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Stempien A, Josvai M, Notbohm J, Zhang J, Kamp TJ, Crone WC. Influence of Remodeled ECM and Co-culture with iPSC-Derived Cardiac Fibroblasts on the Mechanical Function of Micropatterned iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes. Cardiovasc Eng Technol 2024; 15:264-278. [PMID: 38448643 PMCID: PMC11239313 DOI: 10.1007/s13239-024-00711-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In native heart tissue, functions of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) include synthesis, remodeling, and degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) as well as secreting factors that regulate cardiomyocyte (CM) function. The influence of direct co-culture and CF-derived ECM on CM mechanical function are not fully understood. METHODS Here we use an engineered culture platform that provides control over ECM geometry and substrate stiffness to evaluate the influence of iPSC-CFs, and the ECM they produce, on the mechanical function of iPSC-CMs. Mechanical analysis was performed using digital image correlation to quantify maximum contractile strain, spontaneous contraction rate, and full-field organization of the contractions. RESULTS When cultured alone, iPSC-CFs produce and remodel the ECM into fibers following the underlying 15° chevron patterned ECM. The substrates were decellularized and confirmed to have highly aligned fibers that covered a large fraction of the pattern area before reseeding with iPSC-CMs, alone or in co-culture with iPSC-CFs. When seeded on decellularized ECM, larger maximum contractile strains were observed in the co-culture condition compared to the CM Only condition. No significant difference was found in contractile strain between the Matrigel and decellularized ECM conditions; however, the spontaneous contraction rate was lower in the decellularized ECM condition. A methodology for quantifying alignment of cell contraction across the entire field of view was developed based on trajectories approximating the cell displacements during contraction. Trajectory alignment was unaltered by changes in culture or ECM conditions. CONCLUSIONS These combined observations highlight the important role CFs play in vivo and the need for models that enable a quantitative approach to examine interactions between the CFs and CMs, as well as the interactions of these cells with the ECM.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Stempien
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - M Josvai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - J Notbohm
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - J Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - T J Kamp
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - W C Crone
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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Johnson RD, Lei M, McVey JH, Camelliti P. Human myofibroblasts increase the arrhythmogenic potential of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:276. [PMID: 37668685 PMCID: PMC10480244 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04924-3] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) have the potential to remuscularize infarcted hearts but their arrhythmogenicity remains an obstacle to safe transplantation. Myofibroblasts are the predominant cell-type in the infarcted myocardium but their impact on transplanted hiPSC-CMs remains poorly defined. Here, we investigate the effect of myofibroblasts on hiPSC-CMs electrophysiology and Ca2+ handling using optical mapping of advanced human cell coculture systems mimicking cell-cell interaction modalities. Human myofibroblasts altered the electrophysiology and Ca2+ handling of hiPSC-CMs and downregulated mRNAs encoding voltage channels (KV4.3, KV11.1 and Kir6.2) and SERCA2a calcium pump. Interleukin-6 was elevated in the presence of myofibroblasts and direct stimulation of hiPSC-CMs with exogenous interleukin-6 recapitulated the paracrine effects of myofibroblasts. Blocking interleukin-6 reduced the effects of myofibroblasts only in the absence of physical contact between cell-types. Myofibroblast-specific connexin43 knockdown reduced functional changes in contact cocultures only when combined with interleukin-6 blockade. This provides the first in-depth investigation into how human myofibroblasts modulate hiPSC-CMs function, identifying interleukin-6 and connexin43 as paracrine- and contact-mediators respectively, and highlighting their potential as targets for reducing arrhythmic risk in cardiac cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ming Lei
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - John H McVey
- School of Biosciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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Zhan H, Wang Z, Lin J, Yu Y, Xia L. Optogenetic actuation in ChR2-transduced fibroblasts alter excitation-contraction coupling and mechano-electric feedback in coupled cardiomyocytes: a computational modeling study. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2021; 18:8354-8373. [PMID: 34814303 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2021414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
With the help of the conventional electrical method and the growing optogenetic technology, cardiac fibroblasts (Fbs) have been verified to couple electrically with working myocytes and bring electrophysiological remodeling changes in them. The intrinsic properties of cardiac functional autoregulation represented by excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) and mechano-electric feedback (MEF) have also been extensively studied. However, the roles of optogenetic stimulation on the characteristics of ECC and MEF in cardiomyocytes (CMs) coupled with Fbs have been barely investigated. In this study, we proposed a combined model composed of three modules to explore these influences. Simulation results showed that (1) during ECC, an increased light duration (LD) strengthened the inflow of ChR2 current and prolonged action potential duration (APD), and extended durations of twitch and internal sarcomere deformation through the decreased dissociation of calcium with troponin C (CaTnC) complexes and the prolonged duration of Xb attachment-detachment; (2) during MEF, an increased LD was followed by a longer muscle twitch and deformation, and led to APD prolongation through the inward ChR2 current and its inward rectification kinetics, which far outweighed the effects of the delaying dissociation of CaTnC complexes and the prolonged reverse mode of Na+-Ca2+ exchange on AP shortening; (3) due to the ChR2 current's rectification feature, enhancing the light irradiance (LI) brought slight variations in peak or valley values of electrophysiological and mechanical parameters while did not change durations of AP and twitch and muscle deformation in both ECC and MEF. In conclusion, the inward ChR2 current and its inward rectification feature were found to affect significantly the durations of AP and twitch in both ECC and MEF. The roles of optogenetic actuation on both ECC and MEF should be considered in future cardiac computational optogenetics at the tissue and organ scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heqing Zhan
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- Key Laboratory of Emergency and Trauma of Ministry of Education, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Zefeng Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jialun Lin
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Yuanbo Yu
- College of Biomedical Information and Engineering, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Ling Xia
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Błyszczuk P, Zuppinger C, Costa A, Nurzynska D, Di Meglio F, Stellato M, Agarkova I, Smith GL, Distler O, Kania G. Activated Cardiac Fibroblasts Control Contraction of Human Fibrotic Cardiac Microtissues by a β-Adrenoreceptor-Dependent Mechanism. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051270. [PMID: 32443848 PMCID: PMC7290967 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac fibrosis represents a serious clinical problem. Development of novel treatment strategies is currently restricted by the lack of the relevant experimental models in a human genetic context. In this study, we fabricated self-aggregating, scaffold-free, 3D cardiac microtissues using human inducible pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes and human cardiac fibroblasts. Fibrotic condition was obtained by treatment of cardiac microtissues with profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), preactivation of foetal cardiac fibroblasts with TGF-β1, or by the use of cardiac fibroblasts obtained from heart failure patients. In our model, TGF-β1 effectively induced profibrotic changes in cardiac fibroblasts and in cardiac microtissues. Fibrotic phenotype of cardiac microtissues was inhibited by treatment with TGF-β-receptor type 1 inhibitor SD208 in a dose-dependent manner. We observed that fibrotic cardiac microtissues substantially increased the spontaneous beating rate by shortening the relaxation phase and showed a lower contraction amplitude. Instead, no changes in action potential profile were detected. Furthermore, we demonstrated that contraction of human cardiac microtissues could be modulated by direct electrical stimulation or treatment with the β-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol. However, in the absence of exogenous agonists, the β-adrenoreceptor blocker nadolol decreased beating rate of fibrotic cardiac microtissues by prolonging relaxation time. Thus, our data suggest that in fibrosis, activated cardiac fibroblasts could promote cardiac contraction rate by a direct stimulation of β-adrenoreceptor signalling. In conclusion, a model of fibrotic cardiac microtissues can be used as a high-throughput model for drug testing and to study cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemysław Błyszczuk
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Wagistr. 14, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (M.S.); (O.D.)
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 30-663 Cracow, Poland
- Correspondence: (P.B.); (G.K.)
| | - Christian Zuppinger
- Department for BioMedical Research, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Ana Costa
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (A.C.); (G.S.)
| | - Daria Nurzynska
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (D.N.); (F.D.M.)
| | - Franca Di Meglio
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy; (D.N.); (F.D.M.)
| | - Mara Stellato
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Wagistr. 14, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (M.S.); (O.D.)
| | | | - Godfrey L. Smith
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (A.C.); (G.S.)
| | - Oliver Distler
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Wagistr. 14, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (M.S.); (O.D.)
| | - Gabriela Kania
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Wagistr. 14, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland; (M.S.); (O.D.)
- Correspondence: (P.B.); (G.K.)
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Beauchamp P, Jackson CB, Ozhathil LC, Agarkova I, Galindo CL, Sawyer DB, Suter TM, Zuppinger C. 3D Co-culture of hiPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes With Cardiac Fibroblasts Improves Tissue-Like Features of Cardiac Spheroids. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:14. [PMID: 32118040 PMCID: PMC7033479 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Both cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts (CF) play essential roles in cardiac development, function, and remodeling. Properties of 3D co-cultures are incompletely understood. Hence, 3D co-culture of cardiomyocytes and CF was characterized, and selected features compared with single-type and 2D culture conditions. Methods: Human cardiomyocytes derived from induced-pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) were obtained from Cellular Dynamics or Ncardia, and primary human cardiac fibroblasts from ScienCell. Cardiac spheroids were investigated using cryosections and whole-mount confocal microscopy, video motion analysis, scanning-, and transmission-electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), action potential recording, and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results: Spheroids formed in hanging drops or in non-adhesive wells showed spontaneous contractions for at least 1 month with frequent media changes. SEM of mechanically opened spheroids revealed a dense inner structure and no signs of blebbing. TEM of co-culture spheroids at 1 month showed myofibrils, intercalated disc-like structures and mitochondria. Ultrastructural features were comparable to fetal human myocardium. We then assessed immunostained 2D cultures, cryosections of spheroids, and whole-mount preparations by confocal microscopy. CF in co-culture spheroids assumed a small size and shape similar to the situation in ventricular tissue. Spheroids made only of CF and cultured for 3 weeks showed no stress fibers and strongly reduced amounts of alpha smooth muscle actin compared to early spheroids and 2D cultures as shown by confocal microscopy, western blotting, and qPCR. The addition of CF to cardiac spheroids did not lead to arrhythmogenic effects as measured by sharp-electrode electrophysiology. Video motion analysis showed a faster spontaneous contraction rate in co-culture spheroids compared to pure hiPSC-CMs, but similar contraction amplitudes and kinetics. Spontaneous contraction rates were not dependent on spheroid size. Applying increasing pacing frequencies resulted in decreasing contraction amplitudes without positive staircase effect. Gene expression analysis of selected cytoskeleton and myofibrillar proteins showed more tissue-like expression patterns in co-culture spheroids than with cardiomyocytes alone or in 2D culture. Conclusion: We demonstrate that the use of 3D co-culture of hiPSC-CMs and CF is superior over 2D culture conditions for co-culture models and more closely mimicking the native state of the myocardium with relevance to drug development as well as for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Beauchamp
- Cardiology Department, DBMR MEM C812, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christopher B. Jackson
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- IKELOS GmbH, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Cristi L. Galindo
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Biology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Douglas B. Sawyer
- Department of Cardiac Services, Maine Medical Center, Scarborough, ME, United States
| | - Thomas M. Suter
- Cardiology Department, DBMR MEM C812, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian Zuppinger
- Cardiology Department, DBMR MEM C812, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
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6
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Chen K, Huang Y, Singh R, Wang ZZ. Arrhythmogenic risks of stem cell replacement therapy for cardiovascular diseases. J Cell Physiol 2020; 235:6257-6267. [PMID: 31994198 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.29554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure are major contributors to high morbidity and mortality. Approximately 1.5 million cases of myocardial infarction occur annually in the United States; the yearly incidence rate is approximately 600 cases per 100,000 people. Although significant progress to improve the survival rate has been made by medications and implantable medical devices, damaged cardiomyocytes are unable to be recovered by current treatment strategies. After almost two decades of research, stem cell therapy has become a very promising approach to generate new cardiomyocytes and enhance the function of the heart. Along with clinical trials with stem cells conducted in cardiac regeneration, concerns regarding safety and potential risks have emerged. One of the contentious issues is the electrical dysfunctions of cardiomyocytes and cardiac arrhythmia after stem cell therapy. In this review, we focus on the cell sources currently used for stem cell therapy and discuss related arrhythmogenic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuting Huang
- Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Radhika Singh
- Center for Biotechnology Education, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Zack Z Wang
- Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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7
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Zhao Y, Rafatian N, Wang EY, Wu Q, Lai BFL, Lu RX, Savoji H, Radisic M. Towards chamber specific heart-on-a-chip for drug testing applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2020; 165-166:60-76. [PMID: 31917972 PMCID: PMC7338250 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2019.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Modeling of human organs has long been a task for scientists in order to lower the costs of therapeutic development and understand the pathological onset of human disease. For decades, despite marked differences in genetics and etiology, animal models remained the norm for drug discovery and disease modeling. Innovative biofabrication techniques have facilitated the development of organ-on-a-chip technology that has great potential to complement conventional animal models. However, human organ as a whole, more specifically the human heart, is difficult to regenerate in vitro, in terms of its chamber specific orientation and its electrical functional complexity. Recent progress with the development of induced pluripotent stem cell differentiation protocols, made recapitulating the complexity of the human heart possible through the generation of cells representative of atrial & ventricular tissue, the sinoatrial node, atrioventricular node and Purkinje fibers. Current heart-on-a-chip approaches incorporate biological, electrical, mechanical, and topographical cues to facilitate tissue maturation, therefore improving the predictive power for the chamber-specific therapeutic effects targeting adult human. In this review, we will give a summary of current advances in heart-on-a-chip technology and provide a comprehensive outlook on the challenges involved in the development of human physiologically relevant heart-on-a-chip.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimu Zhao
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada
| | - Naimeh Rafatian
- Division of Cardiology and Peter Munk Cardiac Center, University of Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2N2, Canada
| | - Erika Yan Wang
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Qinghua Wu
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Benjamin F L Lai
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Rick Xingze Lu
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Houman Savoji
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Milica Radisic
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada; Toronto General Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada.
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8
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Jang Y, Jung DJ, Choi SC, Lim DS, Kim JH, Jeoung GS, Kim J, Park Y. Multidimensional assembly using layer-by-layer deposition for synchronized cardiac macro tissues. RSC Adv 2020; 10:18806-18815. [PMID: 35693693 PMCID: PMC9122566 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra01577f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fabrication of biomimetic structures for tissues and organs is emerging in the fields of biomedical engineering and precision medicine. While current progress in biomedical research provides a number of biofabrication methods, the construction of multi-dimensional cardiac tissue is highly challenging due to difficulties in the maturation and synchronization of cardiomyocytes (CMs) in conjunction with other types of cells, such as myofibroblasts and endothelial cells. Here, we show a simple fabrication methodology to construct multi-dimensional cardiac macro tissue (mCMT) by layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition of cells on micro patterned PDMS. mCMTs formed by LBL deposition of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts formed 3D patterned structures with synchronized beating characteristics. We also demonstrate that cardiac maturation factors such as the gene expression of MLC2v and cTNI and formation of sarcomeres in mCMTs were significantly enhanced by LBL deposition and growth factors during the maturation process. Fabrication of matured mCMTs with synchronized beating enables providing an efficient platform for evaluating the efficacy and toxicity of drug candidates. These results have important implications because mCMTs are applicable to diverse in vitro studies and drug screening methods that require tissue-like structures and functions in a physiological environment. We fabricated a cardiac macro tissue with synchronized beating by layer-by-layer deposition and evaluated the effect of drug candidates.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Jang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Da Jung Jung
- Biomedical Engineering Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung-Cheol Choi
- Departments of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Do-Sun Lim
- Departments of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jong-Hoon Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Gi Seok Jeoung
- Biomedical Engineering Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jongseong Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yongdoo Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
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9
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Wang Y, Zhu R, Tung L. Contribution of potassium channels to action potential repolarization of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Br J Pharmacol 2019; 176:2780-2794. [PMID: 31074016 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The electrophysiological properties of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) have not yet been characterized in a syncytial context. This study systematically characterized the contributions of different repolarizing potassium currents in human embryonic stem cell-derived CMs (hESC-CMs) during long-term culture as cell monolayers. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The H9 hESC line was differentiated to CMs and plated to form confluent cell monolayers. Optical mapping was used to record the action potentials (APs) and conduction velocity (CV) during electrophysiological and pharmacological experiments. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the presence and expression levels of ion channel subunits. KEY RESULTS Long-term culture of hESC-CMs led to shortened AP duration (APD), faster repolarization rate, and increased CV. Selective block of IKr , IKs , IK1 , and IKur significantly affected AP repolarization and APD in a concentration- and culture time-dependent manner. Baseline variations in APD led to either positive or negative APD dependence of drug response. Chromanol 293B produced greater relative AP prolongation in mid- and late-stage cultures, while DPO-1 had more effect in early-stage cultures. CV in cell monolayers in early- and late-stage cultures was most susceptible to slowing by E-4031 and BaCl2 respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS IKr , IKs , IK1 , and IKur all play an essential role in the regulation of APD and CV in hESC-CMs. During time in culture, increased expression of IKr and IK1 helps to accelerate repolarization, shorten APD, and increase CV. We identified a new pro-arrhythmic parameter, positive APD dependence of ion channel block, which can increase APD and repolarization gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Renjun Zhu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leslie Tung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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10
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Mayourian J, Ceholski DK, Gonzalez DM, Cashman TJ, Sahoo S, Hajjar RJ, Costa KD. Physiologic, Pathologic, and Therapeutic Paracrine Modulation of Cardiac Excitation-Contraction Coupling. Circ Res 2019; 122:167-183. [PMID: 29301848 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.117.311589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cardiac excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) is the orchestrated process of initial myocyte electrical excitation, which leads to calcium entry, intracellular trafficking, and subsequent sarcomere shortening and myofibrillar contraction. Neurohumoral β-adrenergic signaling is a well-established mediator of ECC; other signaling mechanisms, such as paracrine signaling, have also demonstrated significant impact on ECC but are less well understood. For example, resident heart endothelial cells are well-known physiological paracrine modulators of cardiac myocyte ECC mainly via NO and endothelin-1. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated other resident noncardiomyocyte heart cells (eg, physiological fibroblasts and pathological myofibroblasts), and even experimental cardiotherapeutic cells (eg, mesenchymal stem cells) are also capable of altering cardiomyocyte ECC through paracrine mechanisms. In this review, we first focus on the paracrine-mediated effects of resident and therapeutic noncardiomyocytes on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, electrophysiology, and calcium handling, each of which can modulate ECC, and then discuss the current knowledge about key paracrine factors and their underlying mechanisms of action. Next, we provide a case example demonstrating the promise of tissue-engineering approaches to study paracrine effects on tissue-level contractility. More specifically, we present new functional and molecular data on the effects of human adult cardiac fibroblast conditioned media on human engineered cardiac tissue contractility and ion channel gene expression that generally agrees with previous murine studies but also suggests possible species-specific differences. By contrast, paracrine secretions by human dermal fibroblasts had no discernible effect on human engineered cardiac tissue contractile function and gene expression. Finally, we discuss systems biology approaches to help identify key stem cell paracrine mediators of ECC and their associated mechanistic pathways. Such integration of tissue-engineering and systems biology methods shows promise to reveal novel insights into paracrine mediators of ECC and their underlying mechanisms of action, ultimately leading to improved cell-based therapies for patients with heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Mayourian
- From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Delaine K Ceholski
- From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - David M Gonzalez
- From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Timothy J Cashman
- From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Susmita Sahoo
- From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Roger J Hajjar
- From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Kevin D Costa
- From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
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Ong CS, Fukunishi T, Zhang H, Huang CY, Nashed A, Blazeski A, DiSilvestre D, Vricella L, Conte J, Tung L, Tomaselli GF, Hibino N. Biomaterial-Free Three-Dimensional Bioprinting of Cardiac Tissue using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Cardiomyocytes. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4566. [PMID: 28676704 PMCID: PMC5496874 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05018-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We have developed a novel method to deliver stem cells using 3D bioprinted cardiac patches, free of biomaterials. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), fibroblasts (FB) and endothelial cells (EC) were aggregated to create mixed cell spheroids. Cardiac patches were created from spheroids (CM:FB:EC = 70:15:15, 70:0:30, 45:40:15) using a 3D bioprinter. Cardiac patches were analyzed with light and video microscopy, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, cell viability assays and optical electrical mapping. Cardiac tissue patches of all cell ratios beat spontaneously after 3D bioprinting. Patches exhibited ventricular-like action potential waveforms and uniform electrical conduction throughout the patch. Conduction velocities were higher and action potential durations were significantly longer in patches containing a lower percentage of FBs. Immunohistochemistry revealed staining for CM, FB and EC markers, with rudimentary CD31+ blood vessel formation. Immunofluorescence revealed the presence of Cx43, the main cardiac gap junction protein, localized to cell-cell borders. In vivo implantation suggests vascularization of 3D bioprinted cardiac patches with engraftment into native rat myocardium. This constitutes a significant step towards a new generation of stem cell-based treatment for heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin Siang Ong
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Takuma Fukunishi
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Huaitao Zhang
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chen Yu Huang
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Nashed
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adriana Blazeski
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Luca Vricella
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John Conte
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Leslie Tung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gordon F Tomaselli
- Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Narutoshi Hibino
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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Liau B, Jackman CP, Li Y, Bursac N. Developmental stage-dependent effects of cardiac fibroblasts on function of stem cell-derived engineered cardiac tissues. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42290. [PMID: 28181589 PMCID: PMC5299411 DOI: 10.1038/srep42290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated whether the developmental stage of mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) influences the formation and function of engineered cardiac tissues made of mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (mESC-CMs). Engineered cardiac tissue patches were fabricated by encapsulating pure mESC-CMs, mESC-CMs + adult CFs, or mESC-CMs + fetal CFs in fibrin-based hydrogel. Tissue patches containing fetal CFs exhibited higher velocity of action potential propagation and contractile force amplitude compared to patches containing adult CFs, while pure mESC-CM patches did not form functional syncytium. The functional improvements in mESC-CM + fetal CF patches were associated with differences in structural remodeling and increased expression of proteins involved in cardiac function. To determine role of paracrine signaling, we cultured pure mESC-CMs within miniature tissue "micro-patches" supplemented with media conditioned by adult or fetal CFs. Fetal CF-conditioned media distinctly enhanced CM spreading and contractile activity, which was shown by pathway inhibitor experiments and Western blot analysis to be mediated via MEK-ERK signaling. In mESC-CM monolayers, CF-conditioned media did not alter CM spreading or MEK-ERK activation. Collectively, our studies show that 3D co-culture of mESC-CMs with embryonic CFs is superior to co-culture with adult CFs for in vitro generation of functional myocardium. Ensuring consistent developmental stages of cardiomyocytes and supporting non-myocytes may be a critical factor for promoting functional maturation of engineered cardiac tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Liau
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Yanzhen Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nenad Bursac
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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