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Guagliano G, Volpini C, Sardelli L, Briatico Vangosa F, Visai L, Petrini P. Bioinspired Bioinks for the Fabrication of Chemomechanically Relevant Standalone Disease Models of Hepatic Steatosis. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2303349. [PMID: 38323754 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303349] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Hepatotoxicity-related issues are poorly predicted during preclinical experimentation, as its relevance is limited by the inadequacy to screen all the non-physiological subclasses of the population. These pitfalls can be solved by implementing complex in vitro models of hepatic physiology and pathologies in the preclinical phase. To produce these platforms, extrusion-based bioprinting is focused on, since it allows to manufacture tridimensional cell-laden constructs with controlled geometries, in a high-throughput manner. Different bioinks, whose formulation is tailored to mimic the chemomechanical environment of hepatic steatosis, the most prevalent hepatic disorder worldwide, are proposed. Internally crosslinked alginate hydrogels are chosen as structural components of the inks. Their viscoelastic properties (G' = 512-730 Pa and G″ = 94-276 Pa, depending on frequency) are tuned to mimic those of steatotic liver tissue. Porcine hepatic ECM is introduced as a relevant biochemical cue. Sodium oleate is added to recall the accumulation of lipids in the tissue. Downstream analyses on 14-layered bioprinted structures cultured for 10 days reveal the establishment of steatotic-like features (intracellular lipid vesicles, viability decrease up to ≈50%) without needing external conditionings. The presented bioinks are thus suitable to fabricate complex models of hepatic steatosis to be implemented in a high-throughput experimental frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Guagliano
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. Da Vinci 32, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Cristina Volpini
- Molecular Medicine Department (DMM), Center for Health Technologies (CHT), UdR INSTM, University of Pavia, Pavia, 65-27100, Italy
- Medicina Clinica-Specialistica, UOR5 Laboratorio Di Nanotecnologie, ICS Maugeri, IRCCS, Pavia, Via Boezio, Pavia, 28-27100, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Sardelli
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. Da Vinci 32, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Francesco Briatico Vangosa
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. Da Vinci 32, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Livia Visai
- Molecular Medicine Department (DMM), Center for Health Technologies (CHT), UdR INSTM, University of Pavia, Pavia, 65-27100, Italy
- Medicina Clinica-Specialistica, UOR5 Laboratorio Di Nanotecnologie, ICS Maugeri, IRCCS, Pavia, Via Boezio, Pavia, 28-27100, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the promotion of the 3Rs principles in teaching and research (Centro 3R), Università di Pavia Unit, Pavia, 5-27100, Italy
| | - Paola Petrini
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, P.zza L. Da Vinci 32, Milan, 20133, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the promotion of the 3Rs principles in teaching and research (Centro 3R), Politecnico di Milano Unit, Milano, 32-20133, Italy
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2
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Bonanini F, Singh M, Yang H, Kurek D, Harms AC, Mardinoglu A, Hankemeier T. A comparison between different human hepatocyte models reveals profound differences in net glucose production, lipid composition and metabolism in vitro. Exp Cell Res 2024; 437:114008. [PMID: 38499143 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114008] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocytes are responsible for maintaining a stable blood glucose concentration during periods of nutrient scarcity. The breakdown of glycogen and de novo synthesis of glucose are crucial metabolic pathways deeply interlinked with lipid metabolism. Alterations in these pathways are often associated with metabolic diseases with serious clinical implications. Studying energy metabolism in human cells is challenging. Primary hepatocytes are still considered the golden standard for in vitro studies and have been instrumental in elucidating key aspects of energy metabolism found in vivo. As a result of several limitations posed by using primary cells, a multitude of alternative hepatocyte cellular models emerged as potential substitutes. Yet, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the precise applications for which these models accurately reflect the metabolic competence of primary hepatocytes. In this study, we compared primary hepatocytes, stem cell-derived hepatocytes, adult donor-derived liver organoids, immortalized Upcyte-hepatocytes and the hepatoma cell line HepG2s in their response to a glucose production challenge. We observed the highest net glucose production in primary hepatocytes, followed by organoids, stem-cell derived hepatocytes, Upcyte-hepatocytes and HepG2s. Glucogenic gene induction was observed in all tested models, as indicated by an increase in G6PC and PCK1 expression. Lipidomic analysis revealed considerable differences across the models, with organoids showing the closest similarity to primary hepatocytes in the common lipidome, comprising 347 lipid species across 19 classes. Changes in lipid profiles as a result of the glucose production challenge showed a variety of, and in some cases opposite, trends when compared to primary hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Madhulika Singh
- Metabolomics and Analytics Center, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Netherlands
| | - Hong Yang
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Amy C Harms
- Metabolomics and Analytics Center, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Netherlands
| | - Adil Mardinoglu
- Science for Life Laboratory, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Hankemeier
- Metabolomics and Analytics Center, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Netherlands.
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3
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Kim MK, Jeong W, Jeon S, Kang HW. 3D bioprinting of dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroid for simultaneous promotion of cell-cell and -ECM interactions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1305023. [PMID: 38026892 PMCID: PMC10679743 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1305023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The cell spheroid technology, which greatly enhances cell-cell interactions, has gained significant attention in the development of in vitro liver models. However, existing cell spheroid technologies still have limitations in improving hepatocyte-extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction, which have a significant impact on hepatic function. In this study, we have developed a novel bioprinting technology for decellularized ECM (dECM)-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids that could enhance both cell-cell and -ECM interactions simultaneously. To provide a biomimetic environment, a porcine liver dECM-based cell bio-ink was developed, and a spheroid printing process using this bio-ink was established. As a result, we precisely printed the dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids with a diameter of approximately 160-220 μm using primary mouse hepatocyte (PMHs). The dECM materials were uniformly distributed within the bio-printed spheroids, and even after more than 2 weeks of culture, the spheroids maintained their spherical shape and high viability. The incorporation of dECM also significantly improved the hepatic function of hepatocyte spheroids. Compared to hepatocyte-only spheroids, dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids showed approximately 4.3- and 2.5-fold increased levels of albumin and urea secretion, respectively, and a 2.0-fold increase in CYP enzyme activity. These characteristics were also reflected in the hepatic gene expression levels of ALB, HNF4A, CPS1, and others. Furthermore, the dECM-incorporated hepatocyte spheroids exhibited up to a 1.8-fold enhanced drug responsiveness to representative hepatotoxic drugs such as acetaminophen, celecoxib, and amiodarone. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the dECM-incorporated spheroid printing technology has great potential for the development of highly functional in vitro liver tissue models for drug toxicity assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Kyeong Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
- Center for Scientific Instrumentation, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonwoo Jeong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Seunggyu Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Hyun-Wook Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
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Suominen S, Hyypijev T, Venäläinen M, Yrjänäinen A, Vuorenpää H, Lehti-Polojärvi M, Räsänen M, Seppänen A, Hyttinen J, Miettinen S, Aalto-Setälä K, Viiri LE. Improvements in Maturity and Stability of 3D iPSC-Derived Hepatocyte-like Cell Cultures. Cells 2023; 12:2368. [PMID: 37830581 PMCID: PMC10571736 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192368] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology enables differentiation of human hepatocytes or hepatocyte-like cells (iPSC-HLCs). Advances in 3D culturing platforms enable the development of more in vivo-like liver models that recapitulate the complex liver architecture and functionality better than traditional 2D monocultures. Moreover, within the liver, non-parenchymal cells (NPCs) are critically involved in the regulation and maintenance of hepatocyte metabolic function. Thus, models combining 3D culture and co-culturing of various cell types potentially create more functional in vitro liver models than 2D monocultures. Here, we report the establishment of 3D cultures of iPSC-HLCs alone and in co-culture with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hASCs). The 3D cultures were performed as spheroids or on microfluidic chips utilizing various biomaterials. Our results show that both 3D spheroid and on-chip culture enhance the expression of mature liver marker genes and proteins compared to 2D. Among the spheroid models, we saw the best functionality in iPSC-HLC monoculture spheroids. On the contrary, in the chip system, the multilineage model outperformed the monoculture chip model. Additionally, the optical projection tomography (OPT) and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system revealed changes in spheroid size and electrical conductivity during spheroid culture, suggesting changes in cell-cell connections. Altogether, the present study demonstrates that iPSC-HLCs can successfully be cultured in 3D as spheroids and on microfluidic chips, and co-culturing iPSC-HLCs with NPCs enhances their functionality. These 3D in vitro liver systems are promising human-derived platforms usable in various liver-related studies, specifically when using patient-specific iPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siiri Suominen
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Tinja Hyypijev
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Mari Venäläinen
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
| | - Alma Yrjänäinen
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Hanna Vuorenpää
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mari Lehti-Polojärvi
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mikko Räsänen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Aku Seppänen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jari Hyttinen
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Susanna Miettinen
- Adult Stem Cell Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Katriina Aalto-Setälä
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
- Heart Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Leena E. Viiri
- Heart Group, Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center and Science Mimicking Life Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland (L.E.V.)
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Khalifa MO, Moriwaki T, Zhang S, Zhou W, Ito K, Li TS. Negative pressure induces dedifferentiation of hepatocytes via RhoA/ROCK pathway. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 667:104-110. [PMID: 37210870 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.05.042] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Biomechanical forces are known to regulate the biological behaviors of cells. Although negative pressure has been used for wound healing, it is still unknown about its role in regulating cell plasticity. We investigated whether negative pressure could induce the dedifferentiation of hepatocytes. Using a commercial device, we found that the exposure of primary human hepatocytes to -50 mmHg quickly induced the formation of stress fibers and obviously changed cell morphology in 72 h. Moreover, the exposure of hepatocytes to -50 mmHg significantly upregulated RhoA, ROCK1, and ROCK2 in 1-6 h, and dramatically enhanced the expression of marker molecules on "stemness", such as OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, MYC, NANOG, and CD133 in 6-72 h. However, all these changes in hepatocytes induced by -50 mmHg stimulation were almost abrogated by ROCK inhibitor Y27623. Our data suggest that an appropriate force of negative pressure stimulation can effectively induce the dedifferentiation of hepatocytes via RhoA/ROCK pathway activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Osman Khalifa
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Veterinary Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan, Egypt; Department of Molecular Bone Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8588, Japan
| | - Takahito Moriwaki
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Shouhua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Kosei Ito
- Department of Molecular Bone Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8588, Japan
| | - Tao-Sheng Li
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan.
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Plasma-Like Culture Medium for the Study of Viruses. mBio 2023; 14:e0203522. [PMID: 36515528 PMCID: PMC9973327 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02035-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral infections attract more and more attention, especially after the emergence of novel zoonotic coronaviruses and the monkeypox virus over the last 2 decades. Research on viruses is based to a great extent on mammalian cell lines that are permissive to the respective viruses. These cell lines are usually cultivated according to the protocols established in the 1950s to 1970s, although it is clear that classical media have a significant imprint on cell growth, phenotype, and especially metabolism. So, recently in the field of biochemistry and metabolomics novel culture media have been developed that resemble human blood plasma. As perturbations in metabolic and redox pathways during infection are considered significant factors of viral pathogenesis, these novel medium formulations should be adapted by the virology field. So far, there are only scarce data available on viral propagation efficiencies in cells cultivated in plasma-like media. But several groups have presented convincing data on the use of such media for cultivation of uninfected cells. The aim of the present review is to summarize the current state of research in the field of plasma-resembling culture media and to point out the influence of media on various cellular processes in uninfected cells that may play important roles in viral replication and pathogenesis in order to sensitize virology research to the use of such media.
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7
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Coronary artery disease patient-derived iPSC-hepatocytes have distinct miRNA profile that may alter lipid metabolism. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1706. [PMID: 36717592 PMCID: PMC9886909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28981-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction, partly driven by altered liver function, predisposes to coronary artery disease (CAD), but the role of liver in vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque development remains unclear. Here we produced hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) from 27 induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines derived from 15 study subjects with stable CAD (n = 5), acute CAD (n = 5) or healthy controls (n = 5). We performed a miRNA microarray screening throughout the differentiation, as well as compared iPSC-HLCs miRNA profiles of the patient groups to identify miRNAs involved in the development of CAD. MicroRNA profile changed during differentiation and started to resemble that of the primary human hepatocytes. In the microarray, 35 and 87 miRNAs were statistically significantly deregulated in the acute and stable CAD patients, respectively, compared to controls. Down-regulation of miR-149-5p, -92a-3p and -221-3p, and up-regulation of miR-122-5p was verified in the stable CAD patients when compared to other groups. The predicted targets of deregulated miRNAs were enriched in pathways connected to insulin signalling, inflammation and lipid metabolism. The iPSC-HLCs derived from stable CAD patients with extensive lesions had a distinct genetic miRNA profile possibly linked to metabolic dysfunction, potentially explaining the susceptibility to developing CAD. The iPSC-HLCs from acute CAD patients with only the acute rupture in otherwise healthy coronaries did not present a distinct miRNA profile, suggesting that hepatic miRNAs do not explain susceptibility to plaque rupture.
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Park Y, Gaddy M, Hyun M, Jones ME, Aslam HM, Lee MH. Genetic and Chemical Controls of Sperm Fate and Spermatocyte Dedifferentiation via PUF-8 and MPK-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030434. [PMID: 36766775 PMCID: PMC9913519 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Using the nematode C. elegans germline as a model system, we previously reported that PUF-8 (a PUF RNA-binding protein) and LIP-1 (a dual-specificity phosphatase) repress sperm fate at 20 °C and the dedifferentiation of spermatocytes into mitotic cells (termed "spermatocyte dedifferentiation") at 25 °C. Thus, double mutants lacking both PUF-8 and LIP-1 produce excess sperm at 20 °C, and their spermatocytes return to mitotically dividing cells via dedifferentiation at 25 °C, resulting in germline tumors. To gain insight into the molecular competence for spermatocyte dedifferentiation, we compared the germline phenotypes of three mutant strains that produce excess sperm-fem-3(q20gf), puf-8(q725); fem-3(q20gf), and puf-8(q725); lip-1(zh15). Spermatocyte dedifferentiation was not observed in fem-3(q20gf) mutants, but it was more severe in puf-8(q725); lip-1(zh15) than in puf-8(q725); fem-3(q20gf) mutants. These results suggest that MPK-1 (the C. elegans ERK1/2 MAPK ortholog) activation in the absence of PUF-8 is required to promote spermatocyte dedifferentiation. This idea was confirmed using Resveratrol (RSV), a potential activator of MPK-1 and ERK1/2 in C. elegans and human cells, respectively. Notably, spermatocyte dedifferentiation was significantly enhanced by RSV treatment in the absence of PUF-8, and its effect was blocked by mpk-1 RNAi. We, therefore, conclude that PUF-8 and MPK-1 are essential regulators for spermatocyte dedifferentiation and tumorigenesis. Since these regulators are broadly conserved, we suggest that similar regulatory circuitry may control cellular dedifferentiation and tumorigenesis in other organisms, including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngyong Park
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Matthew Gaddy
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Moonjung Hyun
- Biological Resources Research Group, Bioenvironmental Science & Toxicology Division, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Jinju 52834, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Mariah E. Jones
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Hafiz M. Aslam
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Myon Hee Lee
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
- Correspondence:
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Seidemann L, Prinz S, Scherbel JC, Götz C, Seehofer D, Damm G. Optimization of extracellular matrix for primary human hepatocyte cultures using mixed collagen-Matrigel matrices. EXCLI JOURNAL 2023; 22:12-34. [PMID: 36660192 PMCID: PMC9837384 DOI: 10.17179/excli2022-5459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Loss of differentiation of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) ex vivo is a known problem of in vitro liver models. Culture optimizations using collagen type I and Matrigel reduce the dedifferentiation process but are not able to prevent it. While neither of these extracellular matrices (ECMs) on their own correspond to the authentic hepatic ECM, a combination of them could more closely resemble the in vivo situation. Our study aimed to systematically analyze the influence of mixed matrices composed of collagen type I and Matrigel on the maintenance and reestablishment of hepatic functions. Therefore, PHHs were cultured on mixed collagen-Matrigel matrices in monolayer and sandwich cultures and viability, metabolic capacity, differentiation markers, cellular arrangement and the cells' ability to repolarize and form functional bile canaliculi were assessed by reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), functional assays and immunofluorescence microscopy. Our results show that mixed matrices were superior to pure matrices in maintaining metabolic capacity and hepatic differentiation. In contrast, Matrigel supplementation can impair the development of a proper hepatocytic polarization. Our systematic study helps to compose an optimized ECM to maintain and reestablish hepatic differentiation on cellular and multicellular levels in human liver models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Seidemann
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,Saxonian Incubator for Clinical Translation (SIKT), Leipzig University, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sarah Prinz
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,Saxonian Incubator for Clinical Translation (SIKT), Leipzig University, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jan-Constantin Scherbel
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,Saxonian Incubator for Clinical Translation (SIKT), Leipzig University, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christina Götz
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,Saxonian Incubator for Clinical Translation (SIKT), Leipzig University, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Seehofer
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,Saxonian Incubator for Clinical Translation (SIKT), Leipzig University, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Georg Damm
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,Saxonian Incubator for Clinical Translation (SIKT), Leipzig University, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,*To whom correspondence should be addressed: Georg Damm, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Tel.: +49-341-9739656, E-mail:
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10
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de la Cruz-Ojeda P, Schmid T, Boix L, Moreno M, Sapena V, Praena-Fernández JM, Castell FJ, Falcón-Pérez JM, Reig M, Brüne B, Gómez-Bravo MA, Giráldez Á, Bruix J, Ferrer MT, Muntané J. miR-200c-3p, miR-222-5p, and miR-512-3p Constitute a Biomarker Signature of Sorafenib Effectiveness in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172673. [PMID: 36078082 PMCID: PMC9454520 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Sorafenib constitutes a suitable treatment alternative for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in whom atezolizumab + bevacizumab therapy is contraindicated. The aim of the study was the identification of a miRNA signature in liquid biopsy related to sorafenib response. Methods: miRNAs were profiled in hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells and tested in animal models, extracellular vesicles (EVs), and plasma from HCC patients. Results: Sorafenib altered the expression of 11 miRNAs in HepG2 cells. miR-200c-3p and miR-27a-3p exerted an anti-tumoral activity by decreasing cell migration and invasion, whereas miR-122-5p, miR-148b-3p, miR-194-5p, miR-222-5p, and miR-512-3p exerted pro-tumoral properties by increasing cell proliferation, migration, or invasion, or decreasing apoptosis. Sorafenib induced a change in EVs population with an increased number of larger EVs, and promoted an accumulation of miR-27a-3p, miR-122-5p, miR-148b-3p, miR-193b-3p, miR-194-5p, miR-200c-3p, and miR-375 into exosomes. In HCC patients, circulating miR-200c-3p baseline levels were associated with increased survival, whereas high levels of miR-222-5p and miR-512-3p after 1 month of sorafenib treatment were related to poor prognosis. The RNA sequencing revealed that miR-200c-3p was related to the regulation of cell growth and death, whereas miR-222-5p and miR-512-3p were related to metabolic control. Conclusions: The study showed that Sorafenib regulates a specific miRNA signature in which miR-200c-3p, miR-222-5p, and miR-512-3p bear prognostic value and contribute to treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia de la Cruz-Ojeda
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Hospital University “Virgen del Rocío”/CSIC/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Center Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain
| | - Tobias Schmid
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Loreto Boix
- Networked Biomedical Research Center Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- BCLC Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBEREHD, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuela Moreno
- Department of General Surgery, Hospital University “Virgen del Rocío”/CSIC/University of Seville/IBIS, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Víctor Sapena
- BCLC Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBEREHD, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Francisco J. Castell
- Department of Radiology, Hospital University “Virgen del Rocío”/CSIC/University of Seville/IBIS, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Falcón-Pérez
- Networked Biomedical Research Center Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Exosomes Lab, CIC bioGUNE, 48160 Derio, Spain
| | - María Reig
- Networked Biomedical Research Center Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- BCLC Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBEREHD, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bernhard Brüne
- Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Miguel A. Gómez-Bravo
- Department of General Surgery, Hospital University “Virgen del Rocío”/CSIC/University of Seville/IBIS, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Álvaro Giráldez
- Unit for the Clinical Management of Digestive Diseases, Hospital University “Virgen del Rocío”/CSIC/University of Seville/IBIS, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Jordi Bruix
- Networked Biomedical Research Center Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- BCLC Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBEREHD, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María T. Ferrer
- Unit for the Clinical Management of Digestive Diseases, Hospital University “Virgen del Rocío”/CSIC/University of Seville/IBIS, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Jordi Muntané
- Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), Hospital University “Virgen del Rocío”/CSIC/University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Center Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-955-923-122; Fax: +34-955-923-002
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11
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Model-based translation of DNA damage signaling dynamics across cell types. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010264. [PMID: 35802572 PMCID: PMC9269748 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Interindividual variability in DNA damage response (DDR) dynamics may evoke differences in susceptibility to cancer. However, pathway dynamics are often studied in cell lines as alternative to primary cells, disregarding variability. To compare DDR dynamics in the cell line HepG2 with primary human hepatocytes (PHHs), we developed a HepG2-based computational model that describes the dynamics of DDR regulator p53 and targets MDM2, p21 and BTG2. We used this model to generate simulations of virtual PHHs and compared the results to those for PHH donor samples. Correlations between baseline p53 and p21 or BTG2 mRNA expression in the absence and presence of DNA damage for HepG2-derived virtual samples matched the moderately positive correlations observed for 50 PHH donor samples, but not the negative correlations between p53 and its inhibitor MDM2. Model parameter manipulation that affected p53 or MDM2 dynamics was not sufficient to accurately explain the negative correlation between these genes. Thus, extrapolation from HepG2 to PHH can be done for some DDR elements, yet our analysis also reveals a knowledge gap within p53 pathway regulation, which makes such extrapolation inaccurate for the regulator MDM2. This illustrates the relevance of studying pathway dynamics in addition to gene expression comparisons to allow reliable translation of cellular responses from cell lines to primary cells. Overall, with our approach we show that dynamical modeling can be used to improve our understanding of the sources of interindividual variability of pathway dynamics. Susceptibility to develop cancer varies among people, partially due to differences in genetic background. Ideally, healthy human-derived cells are used to investigate intracellular signaling pathways and their interindividual variability contributing to cancer susceptibility. Because cells from healthy human tissue are difficult to obtain and culture for periods longer than a few days, cell lines are often used as substitute. However, it is unclear to what extent signaling dynamics in cell lines represent dynamics in healthy human tissue. We asked whether we could reproduce interindividual variability in DNA damage response gene expression in a set of 50 human liver cell donors. Therefore, we built a mathematical model that simulates temporal expression dynamics of the DNA damage response in the HepG2 liver cell line upon chemical activation and used the simulations to create virtual donors. Our virtual donors displayed similar relations between genes as the samples from human donors, provided that we adjusted the strength of specific molecular interactions. Thus, our approach can be used to examine the applicability of widely used cell systems to healthy human tissue in terms of their dynamic responses.
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12
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Romaldini A, Spanò R, Catalano F, Villa F, Poggi A, Sabella S. Sub-Lethal Concentrations of Graphene Oxide Trigger Acute-Phase Response and Impairment of Phase-I Xenobiotic Metabolism in Upcyte® Hepatocytes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:867728. [PMID: 35662849 PMCID: PMC9161028 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.867728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of graphene oxide on hepatic functional cells represents a crucial evaluation step for its potential application in nanomedicine. Primary human hepatocytes are the gold standard for studying drug toxicity and metabolism; however, current technical limitations may slow down the large-scale diffusion of this cellular tool for in vitro investigations. To assess the potential hepatotoxicity of graphene oxide, we propose an alternative cell model, the second-generation upcyte® hepatocytes, which show metabolic and functional profiles akin to primary human hepatocytes. Cells were acutely exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of graphene oxide (≤80 μg/ml) for 24 h and stress-related cell responses (such as apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response) were evaluated, along with a broad investigation of graphene oxide impact on specialized hepatic functions. Results show a mild activation of early apoptosis but not oxidative stress or inflammatory response in our cell model. Notably, while graphene oxide clearly impacted phase-I drug-metabolism enzymes (e.g., CYP3A4, CYP2C9) through the inhibition of gene expression and metabolic activity, conversely, no effect was observed for phase-II enzyme GST and phase-III efflux transporter ABCG2. The GO-induced impairment of CYP3A4 occurs concomitantly with the activation of an early acute-phase response, characterized by altered levels of gene expression and protein production of relevant acute-phase proteins (i.e., CRP, Albumin, TFR, TTR). These data suggest that graphene oxide induces an acute phase response, which is in line with recent in vivo findings. In conclusion, upcyte® hepatocytes appear a reliable in vitro model for assessing nanomaterial-induced hepatotoxicity, specifically showing that sub-lethal doses of graphene oxide have a negative impact on the specialized hepatic functions of these cells. The impairment of the cytochrome P450 system, along with the activation of an acute-phase response, may suggest potential detrimental consequences for human health, as altered detoxification from xenobiotics and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Romaldini
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - R. Spanò
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - F. Catalano
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - F. Villa
- Unit of Molecular Oncology and Angiogenesis, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - A. Poggi
- Unit of Molecular Oncology and Angiogenesis, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - S. Sabella
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
- *Correspondence: S. Sabella,
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13
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Romualdo GR, Leroy K, Costa CJS, Prata GB, Vanderborght B, da Silva TC, Barbisan LF, Andraus W, Devisscher L, Câmara NOS, Vinken M, Cogliati B. In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Strategies for Translational Modeling. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5583. [PMID: 34771745 PMCID: PMC8582701 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13215583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related death globally. HCC is a complex multistep disease and usually emerges in the setting of chronic liver diseases. The molecular pathogenesis of HCC varies according to the etiology, mainly caused by chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections, chronic alcohol consumption, aflatoxin-contaminated food, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with metabolic syndrome or diabetes mellitus. The establishment of HCC models has become essential for both basic and translational research to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology and unravel new molecular drivers of this disease. The ideal model should recapitulate key events observed during hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression in view of establishing effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to be translated into clinical practice. Despite considerable efforts currently devoted to liver cancer research, only a few anti-HCC drugs are available, and patient prognosis and survival are still poor. The present paper provides a state-of-the-art overview of in vivo and in vitro models used for translational modeling of HCC with a specific focus on their key molecular hallmarks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Ribeiro Romualdo
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Kaat Leroy
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (K.L.); (M.V.)
| | - Cícero Júlio Silva Costa
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
| | - Gabriel Bacil Prata
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil
| | - Bart Vanderborght
- Gut-Liver Immunopharmacology Unit, Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
- Hepatology Research Unit, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Tereza Cristina da Silva
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
| | - Luís Fernando Barbisan
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (G.B.P.); (L.F.B.)
| | - Wellington Andraus
- Department of Gastroenterology, Clinics Hospital, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil;
| | - Lindsey Devisscher
- Hepatology Research Unit, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Liver Research Center Ghent, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium;
| | - Niels Olsen Saraiva Câmara
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences IV, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil;
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (K.L.); (M.V.)
| | - Bruno Cogliati
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil; (G.R.R.); (C.J.S.C.); (T.C.d.S.)
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14
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Li B, Yang J, Gong Y, Xiao Y, Zeng Q, Xu K, Duan Y, He J, He J, Ma H. Integrated Analysis of Liver Transcriptome, miRNA, and Proteome of Chinese Indigenous Breed Ningxiang Pig in Three Developmental Stages Uncovers Significant miRNA-mRNA-Protein Networks in Lipid Metabolism. Front Genet 2021; 12:709521. [PMID: 34603377 PMCID: PMC8481880 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.709521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver is an important metabolic organ of mammals. During each transitional period of life, liver metabolism is programmed by a complex molecular regulatory system for multiple physiological functions, many pathways of which are regulated by hormones and cytokines, nuclear receptors, and transcription factors. To gain a comprehensive and unbiased molecular understanding of liver growth and development in Ningxiang pigs, we analyzed the mRNA, microRNA (miRNA), and proteomes of the livers of Ningxiang pigs during lactation, nursery, and fattening periods. A total of 22,411 genes (19,653 known mRNAs and 2758 novel mRNAs), 1122 miRNAs (384 known miRNAs and 738 novel miRNAs), and 1123 unique proteins with medium and high abundance were identified by high-throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry. We show that the differences in transcriptional, post-transcriptional, or protein levels were readily identified by comparing different time periods, providing evidence that functional changes that may occur during liver development are widespread. In addition, we found many overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs)/differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs)/differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) related to glycolipid metabolism in any group comparison. These overlapping DEGs/DEMs/DGPs may play an important role in functional transformation during liver development. Short Time-series Expression Miner (STEM) analysis revealed multiple expression patterns of mRNA, miRNA, and protein in the liver. Furthermore, several diverse key Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, including immune defense, glycolipid metabolism, protein transport and uptake, and cell proliferation and development, were identified by combined analysis of DEGs and DGPs. A number of predicted miRNA–mRNA–protein pairs were found and validated by qRT-PCR and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) assays. The results provide new and important information about the genetic breeding of Ningxiang pigs, which represents a foundation for further understanding the molecular regulatory mechanisms of dynamic development of liver tissue, functional transformation, and lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Jinzeng Yang
- Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Yan Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Yu Xiao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Qinghua Zeng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China.,Ningxiang Pig Farm of Dalong Livestock Technology Co., Ltd., Ningxiang, China
| | - Kang Xu
- Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Physiology and Metabolic Process, Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Changsha, China
| | - Yehui Duan
- Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Physiology and Metabolic Process, Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Changsha, China
| | - Jianhua He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Haiming Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
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15
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Three-Dimensional Liver Culture Systems to Maintain Primary Hepatic Properties for Toxicological Analysis In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910214. [PMID: 34638555 PMCID: PMC8508724 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the major reason for failures in drug development and withdrawal of approved drugs from the market. Two-dimensional cultures of hepatocytes often fail to reliably predict DILI: hepatoma cell lines such as HepG2 do not reflect important primary-like hepatic properties and primary human hepatocytes (pHHs) dedifferentiate quickly in vitro and are, therefore, not suitable for long-term toxicity studies. More predictive liver in vitro models are urgently required in drug development and compound safety evaluation. This review discusses available human hepatic cell types for in vitro toxicology analysis and their usage in established and emerging three-dimensional (3D) culture systems. Generally, 3D cultures maintain or improve primary hepatic functions (including expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes) of different liver cells for several weeks of culture, thus allowing long-term and repeated-dose toxicity studies. Spheroid cultures of pHHs have been comprehensively tested, but also other cell types such as HepaRG benefit from 3D culture systems. Emerging 3D culture techniques include usage of induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived hepatocytes and primary-like upcyte cells, as well as advanced culture techniques such as microfluidic liver-on-a-chip models. In-depth characterization of existing and emerging 3D hepatocyte technologies is indispensable for successful implementation of such systems in toxicological analysis.
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16
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The Performance of HepG2 and HepaRG Systems through the Glass of Acetaminophen-Induced Toxicity. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080856. [PMID: 34440600 PMCID: PMC8400973 DOI: 10.3390/life11080856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigation of drug-induced liver injuries requires appropriate in vivo and in vitro toxicological model systems. In our study, an attempt was made to compare the hepatocarcinoma HepG2 and the stem cell-derived HepaRG cell lines both in two- and three-dimensional culture conditions to find the most suitable model. Comparison of the liver-specific characteristics of these models was performed via the extent and mechanism of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity. Investigating the detailed mechanism of APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, different specific cell death inhibitors were used: the pan-caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk and dabrafenib significantly protected both cell lines from APAP-induced cell death. However, the known specific inhibitors of necroptosis (necrostatin-1 and MDIVI) were only effective in differentiated HepaRG, which suggest a differential execution of activated pathways in the two models. By applying 3D culture methods, CYP2E1 mRNA levels could be elevated, but we failed to achieve a significant increase in hepatocyte function; hence, the 3D cultivation especially in APAP toxicity studies is not necessarily worth the complicated maintenance. Based on our findings, the hepatocyte functions of HepaRG may stand between the properties of HepG2 cells and primary hepatocytes (PHHs). However, it should be noted that in contrast to PHHs having many limitations, HepaRG cells are relatively immortal, having a stable phenotype and CYP450 expression.
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17
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Marqueño A, Pérez-Albaladejo E, Denslow ND, Bowden JA, Porte C. Untargeted lipidomics reveals the toxicity of bisphenol A bis(3-chloro-2- hydroxypropyl) ether and bisphenols A and F in zebrafish liver cells. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 219:112311. [PMID: 33993092 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Given the opposing responses reported for bisphenol A (BPA) in terms of induction of obesogenic effects and impaired lipid metabolism, the increasing use of bisphenol F (BPF), and the relatively low information available regarding the effects of bisphenol A bis(3-chloro-2- hydroxypropyl) ether (BADGE·2HCl) in aquatic organisms, this work aims to use the zebrafish liver cell line (ZFL) as an alternative model to characterize the toxicity and the lipid metabolism disruptive potential of the selected compounds in fish. All three bisphenols increased intracellular levels of dihydroceramides and ether-triacylglycerides (ether-TGs), suggestive of inhibited cell growth. However, while BPA and BADGE·2HCl caused an increase of saturated and lower unsaturated TGs, BPF caused oxidative stress and the decrease of TGs containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Analysis by qPCR highlighted the up-regulation of the lipogenic genes scd and elovl6 by BPA and BPF in line with an increase of lipids containing saturated and monounsaturated FA and a decrease of lipids containing PUFAs. This study shows that BPA, BPF and BADGE·2HCl target lipid homeostasis in ZFL cells through different mechanisms, and highlights the higher lipotoxicity of BADGE·2HCl compared to BPA and BPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Marqueño
- Environmental Chemistry Department, IDAEA -CSIC, C/ Jordi Girona 18-6, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Nancy D Denslow
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, FL, USA
| | - John A Bowden
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, FL, USA
| | - Cinta Porte
- Environmental Chemistry Department, IDAEA -CSIC, C/ Jordi Girona 18-6, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
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18
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Ingelman-Sundberg M, Lauschke VM. 3D human liver spheroids for translational pharmacology and toxicology. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2021; 130 Suppl 1:5-15. [PMID: 33872466 DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.13587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Drug development is a failure-prone endeavour, and more than 85% of drugs fail during clinical development, showcasing that current preclinical systems for compound selection are clearly inadequate. Liver toxicity remains a major reason for safety failures. Furthermore, all efforts to develop pharmacological therapies for a variety of chronic liver diseases, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis, remain unsuccessful. Considering the time and expense of clinical trials, as well as the substantial burden on patients, new strategies are thus of paramount importance to increase clinical success rates. To this end, human liver spheroids are becoming increasingly utilized as they allow to preserve patient-specific phenotypes and functions for multiple weeks in culture. We here review the recent application of such systems for i) predictive and mechanistic analyses of drug hepatotoxicity, ii) the evaluation of hepatic disposition and metabolite formation of low clearance drugs and iii) the development of drugs for metabolic and infectious liver diseases, including NASH, fibrosis, malaria and viral hepatitis. We envision that with increasing dissemination, liver spheroids might become the new gold standard for such applications in translational pharmacology and toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Volker M Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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19
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Yang Q, Humphreys SC, Lade JM, Li AP. Prolonged cultured human hepatocytes as an in vitro experimental system for the evaluation of potency and duration of activity of RNA therapeutics: Demonstration of prolonged duration of gene silencing effects of a GalNAc-conjugated human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT1) siRNA. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 189:114374. [PMID: 33358826 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We report here the evaluation of a novel in vitro experimental model, prolonged cultured human hepatocytes (PCHC), as an experimental system to evaluate the potency and duration of effects of oligonucleotide therapeutics. A novel observation was made on the redifferentiation of PCHC upon prolonged culturing based on mRNA profiling of characteristic hepatic differentiation marker genes albumin, transferrin, and transthyretin. Consistent with the known de-differentiation of cultured human hepatocytes, decreases in marker gene expression were observed upon culturing of the hepatocytes for 2 days. A novel observation of re-differentiation was observed on day 7 as demonstrated by an increase in expression of the marker genes to levels similar to that observed on the first day of culture. The expression of the differentiation marker genes was highest on day 7, followed by a gradual decrease but remained higher than that on day 2 for up to the longest culture duration evaluated of 41 days. The redifferentiation phenomenon suggests that PCHC may be useful for the evaluation of the duration of effects of oligonucleotide therapeutics on gene expression in human hepatocytes. A proof of concept study was thereby conducted with PCHC with a GalNAc-conjugated siRNA targeting human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase1 (HPRT1). HPRT1 mRNA expression in siRNA-treated cultures decreased to 21% of that in untreated hepatocytes on day 1, <10% from days 2 to 12, <20% from days 16 to 33, and eventually recovered to 64% by day 41. Our results suggest that PCHC represent a clinically-relevant cost- and time-efficient experimental tool to aid in the evaluation of GalNAc-siRNA silencing activity, providing information on both efficacy and duration of efficacy. PCHC may be applicable in the drug development setting as a species- and cell type-relevant experimental tool to aid the development of oligonucleotide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Yang
- In Vitro ADMET Laboratories Inc., Columbia, MD (QY, APL) and Amgen Inc., San Francisco, CA (SCH, JML), United States
| | - Sara C Humphreys
- In Vitro ADMET Laboratories Inc., Columbia, MD (QY, APL) and Amgen Inc., San Francisco, CA (SCH, JML), United States
| | - Julie M Lade
- In Vitro ADMET Laboratories Inc., Columbia, MD (QY, APL) and Amgen Inc., San Francisco, CA (SCH, JML), United States
| | - Albert P Li
- In Vitro ADMET Laboratories Inc., Columbia, MD (QY, APL) and Amgen Inc., San Francisco, CA (SCH, JML), United States.
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20
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Colemonts-Vroninks H, Neuckermans J, Marcelis L, Claes P, Branson S, Casimir G, Goyens P, Martens GA, Vanhaecke T, De Kock J. Oxidative Stress, Glutathione Metabolism, and Liver Regeneration Pathways Are Activated in Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1 Mice upon Short-Term Nitisinone Discontinuation. Genes (Basel) 2020; 12:E3. [PMID: 33375092 PMCID: PMC7822164 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT1) is an inherited condition in which the body is unable to break down the amino acid tyrosine due to mutations in the fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) gene, coding for the final enzyme of the tyrosine degradation pathway. As a consequence, HT1 patients accumulate toxic tyrosine derivatives causing severe liver damage. Since its introduction, the drug nitisinone (NTBC) has offered a life-saving treatment that inhibits the upstream enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPD), thereby preventing production of downstream toxic metabolites. However, HT1 patients under NTBC therapy remain unable to degrade tyrosine. To control the disease and side-effects of the drug, HT1 patients need to take NTBC as an adjunct to a lifelong tyrosine and phenylalanine restricted diet. As a consequence of this strict therapeutic regime, drug compliance issues can arise with significant influence on patient health. In this study, we investigated the molecular impact of short-term NTBC therapy discontinuation on liver tissue of Fah-deficient mice. We found that after seven days of NTBC withdrawal, molecular pathways related to oxidative stress, glutathione metabolism, and liver regeneration were mostly affected. More specifically, NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response and several toxicological gene classes related to reactive oxygen species metabolism were significantly modulated. We observed that the expression of several key glutathione metabolism related genes including Slc7a11 and Ggt1 was highly increased after short-term NTBC therapy deprivation. This stress response was associated with the transcriptional activation of several markers of liver progenitor cells including Atf3, Cyr61, Ddr1, Epcam, Elovl7, and Glis3, indicating a concreted activation of liver regeneration early after NTBC withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haaike Colemonts-Vroninks
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (H.C.-V.); (J.N.); (P.C.); (S.B.); (T.V.)
| | - Jessie Neuckermans
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (H.C.-V.); (J.N.); (P.C.); (S.B.); (T.V.)
| | - Lionel Marcelis
- Laboratoire de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola (HUDERF), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue J.J. Crocq 1-3, 1020 Brussels, Belgium; (L.M.); (G.C.); (P.G.)
| | - Paul Claes
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (H.C.-V.); (J.N.); (P.C.); (S.B.); (T.V.)
| | - Steven Branson
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (H.C.-V.); (J.N.); (P.C.); (S.B.); (T.V.)
| | - Georges Casimir
- Laboratoire de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola (HUDERF), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue J.J. Crocq 1-3, 1020 Brussels, Belgium; (L.M.); (G.C.); (P.G.)
| | - Philippe Goyens
- Laboratoire de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola (HUDERF), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Avenue J.J. Crocq 1-3, 1020 Brussels, Belgium; (L.M.); (G.C.); (P.G.)
| | - Geert A. Martens
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, AZ Delta General Hospital, Deltalaan 1, 8800 Roeselare, Belgium;
- Center for Beta Cell Therapy in Diabetes, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tamara Vanhaecke
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (H.C.-V.); (J.N.); (P.C.); (S.B.); (T.V.)
| | - Joery De Kock
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology (IVTD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (H.C.-V.); (J.N.); (P.C.); (S.B.); (T.V.)
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Sullivan KM, Park CG, Ito JD, Kandel M, Popescu G, Kim YJ, Kong H. Matrix Softness-Mediated 3D Zebrafish Hepatocyte Modulates Response to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:13797-13806. [PMID: 32975940 PMCID: PMC8202163 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c01988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) include synthetic compounds that mimic the structure or function of natural hormones. While most studies utilize live embryos or primary cells from adult fish, these cells rapidly lose functionality when cultured on plastic or glass substrates coated with extracellular matrix proteins. This study hypothesizes that the softness of a matrix with adhered fish cells can regulate the intercellular organization and physiological function of engineered hepatoids during EDC exposure. We scrutinized this hypothesis by culturing zebrafish hepatocytes (ZF-L) on collagen-based hydrogels with controlled elastic moduli by examining morphology, urea production, and intracellular oxidative stress of hepatoids exposed to 17β-estradiol. Interestingly, the softer gel drove cells to form a cell sheet with a canaliculi-like structure compared to its stiffer gel counterpart. The hepatoids cultured on the softer gel exhibited more active urea production upon exposure to 17β-estradiol and displayed faster recovery of intracellular reactive oxygen species level confirmed by gradient light interference microscopy (GLIM), a live-cell imaging technique. These results are broadly useful to improve screening and understanding of potential EDC impacts on aquatic organisms and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Sullivan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Chang Gyun Park
- Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Europe, Campus E 7.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - John D Ito
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Mikhail Kandel
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Gabriel Popescu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Young Jun Kim
- Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Europe, Campus E 7.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Hyunjoon Kong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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