Exploring Interactions between Primary Hepatocytes and Non-Parenchymal Cells on Physiological and Pathological Liver Stiffness

Recent advances of physiochemical cues on surfaces for directing cell fates

Surface modification plays an essential role in dictating cell behavior and fate, as it creates a microenvironment that profoundly influences cell attachment, migration, proliferation, and differentiation. This review aims to the intricate interplay of culture surface properties, including topography, stiffness, charge, and chemical modifications, demonstrating their profound impact on cell destiny. We explore the nuanced responses of cells to varying surface topographies, from nano- to microscale features, elucidating the influence of geometric patterns and roughness. We also investigate the impact of substrate stiffness, highlighting the way cells perceive and respond to mechanical cues mimicking their native environments. The role of surface charge is examined, revealing how electrostatic interactions influence cell adhesion, signaling, and cell fate decisions. Finally, we delve into the diverse effects of chemical modifications, including the presentation of bioactive molecules, growth factors, and extracellular matrix (ECM) components, demonstrating their ability to guide cell behavior and stimulate specific cellular responses. This review offers comprehensive insights into the important role of surface properties in shaping cell fate, offering promising avenues for developing sophisticated cell culture platforms for applications in drug discovery, regenerative medicine, and fundamental research.

Deciphering the cell type-specific and zonal distribution of drug-metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and transcription factors in livers of mice using single-cell transcriptomics

The liver contains multiple cell types, including resident cell types and immune cells. The liver is also categorized into 3 zones: periportal (zone 1), midzonal (zone 2), and centrilobular (zone 3). The goal of this study was to characterize the distribution of drug-processing genes (DPGs) in mouse liver using published single-cell and nuclei transcriptomic datasets, which were subjected to zonal deconvolution. Filtering, normalization, clustering, and differential expression analyses were performed using Seurat V5 in R. Hepatocytes were assigned to 3 zones based on known zonal markers and validated with published spatial transcriptomics data. Among the 195 DPGs profiled, most were expressed highest in hepatocytes (61.3%). Interestingly, certain DPGs were expressed most highly in nonparenchymal cells, such as in cholangiocytes (11.2%, eg, carboxylesterase [Ces] 2e, Ces2g), endothelial cells (7.2%, eg, aldo-keto reductase [Akr] 1c19, Akr1e1), Kupffer cells (5.3%, eg, Akr1a1, Akr1b10), stellate cells (5.1%, eg, retinoic acid receptor [Rar] α, Rarβ), myofibroblasts (2.9%, RAR-related orphan receptor [Rar] α), and a few were expressed in immune cell types. In hepatocytes, 72.4% of phase-I enzymes were enriched in zone 3. Phase-II conjugation enzymes such as UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (75%) were enriched in zone 3, whereas sulfotransferases (40%) were enriched in zone 1. Hepatic xenobiotic transporters were enriched in zone 3. The xenobiotic biotransformation-regulating transcription factors were enriched in zone 3 hepatocytes. The enrichment of DPGs in liver cell types, including non-parenchymal cells and zone 1 hepatocytes, may serve as an additional repertoire for xenobiotic biotransformation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Our study is among the first to systematically characterize the baseline mRNA enrichment of important drug-processing genes in different cell types and zones in the liver. This finding will aid in further understanding the mechanisms of chemical-induced liver injury with improved resolution and precision.

Single-nucleus transcriptome reveals cell dynamic response of liver during the late chick embryonic development

The late embryonic development of the liver, a major metabolic organ, remains poorly characterized at single cell resolution. Here, we used single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) to characterize the chicken liver cells at 2 embryonic development time points (E14 and D1). We uncovered 8 cell types including hepatocytes, endothelial cells, hepatic stellate cells, erythrocytes, cholangiocytes, kupffer cells, mesothelial cells, and lymphocytes. And we discovered significant differences in the abundance of different cell types between E14 and D1. Moreover, we characterized the heterogeneity of hepatocytes, endothelial cells, and mesenchymal cells based on the gene regulatory networks of each clusters. Trajectory analyses revealed 128 genes associated with hepatocyte development and function, including apolipoprotein genes involved hepatic lipid metabolism and NADH dehydrogenase subunits involved hepatic oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, we identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between E14 and D1 at the cellular levels, which contribute to changes in liver development and function. These DEGs were significantly enriched in PPAR signaling pathways and lipid metabolism related pathways. Our results presented the single-cell mapping of chick embryonic liver at late stages of development and demonstrated the metabolic changes across the 2 age stages at the cellular level, which can help to further study the molecular development mechanism of embryonic liver.

The impact of matrix stiffness on hepatic cell function, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma-Based on quantitative data

Over the past few decades, extensive research has explored the development of supportive scaffold materials for in vitro hepatic cell culture, to effectively mimic in vivo microenvironments. It is crucial for hepatic disease modeling, drug screening, and therapeutic evaluations, considering the ethical concerns and practical challenges associated with in vivo experiments. This review offers a comprehensive perspective on hepatic cell culture using bioscaffolds by encompassing all stages of hepatic diseases-from a healthy liver to fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-with a specific focus on matrix stiffness. This review begins by providing physiological and functional overviews of the liver. Subsequently, it explores hepatic cellular behaviors dependent on matrix stiffness from previous reports. For hepatic cell activities, softer matrices showed significant advantages over stiffer ones in terms of cell proliferation, migration, and hepatic functions. Conversely, stiffer matrices induced myofibroblastic activation of hepatic stellate cells, contributing to the further progression of fibrosis. Elevated matrix stiffness also correlates with HCC by increasing proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and drug resistance of HCC cells. In addition, we provide quantitative information on available data to offer valuable perspectives for refining the preparation and development of matrices for hepatic tissue engineering. We also suggest directions for further research on this topic.

Comparison of Engineered Liver 3D Models and the Role of Oxygenation for Patient-Derived Tumor Cells and Immortalized Cell Lines Cocultured with Tumor Stroma in the Detection of Hepatotoxins

In metabolically active tumors, responses of cells to drugs are heavily influenced by oxygen availability via the surrounding vasculature alongside the extracellular matrix signaling. The objective of this study is to investigate hepatotoxicity by replicating critical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This includes replicating 3D structures, metabolic activities, and tumor-specific markers. The internal environment of spheroids comprised of cancerous human patient-derived hepatocytes using microparticles is modulated to enhance the oxygenation state and recreate cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Furthermore, the role of hepatic stellate cells in maintaining hepatocyte survival and function is explored and hepatocytes from two cellular sources (immortalized and patient-derived) to create four formulations with and without microparticles are utilized. To investigate drug-induced changes in metabolism and apoptosis in liver cells, coculture spheroids with and without microparticles are exposed to three hepatotoxic drugs. The use of microparticles increases levels of apoptotic markers in both liver models under drug treatments. This coincides with reduced levels of anti-apoptotic proteins and increased levels of pro-apoptotic proteins. Moreover, cells from different origins undergo apoptosis through distinct apoptotic pathways in response to identical drugs. This 3D microphysiological system offers a viable tool for liver cancer research to investigate mechanisms of apoptosis under different microenvironmental conditions.

Increased liver stiffness promotes hepatitis B progression by impairing innate immunity in CCl4-induced fibrotic HBV+ transgenic mice

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection develops as an acute or chronic liver disease, which progresses from steatosis, hepatitis, and fibrosis to end-stage liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). An increased stromal stiffness accompanies fibrosis in chronic liver diseases and is considered a strong predictor for disease progression. The goal of this study was to establish the mechanisms by which enhanced liver stiffness regulates HBV infectivity in the fibrotic liver tissue.

METHODS

For in vitro studies, HBV-transfected HepG2.2.15 cells were cultured on polydimethylsiloxane gels coated by polyelectrolyte multilayer films of 2 kPa (soft) or 24 kPa (stiff) rigidity mimicking the stiffness of the healthy or fibrotic liver. For in vivo studies, hepatic fibrosis was induced in C57Bl/6 parental and HBV+ transgenic (HBVTg) mice by injecting CCl4 twice a week for 6 weeks.

RESULTS

We found higher levels of HBV markers in stiff gel-attached hepatocytes accompanied by up-regulated OPN content in cell supernatants as well as suppression of anti-viral interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). This indicates that pre-requisite "fibrotic" stiffness increases osteopontin (OPN) content and releases and suppresses anti-viral innate immunity, causing a subsequent rise in HBV markers expression in hepatocytes. In vitro results were corroborated by data from HBVTg mice administered CCl4 (HBVTg CCl4). These mice showed higher HBV RNA, DNA, HBV core antigen (HBcAg), and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) levels after liver fibrosis induction as judged by a rise in Col1a1, SMA, MMPs, and TIMPs mRNAs and by increased liver stiffness. Importantly, CCl4-induced the pro-fibrotic activation of liver cells, and liver stiffness was higher in HBVTg mice compared with control mice. Elevation of HBV markers and OPN levels corresponded to decreased ISG activation in HBVTg CCl4 mice vs HBVTg control mice.

CONCLUSION

Based on our data, we conclude that liver stiffness enhances OPN levels to limit anti-viral ISG activation in hepatocytes and promote an increase in HBV infectivity, thereby contributing to end-stage liver disease progression.

Spatial transcriptomics analysis of zone-dependent hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury murine model

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common complication in liver transplantation. The connection between I/R-induced injury response and liver heterogeneity has yet to be fully understood. In this study, we converge histopathological examination with spatial transcriptomics to dissect I/R injury patterns and their associated molecular changes, which reveal that the pericentral zones are most sensitive to I/R injury in terms of histology, transcriptomic changes, and cell type dynamics. Bioinformatic analysis of I/R injury-related pathways predicts that celastrol can protect against liver I/R injury by inducing ischemic pre-conditioning, which is experimentally validated. Mechanistically, celastrol likely implements its protective effect against I/R injury by activating HIF1α signaling and represents a potential strategy for resolving liver I/R.

The native liver as inspiration to create superior in vitro hepatic models

Drug induced liver injury (DILI) is one of the major reasons of drug withdrawal during the different phases of drug development. The later in the drug development a drug is discovered to be toxic, the higher the economical as well as the ethical impact will be. In vitro models for early detection of drug liver toxicity are under constant development, however to date a superior model of the liver is still lacking. Ideally, a highly reliable model should be established to maintain the different hepatic cell functionalities to the greatest extent possible, during a period of time long enough to allow for tracking of the toxicity of compounds. In the case of DILI, toxicity can appear even after months of exposure. To reach this goal, an in vitro model should be developed that mimics the in vivo liver environment, function and response to external stimuli. The different approaches for the development of liver models currently used in the field of tissue engineering will be described in this review. Combining different technologies, leading to optimal materials, cells and 3D-constructs will ultimately lead to an ideal superior model that fully recapitulates the liver.

RGD density along with substrate stiffness regulate hPSC hepatocyte functionality through YAP signalling

Human pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocytes (hPSC-Heps) may be suitable for treating liver diseases, but differentiation protocols often fail to yield adult-like cells. We hypothesised that replicating healthy liver niche biochemical and biophysical cues would produce hepatocytes with desired metabolic functionality. Using 2D synthetic hydrogels which independently control mechanical properties and biochemical cues, we found that culturing hPSC-Heps on surfaces matching the stiffness of fibrotic liver tissue upregulated expression of genes for RGD-binding integrins, and increased expression of YAP/TAZ and their transcriptional targets. Alternatively, culture on soft, healthy liver-like substrates drove increases in cytochrome p450 activity and ureagenesis. Knockdown of ITGB1 or reducing RGD-motif-containing peptide concentration in stiff hydrogels reduced YAP activity and improved metabolic functionality; however, on soft substrates, reducing RGD concentration had the opposite effect. Furthermore, targeting YAP activity with verteporfin or forskolin increased cytochrome p450 activity, with forskolin dramatically enhancing urea synthesis. hPSC-Heps could also be successfully encapsulated within RGD peptide-containing hydrogels without negatively impacting hepatic functionality, and compared to 2D cultures, 3D cultured hPSC-Heps secreted significantly less fetal liver-associated alpha-fetoprotein, suggesting furthered differentiation. Our platform overcomes technical hurdles in replicating the liver niche, and allowed us to identify a role for YAP/TAZ-mediated mechanosensing in hPSC-Hep differentiation.

Generation of Hepatocytes and Nonparenchymal Cell Codifferentiation System from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

To date, hepatocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) provide a potentially unlimited resource for clinical application and drug development. However, most hiPSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells initiated differentiation from highly purified definitive endoderm, which are insufficient to accurately replicate the complex regulation of signals among multiple cells and tissues during liver organogenesis, thereby displaying an immature phenotypic and short survival time in vitro. Here, we described a protocol to achieve codifferentiation of endoderm-derived hepatocytes and mesoderm-derived nonparenchymal cells by the inclusion of BMP4 into hepatic differentiation medium, which has a beneficial effect on the hepatocyte maturation and lifespan in vitro. Our codifferentiation system suggests the important role of nonparenchymal cells in liver organogenesis. Hopefully, these hepatocytes described here provide a promising approach in the therapy of liver diseases.

Pathogenesis of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Excessive alcohol consumption is a global healthcare problem with enormous social, economic, and clinical consequences. While chronic, heavy alcohol consumption causes structural damage and/or disrupts normal organ function in virtually every tissue of the body, the liver sustains the greatest damage. This is primarily because the liver is the first to see alcohol absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract via the portal circulation and second, because the liver is the principal site of ethanol metabolism. Alcohol-induced damage remains one of the most prevalent disorders of the liver and a leading cause of death or transplantation from liver disease. Despite extensive research on the pathophysiology of this disease, there are still no targeted therapies available. Given the multifactorial mechanisms for alcohol-associated liver disease pathogenesis, it is conceivable that a multitherapeutic regimen is needed to treat different stages in the spectrum of this disease.

Cell-to-Cell Communications in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

This review covers some important new aspects of the alcohol-induced communications between liver parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells leading to liver injury development. The information exchange between various cell types may promote end-stage liver disease progression and involves multiple mechanisms, such as direct cell-to-cell interactions, extracellular vesicles (EVs) or chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors contained in extracellular fluids/cell culture supernatants. Here, we highlighted the role of EVs derived from alcohol-exposed hepatocytes (HCs) in activation of non-parenchymal cells, liver macrophages (LM), and hepatic stellate cells (HSC). The review also concentrates on EV-mediated crosstalk between liver parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells in the settings of HIV- and alcohol co-exposure. In addition, we overviewed the literature on the crosstalk between cell death pathways and inflammasome activation in alcohol-activated HCs and macrophages. Furthermore, we covered highly clinically relevant studies on the role of non-inflammatory factors, sinusoidal pressure (SP), and hepatic arterialization in alcohol-induced hepatic fibrogenesis. We strongly believe that the review will disclose major mechanisms of cell-to-cell communications pertained to alcohol-induced liver injury progression and will identify therapeutically important targets, which can be used for alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) prevention.