Krüppel-like Factor-4-Mediated Macrophage Polarization and Phenotypic Transitions Drive Intestinal Fibrosis in THP-1 Monocyte Models In Vitro.

Background and Objectives: Despite the fact that biologic drugs have transformed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment, addressing fibrosis-related strictures remains a research gap. This study explored the roles of cytokines, macrophages, and Krüppel-like factors (KLFs), specifically KLF4, in intestinal fibrosis, as well as the interplay of KLF4 with various gut components. Materials and Methods: This study examined macrophage subtypes, their KLF4 expression, and the effects of KLF4 knockdown on macrophage polarization and cytokine expression using THP-1 monocyte models. Co-culture experiments with stromal myofibroblasts and a conditioned medium from macrophage subtype cultures were conducted to study the role of these cells in intestinal fibrosis. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal organoids were used to confirm inflammatory and fibrotic responses in the human small intestinal epithelium. Results: Each macrophage subtype exhibited distinct phenotypes and KLF4 expression. Knockdown of KLF4 induced inflammatory cytokine expression in M0, M2a, and M2c cells. M2b exerted anti-fibrotic effects via interleukin (IL)-10. M0 and M2b cells showed a high migratory capacity toward activated stromal myofibroblasts. M0 cells interacting with activated stromal myofibroblasts transformed into inflammatory macrophages, thereby increasing pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. The expression of IL-36α, linked to fibrosis, was upregulated. Conclusions: This study elucidated the role of KLF4 in macrophage polarization and the intricate interactions between macrophages, stromal myofibroblasts, and cytokines in experimental in vitro models of intestinal fibrosis. The obtained results may suggest the mechanism of fibrosis formation in clinical IBD.

Air-liquid interface culture and modified culture medium promote the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into intestinal epithelial cells.

An in vitro system that evaluates pharmacokinetics in the small intestine is crucial for the development of oral drugs. We produced human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal epithelial cells (hiSIECs) with high drug metabolizing enzyme and drug transporter activities. However, the gene expression of our hiSIECs partially differed from that of the human small intestine, with low drug metabolizing enzyme activities. Therefore, we used air-liquid interface (ALI) culture and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5AZA)-free medium to generate hiSIECs (novel hiSIECs). Novel hiSIECs showed enhanced gene expression of drug metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and carboxylesterase 2 that are highly expressed in the small intestine. In addition, the expression of genes involved in nutrient absorption-one of the major functions of the small intestine-also increased. The novel hiSIECs expressed ZO-1 and E-cadherin. Moreover, the novel hiSIECs exhibited a barrier function that allowed low lucifer yellow permeation. The novel hiSIECs showed high activities of CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19, which are abundantly expressed in the small intestine. In conclusion, the novel hiSIECs have great potential as an in vitro system to evaluate pharmacokinetics in the small intestine.

Phagocytosis model of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals generated using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophages.

Macrophages play a role in nephrolithiasis, offering the possibility of developing macrophage-mediated preventive therapies. To establish a system for screening drugs that could prevent the formation of kidney stones, we aimed to develop a model using human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived macrophages to study phagocytosis of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals. Human iPSCs (201B7) were cultured. CD14+ monocytes were recovered using a stepwise process that involved the use of growth factors and cytokines. These cells were then allowed to differentiate into M1 and M2 macrophages. The macrophages were co-cultured with COM crystals and used in the phagocytosis experiments. Live cell imaging and polarized light observation via super-resolution microscopy were used to visualize phagocytosis. Localization of phagocytosed COM crystals was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Intracellular fluorescence intensity was measured using imaging cytometry to quantify phagocytosis. Human iPSCs successfully differentiated into M1 and M2 macrophages. M1 macrophages adhered to the culture plate and moved COM crystals from the periphery to cell center over time, whereas M2 macrophages did not adhere to the culture plate and actively phagocytosed the surrounding COM crystals. Fluorescence assessment over a 24-h period showed that M2 macrophages exhibited higher intracellular fluorescence intensity (5.65-times higher than that of M1 macrophages at 4.5 h) and maintained this advantage for 18 h. This study revealed that human iPSC-derived macrophages have the ability to phagocytose COM crystals, presenting a new approach for studying urinary stone formation and highlighting the potential of iPSC-derived macrophages as a tool to screen nephrolithiasis-related drugs.

New Maintenance Culture Method for Intestinal Stem Cells Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Most orally administered drugs exert their effects after being absorbed in the small intestine. Therefore, new drugs must undergo nonclinical pharmacokinetic evaluations in the small intestine. Enterocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are expected to be used in the evaluation system, as they reflect human intestinal characteristics more accurately; moreover, several differentiation protocols are available for these cells. However, enterocytes derived from hiPSCs have drawbacks such as time, cost, and lot-to-lot differences. Hence, to address these issues, we attempted to maintain hiPSC-derived intestinal stem cells (ISCs) that can differentiate into various intestinal cells by regulating various pathways. Although our previous attempt was partly successful, the drawbacks of elevated cost and complicated handling remained, because more than 10 factors (A 83-01, CHIR99021, epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, SB202190, nicotinamide, N-acetylcysteine, valproic acid, Wnt3a, R-spondin 1, and noggin) are needed to maintain ISCs. Therefore, in this study, we successfully maintained ISCs using only five factors, including growth factors. Moreover, we generated not only enterocytes but also intestinal organoids from the maintained ISCs. Thus, our novel findings provided a time-saving and cost-effective culture method for enterocytes derived from hiPSCs.

Effect of Anagliptin on Vascular Injury in the Femoral Artery of Type 2 Diabetic Rats.

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) often experience complications such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which is thought to be caused by vascular damage resulting from increased oxidative stress. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors have been reported to reduce oxidative stress, although the exact mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of long-term (6 weeks) anagliptin treatment at a dose of 200 mg/kg/d against oxidative stress in the femoral artery of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats using a well-established animal model for type 2 DM. Serum toxic advanced glycation end-products concentrations and blood glucose levels after glucose loading were significantly elevated in OLETF rats compared to Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats but were significantly suppressed by anagliptin administration. Plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 concentrations after glucose loading were significantly increased in anagliptin-treated rats. Superoxide production and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity in femoral arteries were significantly increased in OLETF rats compared to LETO rats but were significantly decreased by anagliptin administration. The expressions of NADPH oxidase components (p22phox in the intima region and p22phox and gp91phox in the media region) in the femoral artery were significantly increased in OLETF rats compared to LETO rats but were significantly suppressed by anagliptin administration. Furthermore, the femoral artery showed increased wall thickness in OLETF rats compared to LETO rats, but anagliptin administration reduced the thickening. This study suggests that long-term anagliptin administration can reduce oxidative stress in femoral arteries and improve vascular injury.

Utility of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal epithelial cells for pharmacokinetic, toxicological, and immunological studies.

The small intestine, which plays a crucial role in the absorption and metabolism of drugs and foods, serves as a target organ for drug-induced toxicity and immune interactions with functional foods and intestinal bacteria. Current alternative models of the human small intestine, such as Caco-2 cells and experimental animals, have limitations due to variations in the expression levels of metabolic enzymes, transporters, and receptors. This study presents investigations into the utility of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal epithelial cells (hiSIECs) for pharmacokinetic, toxicological, and immunological studies, respectively. While hiSIECs displayed small intestinal epithelial cell characteristics and barrier function, they demonstrated pharmacokinetic properties such as cytochrome P450 3A4/5 activity equivalent to human primary enterocytes and stable P-glycoprotein activity. These cells also demonstrated potential for assessing two forms of intestinal toxicity caused by anticancer drugs and gamma-secretase inhibitors, displaying immune responses mediated by toll-like and fatty acid receptors while serving as an inflammatory gut model through the addition of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma. Overall, hiSIECs hold promise as an in vitro model for assessing pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and effects on the intestinal immunity of pharmaceuticals, functional foods, supplements, and intestinal bacteria.

Culture methods focusing on bile canalicular formation using primary human hepatocytes in a short time.

The development of models for predicting hepatotoxicity is warranted, as the hepatotoxicity risk of 38-51% of compounds is undetectable in nonclinical studies. Cholestatic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a condition in which bile acids are abnormally excreted into the capillary bile canaliculi and are accumulated in hepatocytes, caused by the inhibition of bile salt export pump (BSEP), a transporter that is mainly associated with excretion of bile acids. Although laboratory animals are used as models, the use of human-derived cells is required owing to species differences. Unfortunately, primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) show rapid loss of function in culture and difficulties in forming bile canaliculi. Therefore, we aimed to develop an in vitro culture method for the efficient formation of bile canaliculi and for assessing the function of BSEP in PHHs. Here, PHHs were cultured from 1 h after thawing to day 2 with Z-VAD-FMK, a total caspase inhibitor, and RevitaCell™ supplement, an irreversible Rho-associated coiled-coil forming kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, in combination with RM-101. The PHHs formed bile canaliculi and showed BSEP function on day 6 of culture. Our findings suggest that cultured PHHs may improve the prediction accuracy of the risks of cholestatic DILI-contained toxicity on bile canaliculi.

In vitro-based prediction of human plasma concentrations of food-related compounds.

Efforts have been made to replace animal experiments in safety evaluations, including in vitro-based predictions of human internal exposures, such as predicting peak plasma concentration (Cmax) values for xenobiotics and comparing these values with in vitro-based toxicity endpoints. Herein, the authors predicted the Cmax values of food-related compounds in humans based on existing and novel in vitro techniques. In this study, 20 food-related compounds, which have been previously reported in human pharmacokinetic or toxicokinetic studies, were evaluated. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal epithelial cells (hiPSC-SIEC) and Caco-2 cells, HepaRG cells, equilibrium dialysis of human plasma, and LLC-PK1 cell monolayer were used to assess intestinal absorption and availability, hepatic metabolism, unbound plasma fraction, and secretion and reabsorption in renal tubular cells, respectively. After conversion of these parameters into human kinetic parameters, the plasma concentration profiles of these compounds were predicted using in silico methods, and the obtained Cmax values were found to be between 0.017 and 183 times the reported Cmax values. When the in silico-predicted parameters were modified with in vitro data, the predicted Cmax values came within 0.1-10 times the reported values because the metabolic activities of hiPSC-SIECs, such as uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyl transferase, are more similar to those of human primary enterocytes. Thus, combining in vitro test results with the plasma concentration simulations resulted in more accurate and transparent predictions of Cmax values of food-related compounds than those obtained using in silico-derived predictions alone. This method facilitates accurate safety evaluation without the need for animal experiments.

[Utilization of Human iPS Cells for Evaluation of Drug Disposition and Mucosal Damages in the Small Intestine].

The expression of multiple drug transporters and drug-metabolizing enzymes in the small intestine entails a detailed evaluation of the intestinal drug absorption in light of the contribution of these pharmacokinetic-related molecules. The intestinal mucosal damage and barrier disruption caused by diseases and xenobiotics influences health. Therefore, developing models to evaluate drug disposition and mucosal damage in humans is essential. We generated intestinal models from human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and evaluated the availability of the models. The human iPS cell-derived intestinal epithelial cells demonstrated enhanced cellular uptake and multiple efflux transporters. The CYP3A4/5 activity of the human iPS cell-derived intestinal epithelial cells was comparable to that of the human primary enterocytes. Moreover, the correlation between the fraction absorbed (Fa) and apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) of drugs in human iPS cell-derived intestinal epithelial cells was better than in Caco-2 cells, except for the CYP3A4 substrates. Furthermore, we established a method for the differentiation of intestinal organoids from human iPS cells. The budding-like intestinal organoids consisted of various intestinal cells. The organoids demonstrated intestinal mucosal damage caused by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), the main factors of inflammatory bowel diseases. Furthermore, when the organoids were dissociated and seeded on cell culture inserts, transepithelial electrical resistant values-an index of barrier function-increased gradually. These results demonstrate that human iPS cell-derived intestinal epithelial cells and intestinal organoids could be applied to evaluate intestinal drug disposition and mucosal damage.

Generation of Brain Microvascular Endothelial-like Cells from Human iPS Cell-Derived Endothelial Progenitor Cells Using TGF-ß Receptor Inhibitor, Laminin 511 Fragment, and Neuronal Cell Culture Supplements.

Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) constitute the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents the transfer of substances into the brain. Recently, in vitro BBB models using human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived brain microvascular endothelial-like cells (iBMELCs) have been created. However, it is suggested that iBMELCs differentiated by the existing methods are different from the BMECs that occur in vivo. This study aimed to establish iBMELCs generated via human iPS cell-derived endothelial progenitor cells (iEPCs) (E-iBMELCs). Expanded and cryopreserved iEPCs were thawed and differentiated into mature endothelial cells under various conditions. Intercellular barriers were significantly enhanced in E-iBMELCs using a B-27 supplement, transforming growth factor-ß receptor inhibitor, and laminin 511 fragment. Expression of the endothelial cell markers was higher in the E-iBMELCs generated in this study compared with conventional methods. In addition, E-iBMELCs expressed P-glycoprotein. E-iBMELCs developed in this study will significantly contribute to drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases and might elucidate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases associated with BBB disruption.

Ivermectin Inhibits HBV Entry into the Nucleus by Suppressing KPNA2.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) specifically infects human hepatocytes and increases the risks of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Currently, nucleic acid analogs are the main therapeutics for chronic hepatitis caused by HBV infection. Although nucleic acid analogs can eliminate HBV DNA by inhibiting HBV reverse transcriptase, they cannot lead to negative conversion of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). In this study, we revealed that the antifilarial drug ivermectin suppresses HBV production by a different mechanism from the nucleic acid analog entecavir or Na+ taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide-mediated entry inhibitor cyclosporin A. Ivermectin reduced the levels of several HBV markers, including HBsAg, in HBV-infected human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2-hNTCP-C4 cells) and humanized mouse hepatocytes (PXB hepatocytes). In addition, ivermectin significantly decreased the expression of HBV core protein and the nuclear transporter karyopherin α2 (KPNA2) in the nuclei of HepG2-hNTCP-C4 cells. Furthermore, depletion of KPNA1-6 suppressed the production of cccDNA. These results suggest that KPNA1-6 is involved in the nuclear import of HBV and that ivermectin suppresses the nuclear import of HBV by inhibiting KPNA2. This study demonstrates the potential of ivermectin as a novel treatment for hepatitis B.

Effects of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal organoids on colitis-model mice.

Introduction: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by repeated remissions and relapses. Immunosuppressive drugs have facilitated the induction and maintenance of remission in many patients with UC. However, immunosuppressive drugs cannot directly repair impaired intestinal mucosa and are insufficient for preventing relapse. Therefore, new treatment approaches to repair the damaged epithelium in UC have been attempted through the transplantation of intestinal organoids, which can be differentiated into mucosa by embedding in Matrigel, generated from patient-derived intestinal stem cells. The method, however, poses the challenge of yielding sufficient cells for UC therapy, and patient-derived cells might already have acquired pathological changes. In contrast, human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells generated from healthy individuals are infinitely proliferated and can be differentiated into target cells. Recently developed human iPS cell-derived intestinal organoids (HIOs) aim to generate organoids that closely resemble the adult intestine. However, no study till date has reported HIOs injected into in vivo inflammatory models, and it remains unclear whether HIOs with cells that closely resemble the adult intestine or with intestinal stem cells retain the better ability to repair tissue in colitis. Methods: We generated two types of HIOs via suspension culture with and without small-molecule compounds: HIOs that include predominantly more intestinal stem cells [HIO (A)] and those that include predominantly more intestinal epithelial and secretory cells [HIO (B)]. We examined whether the generated HIOs engrafted in vivo and compared their ability to accelerate recovery of the damaged tissue. Results: Findings showed that the HIOs expressed intestinal-specific markers such as caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) and villin, and HIOs engrafted under the kidney capsules of mice. We then injected HIOs into colitis-model mice and found that the weight and clinical score of the mice injected with HIO (A) recovered earlier than that of the mice in the sham group. Further, the production of mucus and the expression of cell proliferation markers and tight junction proteins in the colon tissues of the HIO (A) group were restored to levels similar to those observed in healthy mice. However, neither HIO (A) nor HIO (B) could be engrafted into the colon. Conclusions: Effective cell therapy should directly repair tissue by engraftment at the site of injury. However, the difference in organoid property impacting the rate of tissue repair in transplantation without engraftment observed in the current study should be considered a critical consideration in the development of regenerative medicine using iPS-derived organoids.

Suspension culture of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal organoids using natural polysaccharides.

Currently, there are many challenges in the culture of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived intestinal organoids (HIOs) for use in drug discovery, disease research, and regenerative medicine. For example, the main culture method, embedding culture, makes industrial large-scale culture difficult, and Matrigel, which is used for almost all HIO cultures, is not respected for its application in regenerative medicine. To overcome these challenges, we herein propose a new culture method using low concentrations of natural polysaccharides in a suspension culture. In the present study, five natural polysaccharides free from heterologous animal-derived components were used, and HIOs were successfully cultured in suspension with FP001 and FP003, which are microbial exopolysaccharide analogs of gellan gum. The fabricated HIOs were similar to living intestinal tracts with respect to their gene expression, microstructure, and protein expression. The observed activities of the drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters in the generated HIOs suggested that they have pharmacokinetic functions. We believe that suspension culture of HIOs using FP001 or FP003 can be widely applied to not only drug discovery research but also disease research and regenerative medicine.

Simultaneous Evaluation of Membrane Permeability and UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase-Mediated Metabolism of Food-Derived Compounds Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Small Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Pharmacokinetic prediction after oral ingestion is important for quantitative risk assessment of food-derived compounds. To evaluate the utility of human intestinal absorption prediction, we compared the membrane permeability and metabolic activities of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal epithelial cells (hiPSC-SIECs) with Caco-2 cells or human primary enterocytes (hPECs). We found that membrane permeability in hiPSC-SIECs had better predictivity than that in Caco-2 cells against 21 drugs with known human intestinal availability (r = 0.830 and 0.401, respectively). Membrane permeability in hiPSC-SIECs was only 0.019-0.25-fold as compared with that in Caco-2 cells for 7 in 15 food-derived compounds, primarily those that were reported to undergo glucuronidation metabolism. The metabolic rates of the glucuronide conjugate were similar or higher in hiPSC-SIECs as compared with hPECs but lower in Caco-2 cells. Expression levels of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoform mRNA in hiPSC-SIECs were similar or higher as compared with hPECs. Therefore, hiPSC-SIECs could be a useful tool for predicting human intestinal absorption to simultaneously evaluate membrane permeability and UGT-mediated metabolism. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Gastrointestinal absorption is an important step for predicting the internal exposure of food-derived compounds. This research revealed that human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived small intestinal cells (hiPSC-SIECs) had better predictivity of intestinal availability than Caco-2 cells; furthermore, the metabolic rates of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) substrates of hiPSC-SIECs were closer to those of human primary enterocytes than those of Caco-2 cells. Therefore, hiPSC-SIECs could be a useful tool for predicting human intestinal absorption to simultaneously evaluate membrane permeability and UGT-mediated metabolism.

Protective Effect of Irsogladine against Aspirin-Induced Mucosal Injury in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Small Intestine.

Background and Objectives: Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is widely used for preventing cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract injury is one of the major complications of aspirin use, potentially leading to severe GI bleeding. However, no drugs for preventing aspirin-induced small intestinal injury have been developed. The aim of this study was to establish a human experimental model for investigating aspirin-induced small intestinal mucosal injury. In addition, we evaluated the protective effect of Irsogladine against aspirin-induced small intestinal mucosal injury using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived 2D monolayer crypt-villus structural small intestine (2D-hiPSC-SI). Materials and Methods: Human iPS cell-derived intestinal organoids were seeded and cultured in Air-liquid interface. The permeability of 2D-hiPSC-SI was evaluated using Lucifer yellow. Changes in structure and mucosal permeability of 2D-hiPSC-SI after addition of aspirin were confirmed over time, and changes in intestinal epithelium-related markers were evaluated by real-time qPCR and Immunofluorescence staining. The effect of Irsogladine on prevention of aspirin mucosal injury was examined by adding Irsogladine to the culture medium. Results: Cultured 2D-hiPSC-SI showed multi-lineage differentiation into small intestinal epithelium comprised of absorptive cells, goblet cells, enteroendocrine cells, and Paneth cells, which express CD10, MUC2, chromogranin A, and lysozyme, respectively. RNA in situ hybridization revealed intestinal stem cells that express Lgr5. ASA administration induced an increase in the mucosal permeability of 2D-hiPSC-SI. ASA-injured 2D-hiPSC-SI showed decreased mRNA expression of multi-lineage small intestinal cell markers as well as intestinal stem cell marker Lgr5. Administration of Irsogladine on the basal side of the 2D-hiPSC-SI resulted in significant increases in Mki67 and Muc2 mRNA expression by 2D-hiPSCs at 48 h compared with the control group. Administration of 400 µg/mL Irsogladine to the ASA-induced small intestinal injury model resulting in significantly decreased mucosal permeability of 2D-hiPSC-SI. In immunofluorescence staining, Irsogladine significantly increased the fluorescence intensity of MUC2 under normal conditions and administration of 400 µg/mL ASA. Conclusions: we established a novel ASA-induced small intestinal injury model using human iPSC-derived small intestine. Irsogladine maintains mucosal permeability and goblet cell differentiation against ASA-induced small intestinal injury.

Generation of Budding-Like Intestinal Organoids from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived intestinal organoids have low invasiveness; however, the current differentiation method does not reflect the crypt-villus-like structure due to structural immaturity. Here, we generated budding-like organoids that formed epithelial tissue-like structures and had the characteristics of the mature small intestine from human iPS cells. They showed a high expression of drug transporters and induced the expression of cytochrome P450 3A4 and P-glycoprotein. When treated with tumor necrosis factor-α and/or transforming growth factor-ß, the budding-like organoids replicated the pathogenesis of mucosal damage or intestinal fibrosis. Upon dissociation and seeding on cell culture inserts, the organoids retained intestinal characteristics, forming polarized intestinal folds with approximately 400 Ω × cm2 transepithelial electrical resistance. This novel method has great potential for disease modeling and drug screening applications.

An Efficient Method for the Differentiation of Human iPSC-Derived Endoderm toward Enterocytes and Hepatocytes.

The endoderm, differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), can differentiate into the small intestine and liver, which are vital for drug absorption and metabolism. The development of human iPSC-derived enterocytes (HiEnts) and hepatocytes (HiHeps) has been reported. However, pharmacokinetic function-deficiency of these cells remains to be elucidated. Here, we aimed to develop an efficient differentiation method to induce endoderm formation from human iPSCs. Cells treated with activin A for 168 h expressed higher levels of endodermal genes than those treated for 72 h. Using activin A (days 0-7), CHIR99021 and PI-103 (days 0-2), and FGF2 (days 3-7), the hiPSC-derived endoderm (HiEnd) showed 97.97% CD-117 and CD-184 double-positive cells. Moreover, HiEnts derived from the human iPSC line Windy had similar or higher expression of small intestine-specific genes than adult human small intestine. Activities of the drug transporter P-glycoprotein and drug-metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4/5 were confirmed. Additionally, Windy-derived HiHeps expressed higher levels of hepatocyte- and pharmacokinetics-related genes and proteins and showed higher CYP3A4/5 activity than those derived through the conventional differentiation method. Thus, using this novel method, the differentiated HiEnts and HiHeps with pharmacokinetic functions could be used for drug development.

Population pharmacokinetic model development and exposure-response analysis of vincristine in patients with malignant lymphoma.

PURPOSE: Vincristine (VCR) is a key drug for treating various malignancies. However, few data are available on the pharmacokinetics of VCR, especially in adult patients. The objective of this study was to clarify the population pharmacokinetics and exposure-response relationships of VCR in adult malignant lymphoma patients. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from patients who were administered R-CHOP-like regimens, and the VCR plasma concentration was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using NONMEM software, population pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated, and covariates were evaluated. The relationships between the individual parameters and adverse events or therapeutic effects were also investigated. RESULTS: Plasma concentrations were measured in 30 patients. In the final population pharmacokinetics model, body surface area and age were incorporated into clearance as significant covariates. The inter-individual variations in clearance and volume of distribution in the central and third compartments were 17.0, 26.6, and 66.3%, respectively, and the residual variability in the plasma concentration was 23.8%. Although the variability observed in the volume of distribution was large, good predictability was obtained in the individual estimation. The severity of anemia and peripheral neuropathy was correlated with clearance and peak concentration, respectively (adjusted P = 0.040 and 0.024, respectively). In diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients, those with higher area under the curve and dose experienced longer progression-free survival (P = 0.023 and 0.013, respectively). CONCLUSION: The population pharmacokinetics of VCR were evaluated in adult malignant lymphoma patients. VCR pharmacokinetic data could explain in part the adverse events and prognosis of these patients.

Gellan Gum Promotes the Differentiation of Enterocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

The evaluation of drug pharmacokinetics in the small intestine is critical for developing orally administered drugs. Caucasian colon adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells are employed to evaluate drug absorption in preclinical trials of drug development. However, the pharmacokinetic characteristics of Caco-2 cells are different from those of the normal human small intestine. Besides this, it is almost impossible to obtain primary human intestinal epithelial cells of the same batch. Therefore, human iPS cell-derived enterocytes (hiPSEs) with pharmacokinetic functions similar to human intestinal epithelial cells are expected to be useful for the evaluation of drug absorption. Previous studies have been limited to the use of cytokines and small molecules to generate hiPSEs. Dietary fibers play a critical role in maintaining intestinal physiology. We used gellan gum (GG), a soluble dietary fiber, to optimize hiPSE differentiation. hiPSEs cocultured with GG had significantly higher expression of small intestine- and pharmacokinetics-related genes and proteins. The activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P450 2C19, and peptide transporter 1 were significantly increased in the GG treatment group compared to the control group. At the end point of differentiation, the percentage of senescent cells increased. Therefore, GG could improve the differentiation efficiency of human iPS cells to enterocytes and increase intestinal maturation by extending the life span of hiPSEs.

Application of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Intestinal Organoids as a Model of Epithelial Damage and Fibrosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease, which typically manifests as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is caused by the abnormal production of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß. These cytokines damage intestinal epithelial cells and trigger fibrosis, respectively, for which the current in vitro models have many limitations. Therefore, we tested whether human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal organoids (HiOs) can mimic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and whether such a model is suitable for drug screening. HiOs were treated with TNF-α and TGF-ß to construct mucosal damage and fibrosis models. TNF-α diminished the mRNA expression of intestinal epithelial cell and goblet cell markers in HiOs. TNF-α also induced epithelial cell damage and degradation of tight junctions but not in the presence of infliximab, an antibody used in the clinic to deplete TNF-α. Furthermore, permeation of the non-absorbable marker FD-4 was observed in HiOs treated with TNF-α or ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA), but not in the presence of infliximab. In contrast, TNF-α and TGF-ß induced mRNA expression of mesenchymal and fibrosis markers, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition. SB431542, a TGF-ß inhibitor, significantly reversed these events. The data indicate that HiOs mimic mucosal damage and fibrosis due to IBD and are thus suitable models for drug screening.