A novel in vitro high-content imaging assay for the prediction of drug-induced lung toxicity.

The development of inhaled drugs for respiratory diseases is frequently impacted by lung pathology in non-clinical safety studies. To enable design of novel candidate drugs with the right safety profile, predictive in vitro lung toxicity assays are required that can be applied during drug discovery for early hazard identification and mitigation. Here, we describe a novel high-content imaging-based screening assay that allows for quantification of the tight junction protein occludin in A549 cells, as a model for lung epithelial barrier integrity. We assessed a set of compounds with a known lung safety profile, defined by clinical safety or non-clinical in vivo toxicology data, and were able to correctly identify 9 of 10 compounds with a respiratory safety risk and 9 of 9 compounds without a respiratory safety risk (90% sensitivity, 100% specificity). The assay was sensitive at relevant compound concentrations to influence medicinal chemistry optimization programs and, with an accessible cell model in a 96-well plate format, short protocol and application of automated imaging analysis algorithms, this assay can be readily integrated in routine discovery safety screening to identify and mitigate respiratory toxicity early during drug discovery. Interestingly, when we applied physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling to predict epithelial lining fluid exposures of the respiratory tract after inhalation, we found a robust correlation between in vitro occludin assay data and lung pathology in vivo, suggesting the assay can inform translational risk assessment for inhaled small molecules.

Precision cut lung slices: an ex vivo model for assessing the impact of immunomodulatory therapeutics on lung immune responses.

Chronic inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, are severe lung diseases that require effective treatments. In search for new medicines for these diseases, there is an unmet need for predictive and translatable disease-relevant in vitro/ex vivo models to determine the safety and efficacy of novel drug candidates. Here, we report the use of precision cut lung slices (PCLS) as a potential ex vivo platform to study compound effects in a physiologically relevant environment. PCLS derived from an elastase-challenged mouse model display key characteristics of increased inflammation ex vivo, which is exacerbated further upon challenge with LPS, mimicking the immune insult of a pathogen triggering disease exacerbation. Such LPS-induced inflammatory conditions are significantly abrogated by immunomodulatory agents targeting specific inflammatory signaling pathways in the absence of cytotoxic effects in lung slices. Thus, an ex vivo model of PCLS with a simulated pathogenic insult can replicate proposed in vivo pharmacological effects and thus could potentially act as a valuable tool to investigate the underlying mechanisms associated with lung safety, therapeutic efficacy and exacerbations with infection.

Use of precision cut lung slices as a translational model for the study of lung biology.

Animal models remain invaluable for study of respiratory diseases, however, translation of data generated in genetically homogeneous animals housed in a clean and well-controlled environment does not necessarily provide insight to the human disease situation. In vitro human systems such as air liquid interface (ALI) cultures and organ-on-a-chip models have attempted to bridge the divide between animal models and human patients. However, although 3D in nature, these models struggle to recreate the architecture and complex cellularity of the airways and parenchyma, and therefore cannot mimic the complex cell-cell interactions in the lung. To address this issue, lung slices have emerged as a useful ex vivo tool for studying the respiratory responses to inflammatory stimuli, infection, and novel drug compounds. This review covers the practicality of precision cut lung slice (PCLS) generation and benefits of this ex vivo culture system in modeling human lung biology and disease pathogenesis.

Trade-offs between life-history traits at range-edge and central locations.

The allocation of resources to different life-history traits should represent the best compromise in fitness investment for organisms in their local environment. When resources are limiting, the investment in a specific trait must carry a cost that is expressed in trade-offs with other traits. In this study, the relative investment in the fitness-related traits, growth, reproduction and defence were compared at central and range-edge locations, using the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum as a model system. Individual growth rates were similar at both sites, whereas edge populations showed a higher relative investment in reproduction (demonstrated by a higher reproductive allocation and extended reproductive periods) when compared to central populations that invested more in defence. These results show the capability of A. nodosum to differentially allocate resources for different traits under different habitat conditions, suggesting that reproduction and defence have different fitness values under the specific living conditions experienced at edge and central locations. However, ongoing climate change may threaten edge populations by increasing the selective pressure on specific traits, forcing these populations to lower the investment in other traits that are also potentially important for population fitness.

Micronucleus induction in the bone marrow of rats by pharmacological mechanisms. II: long-acting beta-2 agonism.

AZD9708 is a new chemical entity with selective and long-acting ß2-agonistic properties currently being evaluated by AstraZeneca for potential use in treatment of respiratory diseases by the inhaled route. As part of the toxicological characterisation of this compound, an increased incidence of micronucleated immature erythrocytes (MIEs) was seen in the bone marrow of rats following single intravenous doses near the maximum tolerated. This effect was seen in the absence of in vitro genotoxicity in bacterial and mammalian cells and no consistent evidence of in vivo DNA damage in the the bone marrow or liver using the comet assay was observed. Because of the lack of signals for mutagenic potential, combined with the observation that MIE frequencies appeared to be increased in only some of the rats and the clearest response was seen at the intermediate dose, it was hypothesised that the effect was secondary to ß2-adrenergic receptor overstimulation. Because it appears that this has not been previously described for ß2-agonists and because pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic factors may influence the response, studies using repeated dosing were performed to investigate whether this would lead to compound-induced tachyphylaxis with tolerance induction and decreased responses indicated by ß2-effect biomarkers. A series of experiments confirmed that a sequence of five escalating daily doses leading to systemic exposure corresponding to that after a single dose led to symptomatic tolerance, declining or diminished effects on plasma biomarkers of ß2-effects (plasma glucose and potassium) and elimination of the micronucleus response. This suggests that the increased MIE frequencies after single doses of AZD9708 are secondary to physiological overstimulation of ß2-adrenergic receptors, not a consequence of genotoxicity.

PHENOTYPIC DIFFERENTIATION AT SOUTHERN LIMIT BORDERS: THE CASE STUDY OF TWO FUCOID MACROALGAL SPECIES WITH DIFFERENT LIFE-HISTORY TRAITS1.

Marginal populations are often geographically isolated, smaller, and more fragmented than central populations and may frequently have to face suboptimal local environmental conditions. Persistence of these populations frequently involves the development of adaptive traits at phenotypic and genetic levels. We compared population structure and demographic variables in two fucoid macroalgal species contrasting in patterns of genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity at their southern distribution limit with a more central location. Models were Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol. (whose extreme longevity and generation overlap may buffer genetic loss by drift) and Fucus serratus L. (with low genetic diversity at southern margins). At edge locations, both species exhibited trends in life-history traits compatible with population persistence but by using different mechanisms. Marginal populations of A. nodosum had higher reproductive output in spite of similar mortality rates at all life stages, making edge populations denser and with smaller individuals. In F. serratus, rather than demographic changes, marginal populations differed in habitat, occurring restricted to a narrower vertical habitat range. We conclude that persistence of both A. nodosum and F. serratus at the southern-edge locations depends on different strategies. Marginal population persistence in A. nodosum relies on a differentiation in life-history traits, whereas F. serratus, putatively poorer in evolvability potential, is restricted to a narrower vertical range at border locations. These results contribute to the general understanding of mechanisms that lead to population persistence at distributional limits and to predict population resilience under a scenario of environmental change.

Dynamics of seagrass meadows on the Swedish Skagerrak coast.

Seagrasses have declined in many places around the world, and the Swedish Skagerrak coast is no exception. Between the 1980s and 2000, the cover of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) on the Swedish Skagerrak coast decreased about 60%. In the present study, the sites that were investigated in the 1980s and 2000 were revisited (1655 ha) in 2003 and 2004 to investigate long and short term temporal and spatial differences in eelgrass coverage. The distribution of eelgrass was mapped from a small boat using an aquascope and a GPS receiver. No variation in total (about 150 km) or regional (about 20 km) eelgrass cover was found between 2000 and 2004, but there were substantial changes (both losses and gains) in meadow size on a local (less than about 2 km) scale. The results have implications for management of shallow soft bottoms, particularly because it was shown that even though no eelgrass is found in a single survey in a specific area, there could be eelgrass growing there in the following years.

A 3D Human Airway Model Enables Prediction of Respiratory Toxicity of Inhaled Drugs In Vitro.

Respiratory tract toxicity represents a significant cause of attrition of inhaled drug candidates targeting respiratory diseases. One of the key issues to allow early detection of respiratory toxicities is the lack of reliable and predictive in vitro systems. Here, the relevance and value of a physiologically relevant 3D human airway in vitro model (MucilAir) were explored by repeated administration of a set of compounds with (n = 8) or without (n = 7) respiratory toxicity following inhalation in vivo. Predictability for respiratory toxicity was evaluated by readout of cytotoxicity, barrier integrity, viability, morphology, ciliary beating frequency, mucociliary clearance and cytokine release. Interestingly, the data show that in vivo toxicity can be predicted in vitro by studying cell barrier integrity by transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), and cell viability determined by the Resazurin method. Both read-outs had 88% sensitivity and 100% specificity, respectively, while the former was more accurate with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) AUC of 0.98 (p = .0018) compared with ROC AUC of 0.90 (p = .0092). The loss of cell barrier integrity could mainly, but not fully, be attributed to a loss of cell coverage in 6 out of 7 compounds with reduced TEER. Notably, these effects occurred only at 400 µM, at concentration levels significantly above primary target cell potency, suggesting that greater attention to high local lung concentrations should be taken into account in safety assessment of inhaled drugs. Thus, prediction of respiratory toxicity in 3D human airway in vitro models may result in improved animal welfare and reduced attrition in inhaled drug discovery projects.

Bile salt enhancers for inhalation: Correlation between in vitro and in vivo lung effects.

The lungs have potential as a means of systemic drug delivery of macromolecules. Systemic delivery requires crossing of the air-blood barrier, however with molecular size-dependent limitations in lung absorption of large molecules. Systemic availability after inhalation can be improved by absorption enhancers, such as bile salts. Enhancers may potentially interfere with the different constituents of the lungs, e.g. the lung surfactant lining the alveoli or the lung epithelium. We used two in vitro models to investigate the potential effects of bile salts on lung surfactant function (with the constrained drop surfactometer) and on the epithelium in the proximal airways (with the MucilAir™ cell system), respectively. In addition, we measured direct effects on respiration in mice inhaling bile salt aerosols. The bile salts inhibited lung surfactant function at different dose levels, however they did not affect the integrity of ciliated cells at the tested doses. Furthermore, the bile salt aerosols induced changes in the breathing pattern of mice indicative of pulmonary irritation. The bile salts were ranked according to potency in vitro for surfactant function disruption and in vivo for induction of pulmonary irritation. The ranking was the same, suggesting a correlation between the interference with lung surfactant and the respiratory response.

Interactions between wave action and grazing control the distribution of intertidal macroalgae.

Canopy-forming macroalgae are key species on temperate rocky shores. However, there is a lack of understanding of how the relative balance of physical and biological factors controls the establishment and persistence of intertidal macroalgae. Here we present an integrated study of the relative importance of wave-induced forces and grazing for the recruitment and survival of the canopy-forming intertidal macroalgae Fucus vesiculosus and F. spiralis. A set of overtopped breakwaters provided a nearly unconfounded gradient in wave exposure between seaward and landward sides. A biomechanical analysis was performed based on empirical measurements of maximum drag forces in breaking waves, a model of long-term maximum wave height, and the breaking stress of Fucus spp. The estimated maximum flow speed (7-8 m/s) on the seaward side of the breakwaters was predicted to completely dislodge or prune Fucus spp. larger than approximately 10 cm, while dislodgment was highly unlikely on the landward side for all sizes. Experimental transplantation of Fucus spp. supported the biomechanical analysis but also suggested that mechanical abrasion may further limit survival in wave-exposed locations. Experimental removal of the limpet Patella vulgata, which was the principal grazer at this site, resulted in recruitment of Fucus spp. on the seaward side. We present a model of limpet grazing that indicates that limpet densities >5-20 individuals/m2 provide a proximate mechanism preventing establishment of Fucus spp., whereas wave action >2 m/s reduces persistence through dislodgment and battering. In a conceptual model we further propose that recruitment and survival of juvenile Fucus spp. are controlled indirectly by wave exposure through higher limpet densities at exposed locations. This model predicts that climate change, and in particular an increased frequency of storm events in the northeast Atlantic, will restrict fucoids to more sheltered locations.

Biphasic cultivation strategy to avoid Epo-Fc aggregation and optimize protein expression.

In biphasic cultivations, the culture conditions are initially kept at an optimum for rapid cell growth and biomass accumulation. In the second phase, the culture is shifted to conditions ensuring maximum specific protein production and the protein quality required. The influence of specific culture parameters is cell line dependent and their impact on product quality needs to be investigated. In this study, a biphasic cultivation strategy for a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line expressing an erythropoietin fusion protein (Epo-Fc) was developed. Cultures were run in batch mode and after an initial growth phase, cultivation temperature and pH were shifted. Applying a DoE (Design of Experiments) approach, a fractional factorial design was used to systematically evaluate the influence of cultivation temperature and pH as well as their synergistic effect on cell growth as well as on recombinant protein production and aggregation. All three responses were influenced by the cultivation temperature. Additionally, an interaction between pH and temperature was found to be related to protein aggregation. Compared with the initial standard conditions of 37°C and pH 7.05, a parameter shift to low temperature and acidic pH resulted in a decrease in the aggregate fraction from 75% to less than 1%. Furthermore, the synergistic effect of temperature and pH substantially lowered the cell-specific rates of glucose and glutamine consumption as well as lactate and ammonium production. The optimized culture conditions also led to an increase of the cell-specific rates of recombinant Epo-Fc production, thus resulting in a more economic bioprocess.

Population-level effects of male-biased broods in eelpout (Zoarces viviparus).

Effects of environmental pollutants are most obvious when mortality is increased. However, there are other nonlethal factors that may affect population size significantly. Endocrine disruption as a mechanism of action for pollutants recently has received much attention. Observations of effects likely caused by endocrine disruptors in pulp mill effluents have been made on several fish species, e.g., male-biased broods in eelpout (Zoarces viviparus). Fewer females represent a lower fecundity and could have dramatic effects on the population. In this study, a population viability analysis of the effects of skewed primary sex ratios in the eelpout was conducted using a female-based matrix population model. The model is age-structured with one deterministic version and another that incorporates environmental stochasticity. The model showed that the deterministic and stochastic growth rates in an undisturbed population (50% female fry) were 1.172 and 1.075, respectively, compared to 1.097 and 1.007 using the lowest proportion of female fry observed (38.7%). When primary sex ratios were more male-biased, the probability of pseudoextinction increased. Model simulations showed that the probability of a decreased population size to 5% of the initial within a 100-year time horizon was 44.7% with 38.7% female fry compared to only 7.7% for an undisturbed population.

Spatial and temporal dynamics of fucoid populations (Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus serratus): a comparison between central and range edge populations.

Persistence of populations at range edges relies on local population dynamics and fitness, in the case of geographically isolated populations of species with low dispersal potential. Focusing on spatial variations in demography helps to predict the long-term capability for persistence of populations across the geographical range of species' distribution. The demography of two ecological and phylogenetically close macroalgal species with different life history characteristics was investigated by using stochastic, stage-based matrix models. Populations of Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus serratus were sampled for up to 4 years at central locations in France and at their southern range limits in Portugal. The stochastic population growth rate (λ(s)) of A. nodosum was lower and more variable in central than in southern sites whilst for F. serratus this trend was reversed with λ(s) much lower and more variable in southern than in central populations. Individuals were larger in central than in southern populations for both species, which was reflected in the lower transition probabilities of individuals to larger size classes and higher probability of shrinkage in the southern populations. In both central and southern populations elasticity analysis (proportional sensitivity) of population growth rate showed that fertility elements had a small contribution to λ(s) that was more sensitive to changes in matrix transitions corresponding to survival. The highest elasticities were found for loop transitions in A. nodosum and for growth to larger size classes in F. serratus. Sensitivity analysis showed high selective pressure on individual growth for both species at both locations. The results of this study highlight the deterministic role of species-specific life-history traits in population demography across the geographical range of species. Additionally, this study demonstrates that individuals' life-transitions differ in vulnerability to environmental variability and shows the importance of vegetative compared to reproductive stages for the long-term persistence of populations.

Competing species in a changing climate: effects of recruitment disturbances on two interacting barnacle species.

1. The climate is changing and data-based simulation models can be a valuable tool for predicting population response to such changes and investigate the mechanisms of population change. In this study, a data-based two-species matrix model was constructed to explore the possible effects of elevated sea surface temperature (i.e. climate change) on the interaction between open populations of the south Atlantic barnacle species Chthamalus montagui and the boreal species Semibalanus balanoides in the north-east Atlantic. 2. First, the model was used to perform an elasticity analysis to determine the relative importance of recruitment and survival in the interaction. Further, three scenarios of changes in recruitment, related to climate change, were investigated with model simulations: (i) increased frequencies of low recruitment for S. balanoides; (ii) increased frequencies of high recruitment for C. montagui; (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii). 3. Model simulations showed that in present environmental conditions, S. balanoides occupied most of the space and dominated the interaction through high recruitment and survival. These results matched independent field observations, which validated the model for further analyses. 4. The elasticity analyses showed that although free space was available there was competition for space during recruitment intervals. It was also shown that both populations were sensitive to changes in recruitment. 5. Introducing the three scenarios of recruitment disturbances led to large changes in species abundance and free space. The most significant changes were found when scenario (i) and (ii) were combined, producing a shift in species dynamics towards C. montagui dominance. This demonstrates that recruitment can be an important mechanism in the interaction between populations and that the population response to changes in recruitment depends on the added response of interacting species. 6. In a more general context, this model shows that increased sea surface temperature could rapidly lead to increased competition from southern species at higher latitudes. This might accelerate the effects of climate change on the species distribution at these latitudes and eventually lead to changes in community dynamics on temperate and subarctic shores.

A continental scale evaluation of the role of limpet grazing on rocky shores.

It is critical for our knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem processes to understand how individual species contribute to ecosystem processes and how these contributions vary in space and time. We used a manipulative field experiment in five locations over 17 degrees of latitude [from southern Portugal to the Isle of Man (British Isles)] to determine the relative response of rocky intertidal algal assemblages released from control by the grazing of limpets. Response ratios showed that when limpets were removed there was a trend of effects from north to south. In the north, grazing had a strong effect on algal assemblages, but removing grazers reduced spatial variability in assemblages. In the south, the effect of limpet grazing was far weaker and removal of grazers had a much reduced impact on spatial variability. Here we show a clear trophic control of an ecosystem in that grazing by limpets not only determines macroalgal abundance overall but also modifies ecosystem stability via variability in cover of algae.

Population resistance to climate change: modelling the effects of low recruitment in open populations.

Isolated populations or those at the edge of their distribution are usually more sensitive to changes in the environment, such as climate change. For the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides (L.), one possible effect of climate change is that unpredictable spring weather could lead to the mismatching of larval release with spring phytoplankton bloom, hence reducing the recruitment. In this paper, model simulations of a variable open population with space limited recruitment were used to investigate the effects of low and zero recruitment on population abundance in S. balanoides. Data for model parameters was taken from an isolated population in the Isle of Man, British Isles. Model simulations with observed frequencies of years with low recruitment showed only small changes in population dynamics. Increased frequencies of low recruitment had large effects on the variation in population growth rate and free space and on population structure. Furthermore, populations with intermediate to high frequencies of low recruitment appeared more sensitive to additional changes in recruitment. Exchanging low recruitment with zero recruitment severely increased the risk of local extinctions. Simulations with consecutive years of low recruitment showed a substantial increase in free space and an increase in the time taken to recover to normal densities. In conclusion, model simulations indicate that variable populations can be well buffered to changes in the demography caused by introduced environmental noise, but also, that intermediate to high frequencies of disturbance can lead to a swift change in population dynamics, which in turn, may affect the dynamics of whole communities.

Effective depletion of albumin using a new peptide-based affinity medium.

Blood plasma and serum are very useful samples for the detection, identification and quantitation of proteins associated with both health and disease. However, analysis of plasma and serum is a challenge because traces of interesting polypeptides and proteins can be dominated by the very high concentration of albumin present. Albumin may be depleted by adsorption to immunoaffinity columns or to columns containing dyes such as Cibacron Blue, or by ultrafiltration, but these methods are far from ideal. We describe a new peptide-based affinity medium which is effective for removing albumin and is very specific. The albumin-binding capacity is at least 14 mg per mL of gel. The material may be reused hundreds of times after a simple regeneration step involving NaOH, with full retention of specificity and capacity. The material was tested with human and monkey plasma and serum and rat serum, and has been used to deplete litre volumes of human plasma. The development of other peptide-based affinity media to deplete abundant proteins is briefly discussed.