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Shimamura A, Higashi M, Nagayabu K, Ono S. Stable two- and three-dimensional cholangiocyte culture systems from extrahepatic bile ducts of biliary atresia patients: use of structural and functional bile duct epithelium models for in vitro analyses. Cytotechnology 2024; 76:415-424. [PMID: 38933870 PMCID: PMC11196525 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-024-00620-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We herein report two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) culture methods of cholangiocytes originating from extrahepatic bile ducts of biliary atresia (BA) patients. Cells were stabilized for in vitro analyses, and 3D culture by two different methods showed the structural and functional features of cholangiocytes in the gel scaffold. First, cells were obtained from gallbladder contents or resected tissues of patients at surgery and then cultured in our original conditioned medium with a cocktail of signaling inhibitors that maintains the immaturity and amplification of cells. Cells were immortalized by inducing SV40T and hTERT genes using lentivirus systems. Immunostaining with CK19 and Sox9 antibodies confirmed the cells as cholangiocytes. 3D organoids were formed in Matrigel in two different ways: by forming spheroids or via vertical growth from 2D cell sheets (2 + 1D culture). Organoids generated with both methods showed the uptake and excretion of rhodamine-123, and duct-like structures were also found. Our culture methods are simpler than previously reported methods and still show the structural and functional characteristics of cholangiocytes. Thus, this system is expected to be useful for the in vitro investigation of cholangiocyte damage or regeneration in BA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Shimamura
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mayumi Higashi
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551 Japan
| | - Kazuya Nagayabu
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shigeru Ono
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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2
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Fried S, Har-Zahav A, Hamudi Y, Mahameed S, Mansur R, Dotan M, Cozacov T, Shamir R, Wells RG, Waisbourd-Zinman O. Biliary atresia: insights into mechanisms using a toxic model of the disease including Wnt and Hippo signaling pathways and microtubules. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03335-9. [PMID: 38914763 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03335-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mechanisms underlying bile duct injury in biliary atresia (BA) remain unclear and mechanisms of bile duct repair are unknown. This study aimed to explore the roles of microtubule instability and Wnt and Hippo signaling pathways in a biliatresone-induced BA model. METHODS Using primary murine neonatal cholangiocytes in both 2D and 3D cultures, and ex-vivo extra hepatic bile ducts (EHBD) which also has peri-cholangiocyte area, we analyzed injury and recovery processes. Injury was induced by the toxin biliatresone and recovery was induced by toxin wash-out. RESULTS Microtubule stabilizer paclitaxel prevented biliatresone-induced injury, both to cholangiocytes as well as reduced periductal αSMA stain, this process is mediated by decreased glutathione levels. RhoU and Wnt11 (Wnt signaling) and Pard6g and Amotl1 (Hippo signaling) are involved in both injury and recovery processes, with the latter acting upstream to Wnt signaling. CONCLUSIONS Early stages of biliatresone-induced EHBD injury in cholangiocytes and periductal structures are reversible. Wnt and Hippo signaling pathways play crucial roles in injury and recovery, providing insights into BA injury mechanisms and potential recovery avenues. IMPACT Microtubule stabilization prevents cholangiocyte injury and lumen obstruction in a toxic model of biliary atresia (biliatresone induced). Early stages of biliatresone-induced injury, affecting both cholangiocytes and periductal structures, are reversible. Both Wnt and Hippo signaling pathways play a crucial role in bile duct injury and recovery, with a noted interplay between the two. Understanding mechanisms of cholangiocyte recovery is imperative to unveil potential therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Fried
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Adi Har-Zahav
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Yara Hamudi
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Sarah Mahameed
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Rasha Mansur
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Miri Dotan
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Tal Cozacov
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Raanan Shamir
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Orith Waisbourd-Zinman
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel.
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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3
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Abstract
Cholangiopathies affect the biliary tree via various pathophysiological mechanisms. Research on biliary physiology and pathology, however, is hampered by a lack of physiologically relevant in vitro models. Conventional models, such as two-dimensional (2D) monolayers and organoids, fail to replicate the structural organization of the bile duct, and both the size of the duct and position of cells are difficult to manipulate in a controllable way. Here, we describe a bile duct-on-a-chip (BDOC) that phenocopies the open-ended tubular architecture of the bile duct in three dimensions which, when seeded with either a cholangiocyte cell line or primary cells, demonstrates barrier function similar to bile ducts in vivo. This device represents an in vitro platform to study the pathophysiology of the bile duct using cholangiocytes from a variety of sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Du
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William J Polacheck
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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4
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Fried S, Gilboa D, Har-Zahav A, Lavrut PM, Du Y, Karjoo S, Russo P, Shamir R, Wells RG, Waisbourd-Zinman O. Extrahepatic cholangiocyte obstruction is mediated by decreased glutathione, Wnt and Notch signaling pathways in a toxic model of biliary atresia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7599. [PMID: 32371929 PMCID: PMC7200694 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64503-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biliary atresia is a neonatal liver disease with extrahepatic bile duct obstruction and progressive liver fibrosis. The etiology and pathogenesis of the disease are unknown. We previously identified a plant toxin, biliatresone, responsible for biliary atresia in naturally-occurring animal models, that causes cholangiocyte destruction in in-vitro models. Decreases in reduced glutathione (GSH) mimic the effects of biliatresone, and agents that replenish cellular GSH ameliorate the effects of the toxin. The goals of this study were to define signaling pathways downstream of biliatresone that lead to cholangiocyte destruction and to determine their relationship to GSH. Using cholangiocyte culture and 3D cholangiocyte spheroid cultures, we found that biliatresone and decreases in GSH upregulated RhoU/Wrch1, a Wnt signaling family member, which then mediated an increase in Hey2 in the NOTCH signaling pathway, causing downregulation of the transcription factor Sox17. When these genes were up- or down-regulated, the biliatresone effect on spheroids was phenocopied, resulting in lumen obstruction. Biopsies of patients with biliary atresia demonstrated increased RhoU/Wrch1 and Hey2 expression in cholangiocytes. We present a novel pathway of cholangiocyte injury in a model of biliary atresia, which is relevant to human BA and may suggest potential future therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Fried
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Dafna Gilboa
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Adi Har-Zahav
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Yu Du
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sara Karjoo
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States
| | - Pierre Russo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Raanan Shamir
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Orith Waisbourd-Zinman
- Institute for Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikva, Israel. .,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. .,Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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Du Y, Khandekar G, Llewellyn J, Polacheck W, Chen CS, Wells RG. A Bile Duct-on-a-Chip With Organ-Level Functions. Hepatology 2020; 71:1350-1363. [PMID: 31465556 PMCID: PMC7048662 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Chronic cholestatic liver diseases, such as primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), are frequently associated with damage to the barrier function of the biliary epithelium. Here, we report on a bile duct-on-a-chip that phenocopies not only the tubular architecture of the bile duct in three dimensions, but also its barrier functions. APPROACH AND RESULTS We showed that mouse cholangiocytes in the channel of the device became polarized and formed mature tight junctions, that the permeability of the cholangiocyte monolayer was comparable to ex vivo measurements, and that cholangiocytes in the device were mechanosensitive (as demonstrated by changes in calcium flux under applied luminal flow). Permeability decreased significantly when cells formed a compact monolayer with cell densities comparable to those observed in vivo. This device enabled independent access to the apical and basolateral surfaces of the cholangiocyte channel, allowing proof-of-concept toxicity studies with the biliary toxin, biliatresone, and the bile acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid. The cholangiocyte basolateral side was more vulnerable than the apical side to treatment with either agent, suggesting a protective adaptation of the apical surface that is normally exposed to bile. Further studies revealed a protective role of the cholangiocyte apical glycocalyx, wherein disruption of the glycocalyx with neuraminidase increased the permeability of the cholangiocyte monolayer after treatment with glycochenodeoxycholic acid. CONCLUSIONS This bile duct-on-a-chip captured essential features of a simplified bile duct in structure and organ-level functions and represents an in vitro platform to study the pathophysiology of the bile duct using cholangiocytes from a variety of sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Du
- Division of GastroenterologyDepartment of MedicinePerelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Center for Engineering MechanoBiologyThe University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Gauri Khandekar
- Division of GastroenterologyDepartment of MedicinePerelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Center for Engineering MechanoBiologyThe University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Jessica Llewellyn
- Division of GastroenterologyDepartment of MedicinePerelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Center for Engineering MechanoBiologyThe University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - William Polacheck
- The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired EngineeringHarvard UniversityBostonMA,The Biological Design Center and Department of Biomedical EngineeringBoston UniversityBostonMA,Joint Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State UniversityChapel HillNC
| | - Christopher S. Chen
- The Biological Design Center and Department of Biomedical EngineeringBoston UniversityBostonMA,Tissue Microfabrication LaboratoryDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringBoston UniversityBostonMA,Center for Engineering MechanoBiologyThe University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Rebecca G. Wells
- Division of GastroenterologyDepartment of MedicinePerelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Department of BioengineeringSchool of Engineering and Applied SciencesThe University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicinePerelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Center for Engineering MechanoBiologyThe University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
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6
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Khandekar G, Llewellyn J, Kriegermeier A, Waisbourd-Zinman O, Johnson N, Du Y, Giwa R, Liu X, Kisseleva T, Russo PA, Theise ND, Wells RG. Coordinated development of the mouse extrahepatic bile duct: Implications for neonatal susceptibility to biliary injury. J Hepatol 2020; 72:135-145. [PMID: 31562906 PMCID: PMC7079197 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS The extrahepatic bile duct is the primary tissue initially affected by biliary atresia. Biliary atresia is a cholangiopathy which exclusively affects neonates. Current animal models suggest that the developing bile duct is uniquely susceptible to damage. In this study, we aimed to define the anatomical and functional differences between the neonatal and adult mouse extrahepatic bile ducts. METHODS We studied mouse passaged cholangiocytes, mouse BALB/c neonatal and adult primary cholangiocytes, as well as isolated extrahepatic bile ducts, and a collagen reporter mouse. The methods used included transmission electron microscopy, lectin staining, immunostaining, rhodamine uptake assays, bile acid toxicity assays, and in vitro modeling of the matrix. RESULTS The cholangiocyte monolayer of the neonatal extrahepatic bile duct was immature, lacking the uniform apical glycocalyx and mature cell-cell junctions typical of adult cholangiocytes. Functional studies showed that the glycocalyx protected against bile acid injury and that neonatal cholangiocyte monolayers were more permeable than adult monolayers. In adult ducts, the submucosal space was filled with collagen I, elastin, hyaluronic acid, and proteoglycans. In contrast, the neonatal submucosa had little collagen I and elastin, although both increased rapidly after birth. In vitro modeling of the matrix suggested that the composition of the neonatal submucosa relative to the adult submucosa led to increased diffusion of bile. A Col-GFP reporter mouse showed that cells in the neonatal but not adult submucosa were actively producing collagen. CONCLUSION We identified 4 key differences between the neonatal and adult extrahepatic bile duct. We showed that these features may have functional implications, suggesting the neonatal extrahepatic bile ducts are particularly susceptible to injury and fibrosis. LAY SUMMARY Biliary atresia is a disease that affects newborns and is characterized by extrahepatic bile duct injury and obstruction, resulting in liver injury. We identify 4 key differences between the epithelial and submucosal layers of the neonatal and adult extrahepatic bile duct and show that these may render the neonatal duct particularly susceptible to injury.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic/cytology
- Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic/diagnostic imaging
- Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic/embryology
- Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic/growth & development
- Biliary Atresia
- Cell Survival
- Cells, Cultured
- Collagen Type I/metabolism
- Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain
- Disease Models, Animal
- Elastin/metabolism
- Epithelial Cells/metabolism
- Female
- Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism
- Humans
- Hyaluronic Acid/metabolism
- Immunohistochemistry
- Intercellular Junctions/metabolism
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
- Mucous Membrane/metabolism
- Proteoglycans/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Gauri Khandekar
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jessica Llewellyn
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Alyssa Kriegermeier
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Orith Waisbourd-Zinman
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Schneider Children's Hospital, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nicolette Johnson
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yu Du
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Roquibat Giwa
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xiao Liu
- Department of Surgery University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Tatiana Kisseleva
- Department of Surgery University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Pierre A Russo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Neil D Theise
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States; Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
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7
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Waisbourd‐Zinman O, Koh H, Tsai S, Lavrut P, Dang C, Zhao X, Pack M, Cave J, Hawes M, Koo KA, Porter JR, Wells RG. The toxin biliatresone causes mouse extrahepatic cholangiocyte damage and fibrosis through decreased glutathione and SOX17. Hepatology 2016; 64:880-93. [PMID: 27081925 PMCID: PMC4992464 DOI: 10.1002/hep.28599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2016] [Revised: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Biliary atresia, the most common indication for pediatric liver transplantation, is a fibrotic disease of unknown etiology affecting the extrahepatic bile ducts of newborns. The recently described toxin biliatresone causes lumen obstruction in mouse cholangiocyte spheroids and represents a new model of biliary atresia. The goal of this study was to determine the cellular changes caused by biliatresone in mammalian cells that ultimately lead to biliary atresia and extrahepatic fibrosis. We treated mouse cholangiocytes in three-dimensional (3D) spheroid culture and neonatal extrahepatic duct explants with biliatresone and compounds that regulate glutathione (GSH). We examined the effects of biliatresone on SOX17 levels and determined the effects of Sox17 knockdown on cholangiocytes in 3D culture. We found that biliatresone caused disruption of cholangiocyte apical polarity and loss of monolayer integrity. Spheroids treated with biliatresone had increased permeability as shown by rhodamine efflux within 5 hours compared with untreated spheroids, which retained rhodamine for longer than 12 hours. Neonatal bile duct explants treated with the toxin showed lumen obstruction with increased subepithelial staining for α-smooth muscle actin and collagen, consistent with fibrosis. Biliatresone caused a rapid and transient decrease in GSH, which was both necessary and sufficient to mediate its effects in cholangiocyte spheroid and bile duct explant systems. It also caused a significant decrease in cholangiocyte levels of SOX17, and Sox17 knockdown in cholangiocyte spheroids mimicked the effects of biliatresone. CONCLUSION Biliatresone decreases GSH and SOX17 in mouse cholangiocytes. In 3D cell systems, this leads to cholangiocyte monolayer damage and increased permeability; in extrahepatic bile duct explants, it leads to disruption of the extrahepatic biliary tree and subepithelial fibrosis. This mechanism may be important in understanding human biliary atresia. (Hepatology 2016;64:880-893).
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Affiliation(s)
- Orith Waisbourd‐Zinman
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionThe Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Hong Koh
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Department of PediatricsYonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Children's HospitalSeoulSouth Korea
| | - Shannon Tsai
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Pierre‐Marie Lavrut
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Christine Dang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA,Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of the SciencesPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Xiao Zhao
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Michael Pack
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Jeff Cave
- Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and ResourcesGovernment of VictoriaVictoriaAustralia
| | - Mark Hawes
- Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and ResourcesGovernment of VictoriaVictoriaAustralia
| | - Kyung A. Koo
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of the SciencesPhiladelphiaPA
| | - John R. Porter
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of the SciencesPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Rebecca G. Wells
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPA
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8
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Lorent K, Gong W, Koo KA, Waisbourd-Zinman O, Karjoo S, Zhao X, Sealy I, Kettleborough RN, Stemple DL, Windsor PA, Whittaker SJ, Porter JR, Wells RG, Pack M. Identification of a plant isoflavonoid that causes biliary atresia. Sci Transl Med 2016; 7:286ra67. [PMID: 25947162 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaa1652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Biliary atresia (BA) is a rapidly progressive and destructive fibrotic disorder of unknown etiology affecting the extrahepatic biliary tree of neonates. Epidemiological studies suggest that an environmental factor, such as a virus or toxin, is the cause of the disease, although none have been definitively established. Several naturally occurring outbreaks of BA in Australian livestock have been associated with the ingestion of unusual plants by pregnant animals during drought conditions. We used a biliary secretion assay in zebrafish to isolate a previously undescribed isoflavonoid, biliatresone, from Dysphania species implicated in a recent BA outbreak. This compound caused selective destruction of the extrahepatic, but not intrahepatic, biliary system of larval zebrafish. A mutation that enhanced biliatresone toxicity mapped to a region of the zebrafish genome that has conserved synteny with an established human BA susceptibility locus. The toxin also caused loss of cilia in neonatal mouse extrahepatic cholangiocytes in culture and disrupted cell polarity and monolayer integrity in cholangiocyte spheroids. Together, these findings provide direct evidence that BA could be initiated by perinatal exposure to an environmental toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Lorent
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Weilong Gong
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kyung A Koo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Orith Waisbourd-Zinman
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Sara Karjoo
- Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Xiao Zhao
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian Sealy
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Ross N Kettleborough
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Derek L Stemple
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Peter A Windsor
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales 2570, Australia
| | - Stephen J Whittaker
- Hume Livestock Health and Pest Authority, Albury, New South Wales 2640, Australia
| | - John R Porter
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rebecca G Wells
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Michael Pack
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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