Project description:The lack of adequate human in vitro models that recapitulate the cellular composition and response of the human liver to injury hampers the development of anti-fibrotic drugs. The goal of this study was to develop a human spheroid culture model to study liver fibrosis by using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived liver cells. iPSCs were independently differentiated towards hepatoblasts (iHepatoblasts), hepatic stellate cells (iHSCs), endothelial cells (iECs) and macrophages (iMΦ), before assembly into free floating spheroids by culturing cells in 96-well U-bottom plates and orbital shaking for up to 21 days to allow further maturation. Through transcriptome analysis, we show further maturation of iECs and iMΦ, the differentiation of the iHepatoblasts towards hepatocyte-like cells (iHeps) and the inactivation of the iHSCs by the end of the 3D culture. Moreover, these cultures display a similar expression of cell-specific marker genes (CYP3A4, PDGFRβ, CD31 and CD68) and sensitivity to hepatoxicity as spheroids made using freshly isolated primary human liver cells. Furthermore, we show the functionality of the iHeps and the iHSCs by mimicking liver fibrosis through iHep-induced iHSC activation, using acetaminophen. In conclusion, we have established a reproducible human iPSC-derived liver culture model that can be used to mimic fibrosis in vitro as a replacement of primary human liver derived 3D models. The model can be used to investigate pathways involved in fibrosis development and to identify new targets for chronic liver disease therapy
Project description:Single-cell RNA-seq: We used single-cell RNAseq to investigate the maturation of astrocytes within human cortical spheroids Bulk RNA-seq: Bulk sequencing from astrocytes and neurons purified (via immunopanning) from iPSC-derived coritical spheroids at varying in vitro differentiation states
Project description:To study cancer cells heterogeneity at the single cell level we grew cancer cells as spheroids and extracted their RNA preform SmartSeq3xpress. We grew MDA-MB-231 cells on agar coated plates for 5-10 days in DMEM 10% FBS. The spheroids were incubated for 2 hours with Calcein AM and Vybrant Dye 10uM at 37C and washed twice with PBS. After dissociation with trypsinLE 0.25% the cells were facs sorted and the fluorescence intensity for each cell was recorded. The RNA were extracted and the cDNA libraries were built according to the SmartSeq3xpress protocol.
Project description:Longitudinal monitoring of liver function in vivo is hindered by the lack of high-resolution non-invasive imaging techniques. Using the anterior chamber of the mouse eye as a transplantation site, we have established a platform for longitudinal in vivo imaging of liver spheroids at cellular resolution. Transplanted liver spheroids engraft on the iris, become vascularized and innervated, retain hepatocyte-specific and liver-like features and can be studied by in vivo confocal microscopy. Employing fluorescent probes administered intravenously or spheroids formed from reporter mice, we showcase potential use of this platform exemplified by monitoring hepatocyte cell cycle activity, bile secretion and lipoprotein uptake. Moreover, we show that hepatic lipid accumulation during diet-induced hepatosteatosis is mirrored in intraocular grafts in vivo. The here described technology will provide a crucial tool to study liver physiology and disease progression in both pre-clinical and basic research as well as a drug screening platform in the pharma industry.
Project description:To confirm the mechanism of miR-29a in liver fibrosis healing, we have employed whole genome microarray expression profiling as a discovery platform to identify genes. CCl4 and TAA liver fibrosis model mouse were used for this experiment. After five weeks liver fibrosis induction period, mouse have been observed for one week (1w) or two weeks (2w) and negative control nucleotide (N.C) or miR-29a were injected every 3 days on this period. We used CCl4 1w N.C (n = 1), 1w miR-29a (n = 1), 2w N.C (n = 1), 2w miR-29a (n = 1), and also used TAA model mouse (total n = 8) liver samples for microarray analysis. We can get only one gene (PDGF-c) as a target of miR-29a which relate to liver fibrosis and down-regulated more than 1.5 times in common miR-29a injected group than N.C group. CCl4 and TAA liver fibrosis model mouse were used for this experiment. After five weeks liver fibrosis induction period, mouse have been obserbed for one week (1w) or two weeks (2w) and negative control nucleotide (N.C) or miR-29a were injected every 3 days on this period. We used CCl4 1w N.C (n = 1), 1w miR-29a (n = 1), 2w N.C (n = 1), 2w miR-29a (n = 1), and also used TAA model mouse (total n = 8) liver samples for microarray analysis.
Project description:The aim of this study is to compare mild and advanced liver fibrosis gene expression profiling and to identify novel markers of fibrosis progression. By transcriptome analysis with a cDNA array virtually covering every transcript in liver, we compared transcript levels in mild (F1 Metavir score) and advanced (F4 Metavir score) fibrosis. A stringent selection identified a list of 16 transcripts which completely separated the 2 groups of patients (8 F1 and 8 F4). We report that dysregulations at the transcriptional level do exist between mild fibrosis (F1) and advanced fibrosis (F4). Keywords: fibrosis stage-dependent analysis Fibrosis samples were analyzed for 16 patients : 8 mild fibrosis (F1-1 to F1-8) and 8 advanced fibrosis (F4-1 to F4-8). All data in the current study were obtained from 3 separate hybridizations per RNA sample.
Project description:The lack of available biomarkers to diagnose and predict different stages of liver disease with a non-invasive strategy is currently one of the main challenges that clinicians are facing. Recent evidence indicates that the plasma levels of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) may be significantly altered in patients with liver injury, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infected patients. Large-scale deep sequencing analysis of small RNA expression was performed on plasma samples from 46 HIV-1/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients that did not exhibit liver fibrosis at the time of sampling. A total of 1065 different miRNAs were identified. After a mean of 10.3 years, 26 of the former patients developed liver fibrosis (stage F2-4) and 20 remained without signs of liver fibrosis (stage F0-1). We identified a signature of seven miRNAs, 100-5p, 192-5p, 99a-5p, 122-5p, 125b-2-3p, 1246 and 194-5p, that highly correlated with patients progressing to liver fibrosis. These seven miRNAs detected liver fibrosis progression with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.910-0.806. The two miRNAs, 100-5p and 192-5p, displaying the best AUC values, yielded both a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 85% for liver fibrosis progression. Our results demonstrate the predictive potential of circulating levels of miRNAs to foresee liver fibrosis progression even before liver fibrosis or significant clinical differences such as liver transaminases or platelets are detectable. Thus, our study might help in predicting the progression of liver injury in HIV-1-infected patients.
Project description:Liver-derived cells from the surface and cave-adapted morphs of Astyanax mexicanus are valuable in vitro resources to explore the metabolism of these unique fish. However, 2D cultures have not yet fully mimicked the metabolic profile of the fish liver. Also, 3D culturing can modulate the transcriptomic profile of cells when compared to its 2D counterpart. Hence, to widen the range of metabolic pathways that can be depicted in vitro, we cultured the liver-derived SFL and CFL into 3D spheroids. We 3D cultured the cells at various cell seeding densities for 4 weeks and characterized the resultant transcriptome. The 3D cultured SFL and CFL cells indeed depicted a wider range of metabolic pathways as compared to the 2D culture. Further, the 3D spheroids also showed surface and cave-specific responses, making the spheroids an exciting system to study cave adaptation. Taken together, SFL and CFL spheroids prove to be a promising model for overall understanding of altered metabolism in Astyanax mexicanus.