Comparison of ex vivo and in vitro intestinal cystic fibrosis models to measure CFTR-dependent ion channel activity

BACKGROUND

New functional assays using primary human intestinal adult stem cell cultures can be valuable tools to study epithelial defects in human diseases such as cystic fibrosis.

METHODS

CFTR-mediated ion transport was measured in rectal organoid-derived monolayers grown from subjects with various CFTR mutations and compared to donor-matched intestinal current measurements (ICM) in rectal biopsies and forskolin-induced swelling of rectal organoids.

RESULTS

Rectal organoid-derived monolayers were generated within four days. Ion transport measurements of CFTR function using these monolayers correlated with ICM and organoid swelling (r = 0.73 and 0.79 respectively). Culturing the monolayers under differentiation conditions enhanced the detection of mucus-secreting cells and was accompanied by reduced CFTR function.

CONCLUSIONS

CFTR-dependent intestinal epithelial ion transport properties can be measured in rectal organoid-derived monolayers of subjects and correlate with donor-matched ICM and rectal organoid swelling.