Abstract

Hepatocytes-like cells (HLC) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells show great promise for cell-based liver therapies and disease modelling. However, their application is currently hindered by the low production yields of existing protocols. We aim to develop a bioprocess able to generate high numbers of HLC. We used stirred-tank bioreactors with a rational control of dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) for the optimization of HLC production as 3D aggregates. We evaluated the impact of controlling DO at physiological levels (4%O2) during hepatic progenitors’ stage on cell proliferation and differentiation efficiency. Whole transcriptome analysis and biochemical assays were performed to provide a detailed characterization of HLC quality attributes. When DO was controlled at 4%O2 during the hepatic progenitors’ stage, cells presented an upregulation of genes associated with hypoxia-inducible factor pathway and a downregulation of oxidative stress genes. This condition promoted higher HLC production (maximum cell concentration: 2 × 106 cell/mL) and improved differentiation efficiencies (80% Albumin-positive cells) when compared to the bioreactor operated under atmospheric oxygen levels (21%O2, 0.6 × 106 cell/mL, 43% Albumin positive cells). These HLC exhibited functional characteristics of hepatocytes: capacity to metabolize drugs, ability to synthesize hepatic metabolites, and inducible cytochrome P450 activity. Bioprocess robustness was confirmed with HLC derived from different donors, including a primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) patient. The generated PH1.HLC showed metabolic features of PH1 disease with higher secretion of oxalate compared with HLC generated from healthy individuals. This work reports a reproducible bioprocess, that shows the importance of controlling DO at physiological levels to increase HLC production, and the HLC capability to display PH1 disease features.

Details

Title
Oxygen control in bioreactor drives high yield production of functional hiPSC-like hepatocytes for advanced liver disease modelling
Author
Vicente, Pedro 1 ; Almeida, Joana I. 2 ; Crespo, Inês E. 1 ; Virgolini, Nikolaus 1 ; Isidro, Inês A. 1 ; Calleja-Cervantes, Maria Eréndira 3 ; Rodriguez-Madoz, Juan R. 4 ; Prosper, Felipe 5 ; Alves, Paula M. 1 ; Serra, Margarida 1 

 iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal (GRID:grid.7665.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 5895 507X); Universidade de Nova de Lisboa, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal (GRID:grid.10772.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2151 1713) 
 iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal (GRID:grid.7665.2) (ISNI:0000 0004 5895 507X); Universidade de Nova de Lisboa, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal (GRID:grid.10772.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2151 1713); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain (GRID:grid.488737.7) (ISNI:0000000463436020) 
 Cima Universidad de Navarra, IdiSNA, Hemato-Oncology Program, Pamplona, Spain (GRID:grid.411730.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 2191 685X) 
 Cima Universidad de Navarra, IdiSNA, Hemato-Oncology Program, Pamplona, Spain (GRID:grid.411730.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 2191 685X); Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain (GRID:grid.411730.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 2191 685X); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain (GRID:grid.510933.d) (ISNI:0000 0004 8339 0058) 
 Cima Universidad de Navarra, IdiSNA, Hemato-Oncology Program, Pamplona, Spain (GRID:grid.411730.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 2191 685X); Clinica Universidad de Navarra, IdiSNA, Hematology and Cell Therapy Department, Pamplona, Spain (GRID:grid.411730.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 2191 685X); Cancer Center Clinica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona, Spain (GRID:grid.411730.0) (ISNI:0000 0001 2191 685X); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain (GRID:grid.510933.d) (ISNI:0000 0004 8339 0058) 
Pages
24599
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3118396780
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2024. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.