick P, Kaplan DL. Bioengineered 3D Tissue Model of Intestine Epithelium with Oxygen Gradients to Sustain Human Gut Microbiome. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2200447. [PMID: 35686484 PMCID: PMC9388577 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The human gut microbiome is crucial to hosting physiology and health. Therefore, stable in vitro coculture of primary human intestinal cells with a microbiome community is essential for understanding intestinal disease progression and revealing novel therapeutic targets. Here, a three-dimensional scaffold system is presented to regenerate an in vitro human intestinal epithelium that recapitulates many functional characteristics of the native small intestines. The epithelium, derived from human intestinal enteroids, contains mature intestinal epithelial cells and possesses selectively permeable barrier functions. Importantly, by properly positioning the scaffolds cultured under normal atmospheric conditions, two physiologically relevant oxygen gradients, a proximal-to-distal oxygen gradient along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and a radial oxygen gradient across the epithelium, are distinguished in the tissues when the lumens are faced up and down in cultures, respectively. Furthermore, the presence of the low oxygen gradients supported the coculture of intestinal epithelium along with a complex living commensal gut microbiome (including obligate anaerobes) to simulate temporal microbiome dynamics in the native human gut. This unique silk scaffold platform may enable the exploration of microbiota-related mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and host-pathogen dynamics in infectious diseases including the potential to explore the human microbiome-gut-brain axis and potential novel microbiome-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St, Medford, MA, 02155, USA,To whom correspondence may be addressed. ;
| | - Sara Rudolph
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Brooke N. Longo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Fernanda Pace
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Terrence Roh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Rebecca Condruti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Michelle Gee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Paula Watnick
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David L. Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby St, Medford, MA, 02155, USA,Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA,To whom correspondence may be addressed. ;
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Abstract
The failure of animal models to predict therapeutic responses in humans is a major problem that also brings into question their use for basic research. Organ-on-a-chip (organ chip) microfluidic devices lined with living cells cultured under fluid flow can recapitulate organ-level physiology and pathophysiology with high fidelity. Here, I review how single and multiple human organ chip systems have been used to model complex diseases and rare genetic disorders, to study host-microbiome interactions, to recapitulate whole-body inter-organ physiology and to reproduce human clinical responses to drugs, radiation, toxins and infectious pathogens. I also address the challenges that must be overcome for organ chips to be accepted by the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies, as well as discuss recent advances in the field. It is evident that the use of human organ chips instead of animal models for drug development and as living avatars for personalized medicine is ever closer to realization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald E Ingber
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Vascular Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Tullie L, Jones BC, De Coppi P, Li VSW. Building gut from scratch - progress and update of intestinal tissue engineering. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:417-431. [PMID: 35241800 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-022-00586-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Short bowel syndrome (SBS), a condition defined by insufficient absorptive intestinal epithelium, is a rare disease, with an estimated prevalence up to 0.4 in 10,000 people. However, it has substantial morbidity and mortality for affected patients. The mainstay of treatment in SBS is supportive, in the form of intravenous parenteral nutrition, with the aim of achieving intestinal autonomy. The lack of a definitive curative therapy has led to attempts to harness innate developmental and regenerative mechanisms to engineer neo-intestine as an alternative approach to addressing this unmet clinical need. Exciting advances have been made in the field of intestinal tissue engineering (ITE) over the past decade, making a review in this field timely. In this Review, we discuss the latest advances in the components required to engineer intestinal grafts and summarize the progress of ITE. We also explore some key factors to consider and challenges to overcome when transitioning tissue-engineered intestine towards clinical translation, and provide the future outlook of ITE in therapeutic applications and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucinda Tullie
- Stem Cell and Cancer Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.,Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Section, DBC, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Brendan C Jones
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Section, DBC, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Paolo De Coppi
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Section, DBC, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK. .,Specialist Neonatal and Paediatric Surgery Unit, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.
| | - Vivian S W Li
- Stem Cell and Cancer Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
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37
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Kim R, Wang Y, Sims CE, Allbritton NL. A Platform for Co-Culture of Primary Human Colonic Epithelium With Anaerobic Probiotic Bacteria. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:890396. [PMID: 35757791 PMCID: PMC9213686 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.890396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An in vitro platform was designed and optimized for the co-culture of probiotic anaerobic bacteria with a primary human colonic epithelium having a goal of assessing the anti-inflammatory impact of the probiotic bacteria. The device maintained a luminal O2 concentration at <1% while also supporting an oxygenated basal compartment at 10% for at least 72 h. Measurement of the transepithelial resistance of a confluent colonic epithelium showed high monolayer integrity while fluorescence assays demonstrated that the monolayer was comprised primarily of goblet cells and colonocytes, the two major differentiated cell subtypes of the colonic epithelium. High monolayer barrier function and viability were maintained during co-culture of the epithelium with the probiotic obligate anaerobe Anaerobutyricum hallii (A. hallii). Importantly the device supported a static co-culture of microbes and colonic epithelium mimicking the largely static or low flow conditions within the colonic lumen. A model inflamed colonic epithelium was generated by the addition of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to the basal and luminal epithelium sides, respectively. Co-culture of A. hallii with the LPS/TNF-α treated intestine diminished IL-8 secretion by ≥40% which could be mimicked by co-culture with the A. hallii metabolite butyrate. In contrast, co-culture of the inflamed epithelium with two strains of lactic acid-producing bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Bifidobacterium adolescentis (B. adolescentis), did not diminish epithelial IL-8 secretion. Co-culture with colonic epithelial cells from different donors demonstrated a consistent anti-inflammatory effect by A. hallii, but distinct responses to co-culture with LGG and B. adolescentis. The demonstrated system offers a simple and easily adopted platform for examining the physiologic impact of alterations in the intestinal epithelium that occur in the presence of probiotic bacteria and their metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raehyun Kim
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Sejong, South Korea
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Christopher E. Sims
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Nancy L. Allbritton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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Lee SY, Byun HJ, Choi H, Won JI, Han J, Park S, Kim D, Sung JH. Development of a Pumpless Microfluidic System to Study the Interaction between Gut Microbes and Intestinal Epithelial Cells. BIOTECHNOL BIOPROC E 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12257-021-0268-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Lian L, Zhou C, Tang G, Xie M, Wang Z, Luo Z, Japo J, Wang D, Zhou J, Wang M, Li W, Maharjan S, Ruelas M, Guo J, Wu X, Zhang YS. Uniaxial and Coaxial Vertical Embedded Extrusion Bioprinting. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2102411. [PMID: 34860472 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202102411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The 3D bioprinting technologies have attracted increasing attention due to their flexibility in producing architecturally relevant tissue constructs. Here, a vertical embedded extrusion bioprinting strategy using uniaxial or coaxial nozzles is presented, which allows formation of vertical structures of homogeneous or heterogeneous properties. By adjusting the bioprinting parameters, the characteristics of the bioprinted vertical patterns can be precisely controlled. Using this strategy, two proof-of-concept applications in tissue biofabrication are demonstrated. Specifically, intestinal villi and hair follicles, two liner-shaped tissues in the human body, are successfully generated with the vertical embedded bioprinting method, reconstructing some of their key structures as well as restoring partial functions in vitro. Caco-2 cells in the bioprinted intestinal villus constructs proliferated and aggregated properly, also showing functional biomarker expressions such as ZO-1 and villin. Moreover, preliminary hair follicle structures featuring keratinized human keratinocytes and spheroid-shaped human dermal papilla cells are formed after vertical bioprinting and culturing. In summary, this vertical embedded extrusion bioprinting technique harnessing a uniaxial or coaxial format will likely bring further improvements in the reconstruction of certain human tissues and organs, especially those with a linear structure, potentially leading to wide utilities in tissue engineering, tissue model engineering, and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Lian
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Cuiping Zhou
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
- Department of Emergency Nanfang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 P. R. China
| | - Guosheng Tang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
- NMPA & Guangdong Key Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical Pharmacology State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease School of Pharmaceutical Sciences The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou Guangdong 511436 P. R. China
| | - Maobin Xie
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Zixuan Wang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Zeyu Luo
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Julia Japo
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Di Wang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Jianhua Zhou
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Mian Wang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Wanlu Li
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Sushila Maharjan
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Marina Ruelas
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Jie Guo
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Xunwei Wu
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School Boston MA 02129 USA
| | - Yu Shrike Zhang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine Department of Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School Cambridge MA 02139 USA
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40
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Grant J, Lee E, Almeida M, Kim S, LoGrande N, Goyal G, Sesay AM, Breault DT, Prantil-Baun R, Ingber DE. Establishment of physiologically relevant oxygen gradients in microfluidic organ chips. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:1584-1593. [PMID: 35274118 PMCID: PMC9088163 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00069e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
In vitro models of human organs must accurately reconstitute oxygen concentrations and gradients that are observed in vivo to mimic gene expression, metabolism, and host-microbiome interactions. Here we describe a simple strategy to achieve physiologically relevant oxygen tension in a two-channel human small intestine-on-a-chip (Intestine Chip) lined with primary human duodenal epithelium and intestinal microvascular endothelium in parallel channels separated by a porous membrane while both channels are perfused with oxygenated medium. This strategy was developed using computer simulations that predicted lowering the oxygen permeability of poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips in specified locations using a gas impermeable film will allow the cells to naturally decrease the oxygen concentration through aerobic respiration and reach steady-state oxygen levels <36 mm Hg (<5%) within the epithelial lumen. The approach was experimentally confirmed using chips with embedded oxygen sensors that maintained this stable oxygen gradient. Furthermore, Intestine Chips cultured with this approach supported formation of a villus epithelium interfaced with a continuous endothelium and maintained intestinal barrier integrity for 72 h. This strategy recapitulates in vivo functionality in an efficient, inexpensive, and scalable format that improves the robustness and translatability of Organ Chip technology for studies on microbiome as well as oxygen sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Grant
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Lee
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Micaela Almeida
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Seongmin Kim
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Nina LoGrande
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Girija Goyal
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Adama Marie Sesay
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - David T Breault
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02139, USA
| | - Rachelle Prantil-Baun
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Donald E Ingber
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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41
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Morphogen Signals Shaping the Gastric Glands in Health and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073632. [PMID: 35408991 PMCID: PMC8998987 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The adult gastric mucosa is characterised by deep invaginations of the epithelium called glands. These tissue architectural elements are maintained with the contribution of morphogen signals. Morphogens are expressed in specific areas of the tissue, and their diffusion generates gradients in the microenvironment. Cells at different positions in the gland sense a specific combination of signals that instruct them to differentiate, proliferate, regenerate, or migrate. Differentiated cells perform specific functions involved in digestion, such as the production of protective mucus and the secretion of digestive enzymes or gastric acid. Biopsies from gastric precancerous conditions usually display tissue aberrations and change the shape of the glands. Alteration of the morphogen signalling microenvironment is likely to underlie those conditions. Furthermore, genes involved in morphogen signalling pathways are found to be frequently mutated in gastric cancer. We summarise the most recent findings regarding alterations of morphogen signalling during gastric carcinogenesis, and we highlight the new stem cell technologies that are improving our understanding of the regulation of human tissue shape.
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Han H, Park Y, Choi Y, Yong U, Kang B, Shin W, Min S, Kim HJ, Jang J. A Bioprinted Tubular Intestine Model Using a Colon-Specific Extracellular Matrix Bioink. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2101768. [PMID: 34747158 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202101768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tremendous advances have been made toward accurate recapitulation of the human intestinal system in vitro to understand its developmental process, and disease progression. However, current in vitro models are often confined to 2D or 2.5D microarchitectures, which is difficult to mimic the systemic level of complexity of the native tissue. To overcome this problem, physiologically relevant intestinal models are developed with a 3D hollow tubular structure using 3D bioprinting strategy. A tissue-specific biomaterial, colon-derived decellularized extracellular matrix (Colon dECM) is developed and it provides significant maturation-guiding potential to human intestinal cells. To fabricate a perfusable tubular model, a simultaneous printing process of multiple materials through concentrically assembled nozzles is developed and a light-activated Colon dECM bioink is employed by supplementing with ruthenium/sodium persulfate as a photoinitiator. The bioprinted intestinal tissue models show spontaneous 3D morphogenesis of the human intestinal epithelium without any external stimuli. In consequence, the printed cells form multicellular aggregates and cysts and then differentiate into several types of enterocytes, building junctional networks. This system can serve as a platform to evaluate the effects of potential drug-induced toxicity on the human intestinal tissue and create a coculture model with commensal microbes and immune cells for future therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hohyeon Han
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
| | - Yejin Park
- Department of Convergence IT Engineering POSTECH Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
| | - Yoo‐mi Choi
- Department of Convergence IT Engineering POSTECH Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
| | - Uijung Yong
- Department of Convergence IT Engineering POSTECH Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
| | - Byeongmin Kang
- Department of Convergence IT Engineering POSTECH Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
| | - Woojung Shin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712 USA
- Department of Oncology Dell Medical School The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - Soyoun Min
- Department of Biomedical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712 USA
- Department of Oncology Dell Medical School The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - Hyun Jung Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712 USA
- Department of Oncology Dell Medical School The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 78712 USA
| | - Jinah Jang
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
- Department of Convergence IT Engineering POSTECH Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering POSTECH Pohang Kyungbuk 37673 Korea
- Institute of Convergence Science Yonsei University Seoul 03722 Korea
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Rahman S, Ghiboub M, Donkers JM, van de Steeg E, van Tol EAF, Hakvoort TBM, de Jonge WJ. The Progress of Intestinal Epithelial Models from Cell Lines to Gut-On-Chip. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413472. [PMID: 34948271 PMCID: PMC8709104 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past years, several preclinical in vitro and ex vivo models have been developed that helped to understand some of the critical aspects of intestinal functions in health and disease such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the translation to the human in vivo situation remains problematic. The main reason for this is that these approaches fail to fully reflect the multifactorial and complex in vivo environment (e.g., including microbiota, nutrition, and immune response) in the gut system. Although conventional models such as cell lines, Ussing chamber, and the everted sac are still used, increasingly more sophisticated intestinal models have been developed over the past years including organoids, InTESTine™ and microfluidic gut-on-chip. In this review, we gathered the most recent insights on the setup, advantages, limitations, and future perspectives of most frequently used in vitro and ex vivo models to study intestinal physiology and functions in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shafaque Rahman
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 BK Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (S.R.); (M.G.); (T.B.M.H.)
| | - Mohammed Ghiboub
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 BK Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (S.R.); (M.G.); (T.B.M.H.)
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Emma Children’s Hospital, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joanne M. Donkers
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands; (J.M.D.); (E.v.d.S.); (E.A.F.v.T.)
| | - Evita van de Steeg
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands; (J.M.D.); (E.v.d.S.); (E.A.F.v.T.)
| | - Eric A. F. van Tol
- The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), 3704 HE Zeist, The Netherlands; (J.M.D.); (E.v.d.S.); (E.A.F.v.T.)
| | - Theodorus B. M. Hakvoort
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 BK Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (S.R.); (M.G.); (T.B.M.H.)
| | - Wouter J. de Jonge
- Tytgat Institute for Liver and Intestinal Research, Amsterdam Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 BK Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (S.R.); (M.G.); (T.B.M.H.)
- Department of Surgery, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Correspondence:
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44
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Hinman SS, Huling J, Wang Y, Wang H, Bretherton RC, DeForest CA, Allbritton NL. Magnetically-propelled fecal surrogates for modeling the impact of solid-induced shear forces on primary colonic epithelial cells. Biomaterials 2021; 276:121059. [PMID: 34412014 PMCID: PMC8405591 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The colonic epithelium is continuously exposed to an array of biological and mechanical stimuli as its luminal contents are guided over the epithelial surface through regulated smooth muscle contraction. In this report, the propulsion of solid fecal contents over the colonic epithelium is recapitulated through noninvasive actuation of magnetic agarose hydrogels over primary intestinal epithelial cultures, in contrast to the vast majority of platforms that apply shear forces through liquid microflow. Software-controlled magnetic stepper motors enable experimental control over the frequency and velocity of these events to match in vivo propulsive contractions, while the integration of standardized well plate spacing facilitates rapid integration into existing assay pipelines. The application of these solid-induced shear forces did not deleteriously affect cell monolayer surface coverage, viability, or transepithelial electrical resistance unless the device parameters were raised to a 50× greater contraction frequency and 4× greater fecal velocity than those observed in healthy humans. At a frequency and velocity that is consistent with average human colonic motility, differentiation of the epithelial cells into absorptive and goblet cell phenotypes was not affected. Protein secretion was modulated with a two-fold increase in luminal mucin-2 secretion and a significant reduction in basal interleukin-8 secretion. F-actin, zonula occludens-1, and E-cadherin were each present in their proper basolateral locations, similar to those of static control cultures. While cellular height was unaffected by magnetic agarose propulsion, several alterations in lateral morphology were observed including decreased circularity and compactness, and an increase in major axis length, which align with surface epithelial cell morphologies observed in vivo and may represent early markers of luminal exfoliation. This platform will be of widespread utility for the investigation of fecal propulsive forces on intestinal physiology, shedding light on how the colonic epithelium responds to mechanical cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S Hinman
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jennifer Huling
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ross C Bretherton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cole A DeForest
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nancy L Allbritton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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45
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Zhang J, Hernandez-Gordillo V, Trapecar M, Wright C, Taketani M, Schneider K, Chen WLK, Stas E, Breault DT, Carrier RL, Voigt CA, Griffith LG. Coculture of primary human colon monolayer with human gut bacteria. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:3874-3900. [PMID: 34183870 PMCID: PMC9109719 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00562-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The presence of microbes in the colon impacts host physiology. Therefore, microbes are being evaluated as potential treatments for colorectal diseases. Humanized model systems that enable robust culture of primary human intestinal cells with bacteria facilitate evaluation of potential treatments. Here, we describe a protocol that can be used to coculture a primary human colon monolayer with aerotolerant bacteria. Primary human colon cells maintained as organoids are dispersed into single-cell suspensions and then seeded on collagen-coated Transwell inserts, where they attach and proliferate to form confluent monolayers within days of seeding. The confluent monolayers are differentiated for an additional 4 d and then cocultured with bacteria. As an example application, we describe how to coculture differentiated colon cells for 8 h with four strains of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, each engineered to detect different colonic microenvironments via genetically embedded logic circuits incorporating deoxycholic acid and anhydrotetracycline sensors. Characterization of this coculture system reveals that barrier function remains intact in the presence of engineered B. thetaiotaomicron. The bacteria stay close to the mucus layer and respond in a microenvironment-specific manner to the inducers (deoxycholic acid and anhydrotetracycline) of the genetic circuits. This protocol thus provides a useful mucosal barrier system to assess the effects of bacterial cells that respond to the colonic microenvironment, and may also be useful in other contexts to model human intestinal barrier properties and microbiota-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Zhang
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Martin Trapecar
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Charles Wright
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mao Taketani
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kirsten Schneider
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Wen Li Kelly Chen
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eric Stas
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David T Breault
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca L Carrier
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christopher A Voigt
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Linda G Griffith
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Center for Gynepathology Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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46
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Wang C, Dang T, Baste J, Anil Joshi A, Bhushan A. A novel standalone microfluidic device for local control of oxygen tension for intestinal-bacteria interactions. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21291. [PMID: 33506497 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202001600rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The intestinal environment is unique because it supports the intestinal epithelial cells under a normal oxygen environment and the microbiota under an anoxic environment. Due to importance of understanding the interactions between the epithelium and the microbiota, there is a strong need for developing representative and simple experimental models. Current approaches do not capture the partitioned oxygen environment, require external anaerobic chambers, or are complex. Another major limitation is that with the solutions that can mimic this oxygen environment, the oxygenation level of the epithelial cells is not known, raising the question whether the cells are hypoxic or not. We report standalone microfluidic devices that form a partitioned oxygen environment without the use of an external anaerobic chamber or oxygen scavengers to coculture intestinal epithelial and bacterial cells. By changing the thickness of the device cover, the oxygen tension in the chamber was modulated. We verified the oxygen levels using several tests: microscale oxygen sensitive sensors which were integrated within the devices, immunostaining of Caco-2 cells to determine hypoxia levels, and genetically encoded bacteria to visualize the growth. Collectively, these methods monitored oxygen concentrations in the devices more comprehensively than previous reports and allowed for control of oxygen tension to match the requirements of both intestinal cells and anaerobic bacteria. Our experimental model is supported by the mathematical model that considered diffusion of oxygen into the top chamber. This allowed us to experimentally determine the oxygen consumption rate of the intestinal epithelial cells under perfusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyao Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Thao Dang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jasmine Baste
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Advait Anil Joshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Abhinav Bhushan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
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47
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Dutton JS, Hinman SS, Kim R, Attayek PJ, Maurer M, Sims CS, Allbritton NL. Hyperglycemia minimally alters primary self-renewing human colonic epithelial cells while TNFα-promotes severe intestinal epithelial dysfunction. Integr Biol (Camb) 2021; 13:139-152. [PMID: 33989405 PMCID: PMC8204630 DOI: 10.1093/intbio/zyab008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Hyperglycemia is thought to increase production of inflammatory cytokines and permeability of the large intestine. Resulting intestinal inflammation is then often characterized by excess secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). Thus, hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients suffering from severe trauma or disease is frequently accompanied by TNFα secretion, and the combined impact of these insults on the intestinal epithelium is poorly understood. This study utilized a simple yet elegant model of the intestinal epithelium, comprised of primary human intestinal stem cells and their differentiated progeny, to investigate the impact of hyperglycemia and inflammatory factors on the colonic epithelium. When compared to epithelium cultured under conditions of physiologic glucose, cells under hyperglycemic conditions displayed decreased mucin-2 (MUC2), as well as diminished alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Conditions of 60 mM glucose potentiated secretion of the cytokine IL-8 suggesting that cytokine secretion during hyperglycemia may be a source of tissue inflammation. TNFα measurably increased secretion of IL-8 and IL-1β, which was enhanced at 60 mM glucose. Surprisingly, intestinal permeability and paracellular transport were not altered by even extreme levels of hyperglycemia. The presence of TNFα increased MUC2 presence, decreased ALP activity, and negatively impacted monolayer barrier function. When TNFα hyperglycemia and ≤30 mM glucose and were combined, MUC2 and ALP activity remained similar to that of TNFα alone, although synergistic effects were seen at 60 mM glucose. An automated image analysis pipeline was developed to assay changes in properties of the zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)-demarcated cell boundaries. While hyperglycemia alone had little impact on cell shape and size, cell morphologic properties were extraordinarily sensitive to soluble TNFα. These results suggest that TNFα acted as the dominant modulator of the epithelium relative to glucose, and that control of inflammation rather than glucose may be key to maintaining intestinal homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna S Dutton
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Samuel S Hinman
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Raehyun Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter J Attayek
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Mallory Maurer
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Christopher S Sims
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nancy L Allbritton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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48
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Puschhof J, Pleguezuelos-Manzano C, Clevers H. Organoids and organs-on-chips: Insights into human gut-microbe interactions. Cell Host Microbe 2021; 29:867-878. [PMID: 34111395 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The important and diverse roles of the gut microbiota in human health and disease are increasingly recognized. The difficulty of inferring causation from metagenomic microbiome sequencing studies and from mouse-human interspecies differences has prompted the development of sophisticated in vitro models of human gut-microbe interactions. Here, we review recent advances in the co-culture of microbes with intestinal and colonic epithelia, comparing the rapidly developing fields of organoids and organs-on-chips with other standard models. We describe how specific individual processes by which microbes and epithelia interact can be recapitulated in vitro. Using examples of bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections, we highlight the advantages of each culture model and discuss current trends and future possibilities to build more complex co-cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Puschhof
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Cayetano Pleguezuelos-Manzano
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and UMC Utrecht, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute, 3584 CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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49
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Bossink EGBM, Zakharova M, de Bruijn DS, Odijk M, Segerink LI. Measuring barrier function in organ-on-chips with cleanroom-free integration of multiplexable electrodes. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2040-2049. [PMID: 33861228 DOI: 10.1016/j.ooc.2021.100013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Transepithelial/transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements can be applied in organ-on-chips (OoCs) to estimate the barrier properties of a tissue or cell layer in a continuous, non-invasive, and label-free manner. Assessing the barrier integrity in in vitro models is valuable for studying and developing barrier targeting drugs. Several systems for measuring the TEER have been shown, but each of them having their own drawbacks. This article presents a cleanroom-free fabrication method for the integration of platinum electrodes in a polydimethylsiloxane OoC, allowing the real-time assessment of the barrier function by employing impedance spectroscopy. The proposed method and electrode arrangement allow visual inspection of the cells cultured in the device at the site of the electrodes, and multiplexing of both the electrodes in one OoC and the number of OoCs in one device. The effectiveness of our system is demonstrated by lining the OoC with intestinal epithelial cells, creating a gut-on-chip, where we monitored the formation, as well as the disruption and recovery of the cell barrier during a 21 day culture period. The application is further expanded by creating a blood-brain-barrier, to show that the proposed fabrication method can be applied to monitor the barrier formation in the OoC for different types of biological barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsbeth G B M Bossink
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Mariia Zakharova
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Douwe S de Bruijn
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Mathieu Odijk
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Loes I Segerink
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
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50
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Bossink EGBM, Zakharova M, de Bruijn DS, Odijk M, Segerink LI. Measuring barrier function in organ-on-chips with cleanroom-free integration of multiplexable electrodes. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:2040-2049. [PMID: 33861228 PMCID: PMC8130670 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01289k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Transepithelial/transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements can be applied in organ-on-chips (OoCs) to estimate the barrier properties of a tissue or cell layer in a continuous, non-invasive, and label-free manner. Assessing the barrier integrity in in vitro models is valuable for studying and developing barrier targeting drugs. Several systems for measuring the TEER have been shown, but each of them having their own drawbacks. This article presents a cleanroom-free fabrication method for the integration of platinum electrodes in a polydimethylsiloxane OoC, allowing the real-time assessment of the barrier function by employing impedance spectroscopy. The proposed method and electrode arrangement allow visual inspection of the cells cultured in the device at the site of the electrodes, and multiplexing of both the electrodes in one OoC and the number of OoCs in one device. The effectiveness of our system is demonstrated by lining the OoC with intestinal epithelial cells, creating a gut-on-chip, where we monitored the formation, as well as the disruption and recovery of the cell barrier during a 21 day culture period. The application is further expanded by creating a blood-brain-barrier, to show that the proposed fabrication method can be applied to monitor the barrier formation in the OoC for different types of biological barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsbeth G B M Bossink
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Mariia Zakharova
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Douwe S de Bruijn
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Mathieu Odijk
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
| | - Loes I Segerink
- BIOS Lab on a Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Technical Medical Center and Max Planck Institute for Complex Fluid Dynamics, University of Twente, The Netherlands.
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