Is PERV transfer across hollow fiber membranes relevant to bioartificial liver model?

Knockdown of porcine endogenous retroviruses by RNA interference in Chinese experimental miniature pig fibroblasts

BACKGROUND

The clinical application of porcine-derived xenotransplants is limited by the potential risk of infection due to the presence of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) in tissues, organs, and cells. The establishment of pig fibroblasts with low PERV expression and without PERV-C can provide a nuclear donor to generate a safer transgenic pig.

METHODS

In this study, we obtained Chinese Experimental Miniature Pig fibroblasts (CEMPF) with low expression of PERV and none of PERV-C. We designed small interfering RNA (siRNA) expressed as short hairpin RNAs (shRNA) based on the highly conserved gag and pol regions of PERV and screened for the most effective siRNA to inhibit PERV expression. The selected shRNA-pol3 fragment was introduced into the CEMPF to obtain an engineered CEMPF stably expressing shRNA-pol3.

RESULTS

The PERV mRNA expression level in the engineered CEMPF was only 7.9% of that observed in fibroblasts from wild-type CEMPF, PERV P15E protein expression was significantly reduced. HEK293 cells cocultured with the supernate of the engineered CEMPF showed no PERV infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Engineered CEMPF, which possess no risk of PERV-A/C infection, can serve as a nuclear donor to generate xenograft donor pigs.

Susceptibility of human liver cells to porcine endogenous retrovirus

OBJECTIVES

The risk of porcine endogenous retrovirus infection is a major barrier for pig-to-human xenotransplant. Porcine endogenous retrovirus, present in porcine cells, can infect many human and nonhuman primate cells in vitro, but there is no evidence available about in vitro infection of human liver cells. We investigated the susceptibility of different human liver cells to porcine endogenous retrovirus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The supernatant from a porcine kidney cell line was added to human liver cells, including a normal hepatocyte cell line (HL-7702 cells), primary hepatocytes (Phh cells), and a liver stellate cell line (Lx-2 cells), and to human embryonic kidney cells as a reference control. Expression of the porcine endogenous retrovirus antigen p15E in the human cells was evaluated with polymerase chain reaction, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot.

RESULTS

The porcine endogenous retrovirus antigen p15E was not expressed in any human liver cells (HL-7702, Phh, or Lx-2 cells) that had been exposed to supernatants from porcine kidney cell lines. Porcine endogenous retrovirus-specific fragments were amplified in human kidney cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Human liver cells tested were not susceptible to infection by porcine endogenous retrovirus. Therefore, not all human cells are susceptible to porcine endogenous retrovirus.

Membrane pore size impacts performance of a xenogeneic bioartificial liver1

BACKGROUND

We have developed a novel bioartificial liver (BAL) composed of porcine hepatocyte spheroids in a reservoir design. A semipermeable membrane is used to protect the spheroids from immune-mediated damage. This study was designed to assess the influence of membrane pore size on performance of the spheroid reservoir BAL.

METHODS

Eight healthy dogs were studied during primary and secondary exposures to the spheroid reservoir BAL using membranes with small (10 nm) or large (200 nm) pores. BAL performance was assessed by multiple functional assays. Spheroids were examined microscopically before and after all BAL treatments. Titers of xenoreactive antibody were monitored until elective death of animals on day 42.

RESULTS

Viability and functional performance of spheroids were significantly greater after all BAL treatments that used membranes with 10-nm versus 200-nm pores. Reduced performance in the 200 nm group was associated with 7.7-fold and 78.0-fold rise in xenoreactive antibody titers after first and second treatments, respectively. Dogs in the 10 nm group remained hemodynamically stable during all BAL treatments, whereas those in the 200 nm group experienced acute hypotension (P<0.001) during second BAL exposures. Microscopic examination of spheroids after BAL treatments indicated that deposition of canine proteins, including complement, was associated with reductions in both viability and functional performance of the BAL.

CONCLUSIONS

The elicited immune response of healthy dogs to a xenogeneic BAL was blocked and BAL performance significantly improved by reducing the permeability of the BAL membrane.

Advances in bioartificial liver assist devices

Rapid advances in development of bioartificial liver assist devices (BLADs) are exciting clinical interest in the application of BLAD technology for support of patients with acute liver failure. Four devices (Circe Biomedical HepatAssist, Vitagen ELAD, Gerlach BELS, and Excorp Medical BLSS) that rely on hepatocytes cultured in hollow-fiber membrane technology are currently in various stages of clinical evaluation. Several alternative approaches for culture and perfusion of hepatocytes have been evaluated in preclinical, large animal models of liver failure, or at a laboratory scale. Engineering design issues with respect to xenotransplantation, BLAD perfusion, hepatocyte functionality and culture maintenance, and ultimate distribution of a BLAD to a clinical site are delineated.