1
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Finsberg H, Charwat V, Healy KE, Wall ST. Automatic motion estimation with applications to hiPSC-CMs. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2024; 10:065004. [PMID: 39173648 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ad7268] [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: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are an effective tool for studying cardiac function and disease, and hold promise for screening drug effects on human tissue. Understanding alterations in motion patterns within these cells is crucial for comprehending how the administration of a drug or the onset of a disease can impact the rhythm of the human heart. However, quantifying motion accurately and efficiently from optical measurements using microscopy is currently time consuming. In this work, we present a unified framework for performing motion analysis on a sequence of microscopically obtained images of tissues consisting of hiPSC-CMs. We provide validation of our developed software using a synthetic test case and show how it can be used to extract displacements and velocities in hiPSC-CM microtissues. Finally, we show how to apply the framework to quantify the effect of an inotropic compound. The described software system is distributed as a python package that is easy to install, well tested and can be integrated into any python workflow.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kevin E Healy
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Samuel T Wall
- Simula Research Laboratory, Norway
- Organos, Inc, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
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2
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Jæger KH, Trotter JD, Cai X, Arevalo H, Tveito A. Evaluating computational efforts and physiological resolution of mathematical models of cardiac tissue. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16954. [PMID: 39043725 PMCID: PMC11266357 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67431-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational techniques have significantly advanced our understanding of cardiac electrophysiology, yet they have predominantly concentrated on averaged models that do not represent the intricate dynamics near individual cardiomyocytes. Recently, accurate models representing individual cells have gained popularity, enabling analysis of the electrophysiology at the micrometer level. Here, we evaluate five mathematical models to determine their computational efficiency and physiological fidelity. Our findings reveal that cell-based models introduced in recent literature offer both efficiency and precision for simulating small tissue samples (comprising thousands of cardiomyocytes). Conversely, the traditional bidomain model and its simplified counterpart, the monodomain model, are more appropriate for larger tissue masses (encompassing millions to billions of cardiomyocytes). For simulations requiring detailed parameter variations along individual cell membranes, the EMI model emerges as the only viable choice. This model distinctively accounts for the extracellular (E), membrane (M), and intracellular (I) spaces, providing a comprehensive framework for detailed studies. Nonetheless, the EMI model's applicability to large-scale tissues is limited by its substantial computational demands for subcellular resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Xing Cai
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
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3
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Raniga K, Nasir A, Vo NTN, Vaidyanathan R, Dickerson S, Hilcove S, Mosqueira D, Mirams GR, Clements P, Hicks R, Pointon A, Stebbeds W, Francis J, Denning C. Strengthening cardiac therapy pipelines using human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:292-311. [PMID: 38366587 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Advances in hiPSC isolation and reprogramming and hPSC-CM differentiation have prompted their therapeutic application and utilization for evaluating potential cardiovascular safety liabilities. In this perspective, we showcase key efforts toward the large-scale production of hiPSC-CMs, implementation of hiPSC-CMs in industry settings, and recent clinical applications of this technology. The key observations are a need for traceable gender and ethnically diverse hiPSC lines, approaches to reduce cost of scale-up, accessible clinical trial datasets, and transparent guidelines surrounding the safety and efficacy of hiPSC-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Raniga
- The Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; Pathology, Non-Clinical Safety, GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK.
| | - Aishah Nasir
- The Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Nguyen T N Vo
- The Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | | | | | | | - Diogo Mosqueira
- The Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Gary R Mirams
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine & Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Peter Clements
- Pathology, Non-Clinical Safety, GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Stevenage SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Ryan Hicks
- BioPharmaceuticals R&D Cell Therapy Department, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Amy Pointon
- Safety Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, UK
| | | | - Jo Francis
- Mechanstic Biology and Profiling, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, UK
| | - Chris Denning
- The Biodiscovery Institute, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
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4
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Wu Q, Xue R, Zhao Y, Ramsay K, Wang EY, Savoji H, Veres T, Cartmell SH, Radisic M. Automated fabrication of a scalable heart-on-a-chip device by 3D printing of thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposite and hot embossing. Bioact Mater 2024; 33:46-60. [PMID: 38024233 PMCID: PMC10654006 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The successful translation of organ-on-a-chip devices requires the development of an automated workflow for device fabrication, which is challenged by the need for precise deposition of multiple classes of materials in micro-meter scaled configurations. Many current heart-on-a-chip devices are produced manually, requiring the expertise and dexterity of skilled operators. Here, we devised an automated and scalable fabrication method to engineer a Biowire II multiwell platform to generate human iPSC-derived cardiac tissues. This high-throughput heart-on-a-chip platform incorporated fluorescent nanocomposite microwires as force sensors, produced from quantum dots and thermoplastic elastomer, and 3D printed on top of a polystyrene tissue culture base patterned by hot embossing. An array of built-in carbon electrodes was embedded in a single step into the base, flanking the microwells on both sides. The facile and rapid 3D printing approach efficiently and seamlessly scaled up the Biowire II system from an 8-well chip to a 24-well and a 96-well format, resulting in an increase of platform fabrication efficiency by 17,5000-69,000% per well. The device's compatibility with long-term electrical stimulation in each well facilitated the targeted generation of mature human iPSC-derived cardiac tissues, evident through a positive force-frequency relationship, post-rest potentiation, and well-aligned sarcomeric apparatus. This system's ease of use and its capacity to gauge drug responses in matured cardiac tissue make it a powerful and reliable platform for rapid preclinical drug screening and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinghua Wu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
- Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Ruikang Xue
- Department of Materials, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering and The Henry Royce Institute, Royce Hub Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Yimu Zhao
- Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn Ramsay
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Erika Yan Wang
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Houman Savoji
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1J4, Canada
- Research Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1C5, Canada
- Montreal TransMedTech Institute, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Teodor Veres
- National Research Council of Canada, Boucherville, QC, J4B 6Y4, Canada
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G8, Canada
| | - Sarah H. Cartmell
- Department of Materials, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering and The Henry Royce Institute, Royce Hub Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Milica Radisic
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G9, Canada
- Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4, Canada
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E5, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada
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5
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Jæger KH, Charwat V, Wall S, Healy KE, Tveito A. Do calcium channel blockers applied to cardiomyocytes cause increased channel expression resulting in reduced efficacy? NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2024; 10:22. [PMID: 38429306 PMCID: PMC10907638 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-024-00347-3] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
In the initial hours following the application of the calcium channel blocker (CCB) nifedipine to microtissues consisting of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), we observe notable variations in the drug's efficacy. Here, we investigate the possibility that these temporal changes in CCB effects are associated with adaptations in the expression of calcium ion channels in cardiomyocyte membranes. To explore this, we employ a recently developed mathematical model that delineates the regulation of calcium ion channel expression by intracellular calcium concentrations. According to the model, a decline in intracellular calcium levels below a certain target level triggers an upregulation of calcium ion channels. Such an upregulation, if instigated by a CCB, would then counteract the drug's inhibitory effect on calcium currents. We assess this hypothesis using time-dependent measurements of hiPSC-CMs dynamics and by refining an existing mathematical model of myocyte action potentials incorporating the dynamic nature of the number of calcium ion channels. The revised model forecasts that the CCB-induced reduction in intracellular calcium concentrations leads to a subsequent increase in calcium ion channel expression, thereby attenuating the drug's overall efficacy. The data and fit models suggest that dynamic changes in cardiac cells in the presence of CCBs may be explainable by induced changes in protein expression, and that this may lead to challenges in understanding calcium based drug effects on the heart unless timings of applications are carefully considered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Samuel Wall
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- Organos Inc., Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Kevin E Healy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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6
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Lei CL, Clerx M, Gavaghan DJ, Mirams GR. Model-driven optimal experimental design for calibrating cardiac electrophysiology models. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 240:107690. [PMID: 37478675 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2023.107690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Models of the cardiomyocyte action potential have contributed immensely to the understanding of heart function, pathophysiology, and the origin of heart rhythm disturbances. However, action potential models are highly nonlinear, making them difficult to parameterise and limiting to describing 'average cell' dynamics, when cell-specific models would be ideal to uncover inter-cell variability but are too experimentally challenging to be achieved. Here, we focus on automatically designing experimental protocols that allow us to better identify cell-specific maximum conductance values for each major current type. METHODS AND RESULTS We developed an approach that applies optimal experimental designs to patch-clamp experiments, including both voltage-clamp and current-clamp experiments. We assessed the models calibrated to these new optimal designs by comparing them to the models calibrated to some of the commonly used designs in the literature. We showed that optimal designs are not only overall shorter in duration but also able to perform better than many of the existing experiment designs in terms of identifying model parameters and hence model predictive power. CONCLUSIONS For cardiac cellular electrophysiology, this approach will allow researchers to define their hypothesis of the dynamics of the system and automatically design experimental protocols that will result in theoretically optimal designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chon Lok Lei
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
| | - Michael Clerx
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine & Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - David J Gavaghan
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Gary R Mirams
- Centre for Mathematical Medicine & Biology, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
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7
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Jæger KH, Tveito A. The simplified Kirchhoff network model (SKNM): a cell-based reaction-diffusion model of excitable tissue. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16434. [PMID: 37777588 PMCID: PMC10542379 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43444-9] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-based models of excitable tissues offer the advantage of cell-level precision, which cannot be achieved using traditional homogenized electrophysiological models. However, this enhanced accuracy comes at the cost of increased computational demands, necessitating the development of efficient cell-based models. The widely-accepted bidomain model serves as the standard in computational cardiac electrophysiology, and under certain anisotropy ratio conditions, it is well known that it can be reduced to the simpler monodomain model. Recently, the Kirchhoff Network Model (KNM) was developed as a cell-based counterpart to the bidomain model. In this paper, we aim to demonstrate that KNM can be simplified using the same steps employed to derive the monodomain model from the bidomain model. We present the cell-based Simplified Kirchhoff Network Model (SKNM), which produces results closely aligned with those of KNM while requiring significantly less computational resources.
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8
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Vuorenpää H, Björninen M, Välimäki H, Ahola A, Kroon M, Honkamäki L, Koivumäki JT, Pekkanen-Mattila M. Building blocks of microphysiological system to model physiology and pathophysiology of human heart. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1213959. [PMID: 37485060 PMCID: PMC10358860 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1213959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Microphysiological systems (MPS) are drawing increasing interest from academia and from biomedical industry due to their improved capability to capture human physiology. MPS offer an advanced in vitro platform that can be used to study human organ and tissue level functions in health and in diseased states more accurately than traditional single cell cultures or even animal models. Key features in MPS include microenvironmental control and monitoring as well as high biological complexity of the target tissue. To reach these qualities, cross-disciplinary collaboration from multiple fields of science is required to build MPS. Here, we review different areas of expertise and describe essential building blocks of heart MPS including relevant cardiac cell types, supporting matrix, mechanical stimulation, functional measurements, and computational modelling. The review presents current methods in cardiac MPS and provides insights for future MPS development with improved recapitulation of human physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Vuorenpää
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Miina Björninen
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Hannu Välimäki
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Micro- and Nanosystems Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Antti Ahola
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mart Kroon
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Laura Honkamäki
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Neuro Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jussi T. Koivumäki
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mari Pekkanen-Mattila
- Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (CoEBoC), BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Heart Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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9
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Nano-scale solution of the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations in a fraction of two neighboring cells reveals the magnitude of intercellular electrochemical waves. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010895. [PMID: 36791152 PMCID: PMC9974139 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The basic building blocks of the electrophysiology of cardiomyocytes are ion channels integrated in the cell membranes. Close to the ion channels there are very strong electrical and chemical gradients. However, these gradients extend for only a few nano-meters and are therefore commonly ignored in mathematical models. The full complexity of the dynamics is modelled by the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations but these equations must be solved using temporal and spatial scales of nano-seconds and nano-meters. Here we report solutions of the PNP equations in a fraction of two abuttal cells separated by a tiny extracellular space. We show that when only the potassium channels of the two cells are open, a stationary solution is reached with the well-known Debye layer close to the membranes. When the sodium channels of one of the cells are opened, a very strong and brief electrochemical wave emanates from the channels. If the extracellular space is sufficiently small and the number of sodium channels is sufficiently high, the wave extends all the way over to the neighboring cell and may therefore explain cardiac conduction even at very low levels of gap junctional coupling.
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10
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Shim JV, Xiong Y, Dhanan P, Dariolli R, Azeloglu EU, Hu B, Jayaraman G, Schaniel C, Birtwistle MR, Iyengar R, Dubois NC, Sobie EA. Predicting individual-specific cardiotoxicity responses induced by tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1158222. [PMID: 37101545 PMCID: PMC10123273 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1158222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs (TKIs) are highly effective cancer drugs, yet many TKIs are associated with various forms of cardiotoxicity. The mechanisms underlying these drug-induced adverse events remain poorly understood. We studied mechanisms of TKI-induced cardiotoxicity by integrating several complementary approaches, including comprehensive transcriptomics, mechanistic mathematical modeling, and physiological assays in cultured human cardiac myocytes. Methods: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from two healthy donors were differentiated into cardiac myocytes (iPSC-CMs), and cells were treated with a panel of 26 FDA-approved TKIs. Drug-induced changes in gene expression were quantified using mRNA-seq, changes in gene expression were integrated into a mechanistic mathematical model of electrophysiology and contraction, and simulation results were used to predict physiological outcomes. Results: Experimental recordings of action potentials, intracellular calcium, and contraction in iPSC-CMs demonstrated that modeling predictions were accurate, with 81% of modeling predictions across the two cell lines confirmed experimentally. Surprisingly, simulations of how TKI-treated iPSC-CMs would respond to an additional arrhythmogenic insult, namely, hypokalemia, predicted dramatic differences between cell lines in how drugs affected arrhythmia susceptibility, and these predictions were confirmed experimentally. Computational analysis revealed that differences between cell lines in the upregulation or downregulation of particular ion channels could explain how TKI-treated cells responded differently to hypokalemia. Discussion: Overall, the study identifies transcriptional mechanisms underlying cardiotoxicity caused by TKIs, and illustrates a novel approach for integrating transcriptomics with mechanistic mathematical models to generate experimentally testable, individual-specific predictions of adverse event risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehee V. Shim
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yuguang Xiong
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Priyanka Dhanan
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rafael Dariolli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Evren U. Azeloglu
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bin Hu
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Gomathi Jayaraman
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christoph Schaniel
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Ravi Iyengar
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Ravi Iyengar, ; Eric A. Sobie,
| | - Nicole C. Dubois
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eric A. Sobie
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Institute for Systems Biomedicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Ravi Iyengar, ; Eric A. Sobie,
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11
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Baltov B, Beyl S, Baburin I, Reinhardt J, Szkokan P, Garifulina A, Timin E, Kraushaar U, Potterat O, Hamburger M, Kügler P, Hering S. Assay for evaluation of proarrhythmic effects of herbal products: Case study with 12 Evodia preparations. Toxicol Rep 2023; 10:589-599. [PMID: 37213814 PMCID: PMC10196857 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2023.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Guidelines for preclinical drug development reduce the occurrence of arrhythmia-related side effects. Besides ample evidence for the presence of arrhythmogenic substances in plants, there is no consensus on a research strategy for the evaluation of proarrhythmic effects of herbal products. Here, we propose a cardiac safety assay for the detection of proarrhythmic effects of plant extracts based on the experimental approaches described in the Comprehensive In vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA). Microelectrode array studies (MEAs) and voltage sensing optical technique on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) were combined with ionic current measurements in mammalian cell lines, In-silico simulations of cardiac action potentials (APs) and statistic regression analysis. Proarrhythmic effects of 12 Evodia preparations, containing different amounts of the hERG inhibitors dehydroevodiamine (DHE) and hortiamine were analysed. Extracts produced different prolongation of the AP, occurrence of early after depolarisations and triangulation of the AP in hiPSC-CMs depending on the contents of the hERG inhibitors. DHE and hortiamine dose-dependently prolonged the field potential duration in hiPSC-CMs studied with MEAs. In-silico simulations of ventricular AP support a scenario where proarrhythmic effects of Evodia extracts are predominantly caused by the content of the selective hERG inhibitors. Statistic regression analysis revealed a high torsadogenic risk for both compounds that was comparable to drugs assigned to the high-risk category in a CiPA study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bozhidar Baltov
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- ChanPharm GmbH, Am Kanal 27, 1110 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Igor Baburin
- ChanPharm GmbH, Am Kanal 27, 1110 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jakob Reinhardt
- Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Aleksandra Garifulina
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Eugen Timin
- ChanPharm GmbH, Am Kanal 27, 1110 Vienna, Austria
| | - Udo Kraushaar
- NMI Natural and Medical Sciences Institute at the University of Tuebingen, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Olivier Potterat
- Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Hamburger
- Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Kügler
- University of Hohenheim, Institute of Applied Mathematics and Statistics and Computational Science Hub, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Steffen Hering
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- ChanPharm GmbH, Am Kanal 27, 1110 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence to: Am Kanal 27,2/3/5–7, 1110 Vienna, Austria.
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12
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Criscione J, Rezaei Z, Hernandez Cantu CM, Murphy S, Shin SR, Kim DH. Heart-on-a-chip platforms and biosensor integration for disease modeling and phenotypic drug screening. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 220:114840. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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13
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Charwat V, Charrez B, Siemons BA, Finsberg H, Jæger KH, Edwards AG, Huebsch N, Wall S, Miller E, Tveito A, Healy KE. Validating the Arrhythmogenic Potential of High-, Intermediate-, and Low-Risk Drugs in a Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiac Microphysiological System. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:652-667. [PMID: 35983280 PMCID: PMC9380217 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Evaluation of arrhythmogenic drugs is required by regulatory agencies before any new compound can obtain market approval. Despite rigorous review, cardiac disorders remain the second most common cause for safety-related market withdrawal. On the other hand, false-positive preclinical findings prohibit potentially beneficial candidates from moving forward in the development pipeline. Complex in vitro models using cardiomyocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CM) have been identified as a useful tool that allows for rapid and cost-efficient screening of proarrhythmic drug risk. Currently available hiPSC-CM models employ simple two-dimensional (2D) culture formats with limited structural and functional relevance to the human heart muscle. Here, we present the use of our 3D cardiac microphysiological system (MPS), composed of a hiPSC-derived heart micromuscle, as a platform for arrhythmia risk assessment. We employed two different hiPSC lines and tested seven drugs with known ion channel effects and known clinical risk: dofetilide and bepridil (high risk); amiodarone and terfenadine (intermediate risk); and nifedipine, mexiletine, and lidocaine (low risk). The cardiac MPS successfully predicted drug cardiotoxicity risks based on changes in action potential duration, beat waveform (i.e., shape), and occurrence of proarrhythmic events of healthy patient hiPSC lines in the absence of risk cofactors. We showcase examples where the cardiac MPS outperformed existing hiPSC-CM 2D models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Charwat
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Bérénice Charrez
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Brian A. Siemons
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | | | | | | | - Nathaniel Huebsch
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Samuel Wall
- Simula Research Laboratory, 0164 Oslo, Norway
| | - Evan Miller
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | | | - Kevin E. Healy
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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14
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Hustad KG, Cai X. Resource-Efficient Use of Modern Processor Architectures For Numerically Solving Cardiac Ionic Cell Models. Front Physiol 2022; 13:904648. [PMID: 35923230 PMCID: PMC9342677 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.904648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A central component in simulating cardiac electrophysiology is the numerical solution of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, also called cardiac ionic cell models, that describe cross-cell-membrane ion transport. Biophysically detailed cell models often require a considerable amount of computation, including calls to special mathematical functions. This paper systematically studies how to efficiently use modern multicore CPUs for this costly computational task. We start by investigating the code restructurings needed to effectively enable compiler-supported SIMD vectorisation, which is the most important performance booster in this context. It is found that suitable OpenMP directives are sufficient for achieving both vectorisation and parallelisation. We then continue with an evaluation of the performance optimisation technique of using lookup tables. Due to increased challenges for automated vectorisation, the obtainable benefits of lookup tables are dependent on the hardware platforms chosen. Throughout the study, we report detailed time measurements obtained on Intel Xeon, Xeon Phi, AMD Epyc and two ARM processors including Fujitsu A64FX, while attention is also paid to the impact of SIMD vectorisation and lookup tables on the computational accuracy. As a realistic example, the benefits of performance enhancement are demonstrated by a 109-run ensemble on the Oakforest-PACS system, where code restructurings and SIMD vectorisation yield an 84% reduction in computing time, corresponding to 63,270 node hours.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xing Cai
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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15
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Metabolically driven maturation of human-induced-pluripotent-stem-cell-derived cardiac microtissues on microfluidic chips. Nat Biomed Eng 2022; 6:372-388. [PMID: 35478228 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-022-00884-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The immature physiology of cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) limits their utility for drug screening and disease modelling. Here we show that suitable combinations of mechanical stimuli and metabolic cues can enhance the maturation of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, and that the maturation-inducing cues have phenotype-dependent effects on the cells' action-potential morphology and calcium handling. By using microfluidic chips that enhanced the alignment and extracellular-matrix production of cardiac microtissues derived from genetically distinct sources of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes, we identified fatty-acid-enriched maturation media that improved the cells' mitochondrial structure and calcium handling, and observed divergent cell-source-dependent effects on action-potential duration (APD). Specifically, in the presence of maturation media, tissues with abnormally prolonged APDs exhibited shorter APDs, and tissues with aberrantly short APDs displayed prolonged APDs. Regardless of cell source, tissue maturation reduced variabilities in spontaneous beat rate and in APD, and led to converging cell phenotypes (with APDs within the 300-450 ms range characteristic of human left ventricular cardiomyocytes) that improved the modelling of the effects of pro-arrhythmic drugs on cardiac tissue.
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16
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Jæger KH, Edwards AG, Giles WR, Tveito A. Arrhythmogenic influence of mutations in a myocyte-based computational model of the pulmonary vein sleeve. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7040. [PMID: 35487957 PMCID: PMC9054808 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11110-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In the heart, electrophysiological dysregulation arises from defects at many biological levels (from point mutations in ion channel proteins to gross structural abnormalities). These defects disrupt the normal pattern of electrical activation, producing ectopic activity and reentrant arrhythmia. To interrogate mechanisms that link these primary biological defects to macroscopic electrophysiologic dysregulation most prior computational studies have utilized either (i) detailed models of myocyte ion channel dynamics at limited spatial scales, or (ii) homogenized models of action potential conduction that reproduce arrhythmic activity at tissue and organ levels. Here we apply our recent model (EMI), which integrates electrical activation and propagation across these scales, to study human atrial arrhythmias originating in the pulmonary vein (PV) sleeves. These small structures initiate most supraventricular arrhythmias and include pronounced myocyte-to-myocyte heterogeneities in ion channel expression and intercellular coupling. To test EMI's cell-based architecture in this physiological context we asked whether ion channel mutations known to underlie atrial fibrillation are capable of initiating arrhythmogenic behavior via increased excitability or reentry in a schematic PV sleeve geometry. Our results illustrate that EMI's improved spatial resolution can directly interrogate how electrophysiological changes at the individual myocyte level manifest in tissue and as arrhythmia in the PV sleeve.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wayne R Giles
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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17
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Vogt R, Guzman A, Charron C, Muñoz L. Controllability and state feedback control of a cardiac ionic cell model. Comput Biol Med 2021; 139:104909. [PMID: 34818582 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104909] [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: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A phenomenon called alternans, which is a beat-to-beat alternation in action potential (AP) duration, sometimes precedes fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Alternans-suppressing electrical stimulus protocols are often represented as perturbations to the dynamics of membrane potential or AP duration variables in nonlinear models of cardiac tissue. Controllability analysis has occasionally been applied to cardiac AP models to determine whether different control or perturbation strategies are capable of suppressing alternans or other unwanted behavior. Since almost all previous cardiac controllability studies have focused on low-dimensional models, we conducted the present study to assess controllability of a higher-dimensional model, specifically the Luo Rudy dynamic (LRd) model of a cardiac ventricular myocyte. Higher-dimensional models are of interest because they provide information on the influence of a wider range of measurable quantities, including ionic concentrations, on controllability. After computing modal controllability measures, we found that larger eigenvalues of a linearized LRd model were on average more strongly controllable through perturbations to calcium-ion concentrations compared with perturbations to other variables. When only membrane potential was adjusted, the best time to apply perturbations (in the sense of maximizing controllability of the largest alternans eigenvalue) was near the AP peak time for shorter cycle lengths. Controllability results were found to be similar for both the default model parameters and for an alternans-promoting parameter set. Additionally, we developed several alternans-suppressing state feedback controllers that were tested in simulations. For the scenarios examined, our controllability measures correctly predicted which strategies and perturbation timings would lead to better feedback controller performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Vogt
- School of Mathematics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Anthony Guzman
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Clar Charron
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, USA
| | - Laura Muñoz
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, 14623, USA.
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18
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Morotti S, Liu C, Hegyi B, Ni H, Fogli Iseppe A, Wang L, Pritoni M, Ripplinger CM, Bers DM, Edwards AG, Grandi E. Quantitative cross-species translators of cardiac myocyte electrophysiology: Model training, experimental validation, and applications. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg0927. [PMID: 34788089 PMCID: PMC8598003 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg0927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Animal experimentation is key in the evaluation of cardiac efficacy and safety of novel therapeutic compounds. However, interspecies differences in the mechanisms regulating excitation-contraction coupling can limit the translation of experimental findings from animal models to human physiology and undermine the assessment of drugs’ efficacy and safety. Here, we built a suite of translators for quantitatively mapping electrophysiological responses in ventricular myocytes across species. We trained these statistical operators using a broad dataset obtained by simulating populations of our biophysically detailed computational models of action potential and Ca2+ transient in mouse, rabbit, and human. We then tested our translators against experimental data describing the response to stimuli, such as ion channel block, change in beating rate, and β-adrenergic challenge. We demonstrate that this approach is well suited to predicting the effects of perturbations across different species or experimental conditions and suggest its integration into mechanistic studies and drug development pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Morotti
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Caroline Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Bence Hegyi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Haibo Ni
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alex Fogli Iseppe
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Lianguo Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Marco Pritoni
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | | | - Donald M. Bers
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Andrew G. Edwards
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Eleonora Grandi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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19
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Isochoric supercooled preservation and revival of human cardiac microtissues. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1118. [PMID: 34552201 PMCID: PMC8458396 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02650-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-temperature biopreservation and 3D tissue engineering present two differing routes towards eventual on-demand access to transplantable biologics, but recent advances in both fields present critical new opportunities for crossover between them. In this work, we demonstrate sub-zero centigrade preservation and revival of autonomously beating three-dimensional human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiac microtissues via isochoric supercooling, without the use of chemical cryoprotectants. We show that these tissues can cease autonomous beating during preservation and resume it after warming, that the supercooling process does not affect sarcomere structural integrity, and that the tissues maintain responsiveness to drug exposure following revival. Our work suggests both that functional three dimensional (3D) engineered tissues may provide an excellent high-content, low-risk testbed to study complex tissue biopreservation in a genetically human context, and that isochoric supercooling may provide a robust method for preserving and reviving engineered tissues themselves. Powell-Palm et al. demonstrate sub-zero centigrade preservation and revival of autonomously beating, 3D human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiac microtissues via isochoric supercooling, without the use of chemical cryoprotectants. Their study suggests that functional 3D engineered tissues may provide a high-content, low-risk testbed to study complex tissue biopreservation in a genetically human context, and that isochoric supercooling may provide a robust method for preserving and reviving engineered tissues themselves.
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20
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Jæger KH, Edwards AG, Giles WR, Tveito A. A computational method for identifying an optimal combination of existing drugs to repair the action potentials of SQT1 ventricular myocytes. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009233. [PMID: 34383746 PMCID: PMC8360568 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations are known to cause perturbations in essential functional features of integral membrane proteins, including ion channels. Even restricted or point mutations can result in substantially changed properties of ion currents. The additive effect of these alterations for a specific ion channel can result in significantly changed properties of the action potential (AP). Both AP shortening and AP prolongation can result from known mutations, and the consequences can be life-threatening. Here, we present a computational method for identifying new drugs utilizing combinations of existing drugs. Based on the knowledge of theoretical effects of existing drugs on individual ion currents, our aim is to compute optimal combinations that can ‘repair’ the mutant AP waveforms so that the baseline AP-properties are restored. More specifically, we compute optimal, combined, drug concentrations such that the waveforms of the transmembrane potential and the cytosolic calcium concentration of the mutant cardiomyocytes (CMs) becomes as similar as possible to their wild type counterparts after the drug has been applied. In order to demonstrate the utility of this method, we address the question of computing an optimal drug for the short QT syndrome type 1 (SQT1). For the SQT1 mutation N588K, there are available data sets that describe the effect of various drugs on the mutated K+ channel. These published findings are the basis for our computational analysis which can identify optimal compounds in the sense that the AP of the mutant CMs resembles essential biomarkers of the wild type CMs. Using recently developed insights regarding electrophysiological properties among myocytes from different species, we compute optimal drug combinations for hiPSC-CMs, rabbit ventricular CMs and adult human ventricular CMs with the SQT1 mutation. Since the ‘composition’ of ion channels that form the AP is different for the three types of myocytes under consideration, so is the composition of the optimal drug. Poly-pharmacology (using multiple drugs to treat disease) has been proposed for improving cardiac anti-arrhythmic therapy for at least two decades. However, the specific arrhythmia contexts in which polytherapy is likely to be both safe and effective have remained elusive. Type 1 short QT syndrome (SQT1) is a rare form of cardiac arrhythmia that results from mutations to the human Ether-á-go-go Related Gene (hERG) potassium channel. Functionally, these mutations are remarkably consistent in that they permit the channel to open earlier during each heart beat. While hundreds of compounds are known to inhibit hERG channels, the specific effect of SQT1 mutations that allows for early channel opening also limits the ability of most of those compounds to correct SQT1 dysfunction. Here, we have applied a suite of ventricular cardiomyocyte computational models to ask whether polytherapy may offer a more effective therapeutic strategy in SQT1, and if so, what the likely characteristics of that strategy are. Our analyses suggest that simultaneous induction of late sodium current and partial hERG blockade offers a promising strategy. While no activators of late sodium current have been clinically approved, several experimental compounds are available and may provide a basis for interrogating this strategy. The method presented here can be used to compute optimal drug combinations provided that the effect of each drug on every relevant ion channel is known.
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MESH Headings
- Action Potentials/drug effects
- Amino Acid Substitution
- Animals
- Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/administration & dosage
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/drug therapy
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/genetics
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/physiopathology
- Computational Biology
- Drug Combinations
- Drug Design
- Drug Therapy, Combination/methods
- ERG1 Potassium Channel/drug effects
- ERG1 Potassium Channel/genetics
- ERG1 Potassium Channel/physiology
- Heart Conduction System/abnormalities
- Heart Conduction System/physiopathology
- Heart Defects, Congenital/drug therapy
- Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics
- Heart Defects, Congenital/physiopathology
- Humans
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/drug effects
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/physiology
- Models, Cardiovascular
- Mutation, Missense
- Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects
- Myocytes, Cardiac/physiology
- Rabbits
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew G. Edwards
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, Davis, California United States of America
| | - Wayne R. Giles
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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21
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Charrez B, Charwat V, Siemons BA, Goswami I, Sakolish C, Luo YS, Finsberg H, Edwards AG, Miller EW, Rusyn I, Healy KE. Heart Muscle Microphysiological System for Cardiac Liability Prediction of Repurposed COVID-19 Therapeutics. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:684252. [PMID: 34421592 PMCID: PMC8378272 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.684252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite global efforts, it took 7 months between the proclamation of global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the first FDA-approved treatment for COVID-19. During this timeframe, clinicians focused their efforts on repurposing drugs, such as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) or azithromycin (AZM) to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients. While clinical trials are time-consuming, the exponential increase in hospitalizations compelled the FDA to grant an emergency use authorization for HCQ and AZM as treatment for COVID-19, although there was limited evidence of their combined efficacy and safety. The authorization was revoked 4 months later, giving rise to controversial political and scientific debates illustrating important challenges such as premature authorization of potentially ineffective or unsafe therapeutics, while diverting resources from screening of effective drugs. Here we report on a preclinical drug screening platform, a cardiac microphysiological system (MPS), to rapidly identify clinically relevant cardiac liabilities associated with HCQ and AZM. The cardiac MPS is a microfabricated fluidic system in which cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells self-arrange into a uniaxially beating tissue. The drug response was measured using outputs that correlate with clinical measurements such as action potential duration (proxy for clinical QT interval) and drug-biomarker pairing. The cardiac MPS predicted clinical arrhythmias associated with QT prolongation and rhythm instabilities in tissues treated with HCQ. We found no change in QT interval upon acute exposure to AZM, while still observing a significant increase in arrhythmic events. These results suggest that this MPS can not only predict arrhythmias, but it can also identify arrhythmias even when QT prolongation is absent. When exposed to HCQ and AZM polytherapy, this MPS faithfully reflected clinical findings, in that the combination of drugs synergistically increased QT interval when compared to single drug exposure, while not worsening the overall frequency of arrhythmic events. The high content cardiac MPS can rapidly evaluate the cardiac safety of potential therapeutics, ultimately accelerating patients' access to safe and effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bérénice Charrez
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Verena Charwat
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Brian A. Siemons
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Ishan Goswami
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Courtney Sakolish
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Yu-Syuan Luo
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | | | - Andrew G. Edwards
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Evan W. Miller
- Department of Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Kevin E. Healy
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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22
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Lee-Montiel FT, Laemmle A, Charwat V, Dumont L, Lee CS, Huebsch N, Okochi H, Hancock MJ, Siemons B, Boggess SC, Goswami I, Miller EW, Willenbring H, Healy KE. Integrated Isogenic Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Liver and Heart Microphysiological Systems Predict Unsafe Drug-Drug Interaction. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:667010. [PMID: 34025426 PMCID: PMC8138446 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.667010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) microphysiological systems (MPSs) mimicking human organ function in vitro are an emerging alternative to conventional monolayer cell culture and animal models for drug development. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have the potential to capture the diversity of human genetics and provide an unlimited supply of cells. Combining hiPSCs with microfluidics technology in MPSs offers new perspectives for drug development. Here, the integration of a newly developed liver MPS with a cardiac MPS—both created with the same hiPSC line—to study drug–drug interaction (DDI) is reported. As a prominent example of clinically relevant DDI, the interaction of the arrhythmogenic gastroprokinetic cisapride with the fungicide ketoconazole was investigated. As seen in patients, metabolic conversion of cisapride to non-arrhythmogenic norcisapride in the liver MPS by the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP3A4 was inhibited by ketoconazole, leading to arrhythmia in the cardiac MPS. These results establish integration of hiPSC-based liver and cardiac MPSs to facilitate screening for DDI, and thus drug efficacy and toxicity, isogenic in the same genetic background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe T Lee-Montiel
- Departments of Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Laemmle
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Liver Center and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Department of Pediatrics, Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Verena Charwat
- Departments of Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Laure Dumont
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Liver Center and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Caleb S Lee
- Departments of Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Nathaniel Huebsch
- Departments of Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Hideaki Okochi
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Brian Siemons
- Departments of Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Steven C Boggess
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Ishan Goswami
- Departments of Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Evan W Miller
- Departments of Chemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Holger Willenbring
- Department of Surgery, Division of Transplant Surgery, Liver Center and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kevin E Healy
- Departments of Bioengineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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23
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Charrez B, Charwat V, Siemons B, Finsberg H, Miller EW, Edwards AG, Healy KE. In vitro safety "clinical trial" of the cardiac liability of drug polytherapy. Clin Transl Sci 2021; 14:1155-1165. [PMID: 33786981 PMCID: PMC8212738 DOI: 10.1111/cts.13038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Only a handful of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorizations exist for drug and biologic therapeutics that treat severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Potential therapeutics include repurposed drugs, some with cardiac liabilities. We report on a chronic preclinical drug screening platform, a cardiac microphysiological system (MPS), to assess cardiotoxicity associated with repurposed hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZM) polytherapy in a mock phase I safety clinical trial. The MPS contained human heart muscle derived from induced pluripotent stem cells. The effect of drug response was measured using outputs that correlate with clinical measurements, such as QT interval (action potential duration) and drug-biomarker pairing. Chronic exposure (10 days) of heart muscle to HCQ alone elicited early afterdepolarizations and increased QT interval past 5 days. AZM alone elicited an increase in QT interval from day 7 onward, and arrhythmias were observed at days 8 and 10. Monotherapy results mimicked clinical trial outcomes. Upon chronic exposure to HCQ and AZM polytherapy, we observed an increase in QT interval on days 4-8. Interestingly, a decrease in arrhythmias and instabilities was observed in polytherapy relative to monotherapy, in concordance with published clinical trials. Biomarkers, most of them measurable in patients' serum, were identified for negative effects of monotherapy or polytherapy on tissue contractile function, morphology, and antioxidant protection. The cardiac MPS correctly predicted clinical arrhythmias associated with QT prolongation and rhythm instabilities. This high content system can help clinicians design their trials, rapidly project cardiac outcomes, and define new monitoring biomarkers to accelerate access of patients to safe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bérénice Charrez
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3)University of California at BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Verena Charwat
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3)University of California at BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Brian Siemons
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3)University of California at BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Evan W. Miller
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience InstituteUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Molecular and Cell BiologyUniversity of California at BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Andrew G. Edwards
- Department of PharmacologySchool of MedicineUniversity of California at DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Kevin E. Healy
- Department of Bioengineering and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3)University of California at BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringUniversity of California at BerkeleyBerkeleyCaliforniaUSA
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24
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Dariolli R, Campana C, Gutierrez A, Sobie EA. In vitro and In silico Models to Study SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Integrating Experimental and Computational Tools to Mimic "COVID-19 Cardiomyocyte". Front Physiol 2021; 12:624185. [PMID: 33679437 PMCID: PMC7925402 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.624185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 has made COVID-19 a tremendous social, economic, and health burden. Despite the efforts to understand the virus and treat the disease, many questions remain unanswered about COVID-19 mechanisms of infection and progression. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) infection can affect several organs in the body including the heart, which can result in thromboembolism, myocardial injury, acute coronary syndromes, and arrhythmias. Numerous cardiac adverse events, from cardiomyocyte death to secondary effects caused by exaggerated immunological response against the virus, have been clinically reported. In addition to the disease itself, repurposing of treatments by using "off label" drugs can also contribute to cardiotoxicity. Over the past several decades, animal models and more recently, stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes have been proposed for studying diseases and testing treatments in vitro. In addition, mechanistic in silico models have been widely used for disease and drug studies. In these models, several characteristics such as gender, electrolyte imbalance, and comorbidities can be implemented to study pathophysiology of cardiac diseases and to predict cardiotoxicity of drug treatments. In this Mini Review, we (1) present the state of the art of in vitro and in silico cardiomyocyte modeling currently in use to study COVID-19, (2) review in vitro and in silico models that can be adopted to mimic the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on cardiac function, and (3) provide a perspective on how to combine some of these models to mimic "COVID-19 cardiomyocytes environment.".
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Dariolli
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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25
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Jæger KH, Wall S, Tveito A. Computational prediction of drug response in short QT syndrome type 1 based on measurements of compound effect in stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008089. [PMID: 33591962 PMCID: PMC7909705 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Short QT (SQT) syndrome is a genetic cardiac disorder characterized by an abbreviated QT interval of the patient's electrocardiogram. The syndrome is associated with increased risk of arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death and can arise from a number of ion channel mutations. Cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells generated from SQT patients (SQT hiPSC-CMs) provide promising platforms for testing pharmacological treatments directly in human cardiac cells exhibiting mutations specific for the syndrome. However, a difficulty is posed by the relative immaturity of hiPSC-CMs, with the possibility that drug effects observed in SQT hiPSC-CMs could be very different from the corresponding drug effect in vivo. In this paper, we apply a multistep computational procedure for translating measured drug effects from these cells to human QT response. This process first detects drug effects on individual ion channels based on measurements of SQT hiPSC-CMs and then uses these results to estimate the drug effects on ventricular action potentials and QT intervals of adult SQT patients. We find that the procedure is able to identify IC50 values in line with measured values for the four drugs quinidine, ivabradine, ajmaline and mexiletine. In addition, the predicted effect of quinidine on the adult QT interval is in good agreement with measured effects of quinidine for adult patients. Consequently, the computational procedure appears to be a useful tool for helping predicting adult drug responses from pure in vitro measurements of patient derived cell lines.
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MESH Headings
- Action Potentials/drug effects
- Adult
- Ajmaline/pharmacology
- Algorithms
- Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/pharmacology
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/drug therapy
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/genetics
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/physiopathology
- Cell Line
- Computational Biology
- Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods
- Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/statistics & numerical data
- ERG1 Potassium Channel/genetics
- Electrocardiography
- Heart Conduction System/abnormalities
- Heart Conduction System/physiopathology
- Heart Defects, Congenital/drug therapy
- Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics
- Heart Defects, Congenital/physiopathology
- Humans
- In Vitro Techniques
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/drug effects
- Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/physiology
- Ivabradine/pharmacology
- Mexiletine/pharmacology
- Models, Cardiovascular
- Mutation
- Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects
- Myocytes, Cardiac/physiology
- Quinidine/pharmacology
- Translational Research, Biomedical
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aslak Tveito
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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26
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Jæger KH, Charwat V, Wall S, Healy KE, Tveito A. Identifying Drug Response by Combining Measurements of the Membrane Potential, the Cytosolic Calcium Concentration, and the Extracellular Potential in Microphysiological Systems. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:569489. [PMID: 33628168 PMCID: PMC7898238 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.569489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) offer a new means to study and understand the human cardiac action potential, and can give key insight into how compounds may interact with important molecular pathways to destabilize the electrical function of the heart. Important features of the action potential can be readily measured using standard experimental techniques, such as the use of voltage sensitive dyes and fluorescent genetic reporters to estimate transmembrane potentials and cytosolic calcium concentrations. Using previously introduced computational procedures, such measurements can be used to estimate the current density of major ion channels present in hiPSC-CMs, and how compounds may alter their behavior. However, due to the limitations of optical recordings, resolving the sodium current remains difficult from these data. Here we show that if these optical measurements are complemented with observations of the extracellular potential using multi electrode arrays (MEAs), we can accurately estimate the current density of the sodium channels. This inversion of the sodium current relies on observation of the conduction velocity which turns out to be straightforwardly computed using measurements of extracellular waves across the electrodes. The combined data including the membrane potential, the cytosolic calcium concentration and the extracellular potential further opens up for the possibility of accurately estimating the effect of novel drugs applied to hiPSC-CMs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Verena Charwat
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | - Kevin E. Healy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Aslak Tveito
- Simula Research Laboratory, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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27
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Computational translation of drug effects from animal experiments to human ventricular myocytes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10537. [PMID: 32601303 PMCID: PMC7324560 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66910-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Using animal cells and tissues as precise measuring devices for developing new drugs presents a long-standing challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. Despite the very significant resources that continue to be dedicated to animal testing of new compounds, only qualitative results can be obtained. This often results in both false positives and false negatives. Here, we show how the effect of drugs applied to animal ventricular myocytes can be translated, quantitatively, to estimate a number of different effects of the same drug on human cardiomyocytes. We illustrate and validate our methodology by translating, from animal to human, the effect of dofetilide applied to dog cardiomyocytes, the effect of E-4031 applied to zebrafish cardiomyocytes, and, finally, the effect of sotalol applied to rabbit cardiomyocytes. In all cases, the accuracy of our quantitative estimates are demonstrated. Our computations reveal that, in principle, electrophysiological data from testing using animal ventricular myocytes, can give precise, quantitative estimates of the effect of new compounds on human cardiomyocytes.
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