1
|
Lian RT, Zhuang AQ, Yue J, Chen Y, Ma KF, Wu YH. Availability, Functionality, and Safety as well as Quality Control of Hepatocytes as Seeding Cells in Liver Regenerative Medicine: State of the Art and Challenges. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2023:CSCR-EPUB-129077. [PMID: 36698230 DOI: 10.2174/1574888x18666230125113254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic disease is one of the most common causes of death worldwide and has become a global health problem. Liver transplantation is the only effective treatment strategy for patients with hepatic function failure, but the insufficient number of donated healthy livers is the main obstacle limiting this process. To alleviate the demand for donor's livers, alternative approaches are being actively explored using liver tissue engineering principles. Liver tissue engineering consists of three elements, including seeding cells, extracellular matrix, and bioreactors. Among them, seeding cell is the most key factor. In this regard, hepatocyte-based tissue engineering can overcome the above shortages for tissue repair and regeneration in hepatic disorders. Primary human hepatocytes in liver regenerative medicine are the most preferred seeding cells, although limited access to a sufficient number of functional hepatocytes are a major issue due to the difficulties in long-term function maintenance of hepatocyte as well as the lack of availability of healthy donors. Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs), derived from various stem cells, including non-liver-derived stem cells and liver-derived stem cells, as well as trans-differentiation of other cell types, may provide adequate cell sources and could replace primary human hepatocytes as seeding cells. However, it is still a great difficulty that HLCs generated by stem cell differentiation meet the quality required for clinical therapy. Furthermore, none of the standardized protocols to generate high-quality HLCs is available. Whether primary hepatocytes or HLCs are from various sources, preventing the functional deterioration of hepatocytes or generating fully functional hepatocytes is also a big challenge, respectively. In addition, the adoptions of three-dimensional co-culture systems and some small-molecule compounds contribute to maintaining the hepatic functionality of primary hepatocytes and enhancing the liver-specific functions of HLCs. In short, hepatocyte-based liver regenerative medicine is an attractive alternative strategy for liver diseases, notwithstanding some challenges still exist from bench to bedside. This review summarizes the current status, issues, and challenges in availability, functionality, and safety, as well as quality control of seeding hepatocytes with regard to liver tissue engineering in regenerative medicine for the treatment of liver disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Run-Tong Lian
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - An-Qi Zhuang
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jing Yue
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | | | - Yi-Hang Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Nevens F, Gustot T, Laterre PF, Lasser LL, Haralampiev LE, Vargas V, Lyubomirova D, Albillos A, Najimi M, Michel S, Stoykov I, Gordillo N, Vainilovich Y, Barthel V, Clerget-Chossat N, Sokal EM. A phase II study of human allogeneic liver-derived progenitor cell therapy for acute-on-chronic liver failure and acute decompensation. JHEP Rep 2021; 3:100291. [PMID: 34169246 PMCID: PMC8207211 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Human allogeneic liver-derived progenitor cells (HALPC, HepaStem®; Promethera Biosciences, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium) are an advanced therapy medicinal product that could potentially alleviate systemic inflammation and ameliorate liver function in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) or acute decompensation of cirrhosis (AD). Methods This open-label phase II study was conducted in 9 centres in Belgium, Spain, and Bulgaria between 2016 and 2019. The primary objective was to assess the safety of HALPC therapy up to Day 28 and the secondary objectives were to assess its safety and preliminary efficacy up to Month 3. Results The 24 treated patients (mean age: 51 years) were mostly male with an alcoholic cirrhosis. On pre-infusion Day 1, 15 patients had ACLF and 9 patients had AD. Two of the 3 initial patients treated with high HALPC doses (∼5×106 cells/kg body weight [BW]) had severe adverse bleeding events attributed to treatment. In 21 patients subsequently treated with lower HALPC doses (0.6 or 1.2×106 cells/kg BW, 1 or 2 times 7 days apart), no serious adverse events were related to treatment, and the other adverse events were in line with those expected in patients with ACLF and AD. Overall, markers of systemic inflammation and altered liver function decreased gradually for the surviving patients. The Day-28 and Month-3 survival rates were 83% (20/24) and 71% (17/24), and at Month 3, no patient had ACLF. Conclusions The treatment of patients with ACLF or AD with up to 2 doses of 1.2×106 HALPC/kg BW appeared safe. The results of this study support the initiation of a proof-of-concept study in a larger cohort of patients with ACLF to further confirm the safety and evaluate the efficacy of HALPC therapy. Clinical Trials Registration EudraCT 2016-001177-32. Lay summary Patients with liver cirrhosis may suffer from the rapid onset of organ failure or multiple organ failure associated with a high risk of death in the short term. This clinical study of 24 patients suggests that an advanced therapy based on the intravenous infusion of low doses of human allogeneic liver-derived progenitor cells is safe and supports the next phase of clinical development of this type of therapy.
Collapse
Key Words
- ACLF, acute-on-chronic liver failure
- AD, acute decompensation of liver cirrhosis
- AE, adverse event
- AESI, AE of special interest
- ATMP, advanced therapy medicinal product
- Alcoholic liver disease
- BW, body weight
- CRP, C-reactive protein
- EASL-CLIF, European Association for the Study of Chronic Liver Failure
- HALPC, human allogeneic liver-derived progenitor cells
- INR, international normalised ratio
- Liver regenerative medicine
- MELD, model for end-stage liver disease
- MSC, mesenchymal stem cells
- SAE, serious AE
- SAS, safety analysis set
- SUSAR, suspected unexpected serious adverse reaction
- Stem cell
- TEG, thromboelastography
- TGT, thrombin generation test
- i.v., intravenous
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frederik Nevens
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thierry Gustot
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepato-Pancreatology, C.U.B. Erasme Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Luc L Lasser
- Gastroenterology Clinic, CHU Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Hepatogastroenterology, CHU Brugmann, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lyudmil E Haralampiev
- Department of Internal Diseases, Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment (MEDICA), Ruse, Bulgaria
| | - Victor Vargas
- Liver Unit, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, CIBERehd, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Desislava Lyubomirova
- Department of Clinical Gastroenterology with Hepatology, Gastroenterology Clinic, University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment "Georgi Stranski", Pleven, Bulgaria
| | - Agustin Albillos
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mustapha Najimi
- UCLouvain, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Etienne M Sokal
- UCLouvain, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Laboratory of Pediatric Hepatology and Cell Therapy (PEDI), Brussels, Belgium.,Promethera Biosciences, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium.,Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, UCLouvain, Pediatric Hepatology & Gastroenterology Unit, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|