Reasons for switching oral antipsychotic medications and related patterns of care and costs in patients with schizophrenia initiating monotherapy treatment: Claims-linked chart study.

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic switching is frequent in schizophrenia and is associated with poor clinical outcomes, increased health care resource utilization (HCRU), and increased health care costs. Research describing the reasons for antipsychotic switching in patients with schizophrenia and the associated impacts on HCRU and costs is limited. OBJECTIVE: To explore the reasons for oral antipsychotic medication (OAM) switching and describe HCRU and costs associated with OAM switching, stratified by reasons for switching, in patients with commercial or Medicare Advantage insurance in the United States. METHODS: This retrospective observational study used medical and pharmacy claims from the Optum Research Database linked to patient medical chart data. Adults with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who initiated OAM monotherapy between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2021, and switched from their initial OAM monotherapy to a second one were included. Reasons for OAM switching were recorded from medical charts abstracted between 4 months preceding and 2 months following the patient's switch date. HCRU and costs incurred up to 3 months before and 3 months after the OAM switch were stratified and compared by reasons for switching among individuals who switched OAM monotherapy. RESULTS: Among 134 patients with valid, abstracted charts, the 2 most common reasons for switching were lack of efficacy (57.5% of switches) and at least 1 tolerability issue (41.8%). Mutually exclusive categories of switching reasons included lack of efficacy and no tolerability issues (56/134; 41.8%), tolerability and no efficacy issues (35/134; 26.1%), lack of efficacy and tolerability issues (21/134; 15.7%), and other or unknown (22/134; 16.4%). All-cause and schizophrenia-related HCRU and costs in any health services category did not appear to differ across the reason-for-switching cohorts, with costs for inpatient stays accounting for greater than half of the total costs, regardless of switching reason. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide insight on patient experiences that contribute to OAM switching, with nearly half of patients switching because of lack of efficacy, more than one-fourth because of tolerability issues, and an additional one-sixth for reasons of both efficacy and tolerability. Health care providers should address patients' expectations regarding OAM effectiveness, symptom resolution, and side effect tolerability at treatment initiation to minimize switching before the medication has reached peak effectiveness. Prescribing access to a broad selection of antipsychotics with different side effect profiles may help physicians better match treatment to individual patients, fostering greater acceptance of therapy, increased medication adherence, and better long-term outcomes.

Patterns of care and costs of switching oral antipsychotic medications in patients with schizophrenia initiating monotherapy treatment: A US claims analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antipsychotic medications are the mainstay of schizophrenia therapy but may need to be changed over the course of a patient's illness to achieve the desired therapeutic goals or minimize medication side effects. Investigations of real-world treatment patterns and economic consequences associated with antipsychotic changes, including switching, are limited. OBJECTIVE: To describe treatment patterns among patients with schizophrenia who initiated oral antipsychotic medication (OAM) monotherapy and assess switching-related health care resource utilization (HCRU) and costs in US Medicare Advantage and commercially insured patients. METHODS: Adults with at least 2 claims with a schizophrenia diagnosis who initiated (or reinitiated after ≥6 months) OAM monotherapy between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2021, were identified in the Optum Research Database. A claims-based algorithm using timing of therapies and treatment gaps identified medication changes, specifically OAM monotherapy switches, among OAM initiators over a period of up to 7 years. Patients who switched from their initial OAM monotherapy to a second OAM monotherapy (initial OAM switchers) were matched based on clinical and demographic characteristics to OAM initiators who had not switched OAMs; switch-related HCRU and costs (incurred up to 3 months before and 3 months after the initial OAM switch) were compared between matched initial OAM switchers and nonswitchers. RESULTS: Among 6,425 OAM monotherapy initiators, 1,505 (23.4%) had at least 1 OAM monotherapy switch at any time during follow-up, with a mean (SD) time to first switch of 209 (333) days (median, 67 days), a rate of 0.65 switches per person-year of follow-up, and 56% of first switches occurring within 3 months of OAM initiation. Of all OAM initiators, 947 (14.7%) were initial OAM switchers. Compared with 865 matched nonswitchers, 865 initial OAM switchers had greater mean counts of all-cause medical visits and greater mean counts of schizophrenia-related emergency and inpatient visits and longer inpatient stays per patient per month. Mean (SD) total schizophrenia-related costs per patient per month were $1,252 ($2,602) for switchers compared with $402 ($2,027) for nonswitchers (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Changes to antipsychotic therapy in our sample of patients with schizophrenia were common, with nearly one-fourth switching OAMs, the majority within the first 3 months of therapy. Initial OAM switchers experienced greater HCRU and costs than nonswitchers. These findings highlight the importance of initiating OAM monotherapy that effectively maintains symptom control and minimizes tolerability issues, which would limit the need to switch OAMs and therefore prevent excess HCRU and treatment costs.

Recommendations on fit-for-purpose criteria to establish quality management for microphysiological systems and for monitoring their reproducibility.

Cell culture technology has evolved, moving from single-cell and monolayer methods to 3D models like reaggregates, spheroids, and organoids, improved with bioengineering like microfabrication and bioprinting. These advancements, termed microphysiological systems (MPSs), closely replicate tissue environments and human physiology, enhancing research and biomedical uses. However, MPS complexity introduces standardization challenges, impacting reproducibility and trust. We offer guidelines for quality management and control criteria specific to MPSs, facilitating reliable outcomes without stifling innovation. Our fit-for-purpose recommendations provide actionable advice for achieving consistent MPS performance.

Novel Strategy to Assess the Neurotoxicity of Organic Solvents Such as Glycol Ethers: Protocol for Combining In Vitro and In Silico Methods With Human-Controlled Exposure Experiments.

BACKGROUND: Chemicals are not required to be tested systematically for their neurotoxic potency, although they may contribute to the development of several neurological diseases. The absence of systematic testing may be partially explained by the current Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Test Guidelines, which rely on animal experiments that are expensive, laborious, and ethically debatable. Therefore, it is important to understand the risks to exposed workers and the general population exposed to domestic products. In this study, we propose a strategy to test the neurotoxicity of solvents using the commonly used glycol ethers as a case study. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a strategy that can be used by regulatory agencies and industries to rank solvents according to their neurotoxicity and demonstrate the use of toxicokinetic modeling to predict air concentrations of solvents that are below the no observed adverse effect concentrations (NOAECs) for human neurotoxicity determined in in vitro assays. METHODS: The proposed strategy focuses on a complex 3D in vitro brain model (BrainSpheres) derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). This model is accompanied by in vivo, in vitro, and in silico models for the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and in vitro models for liver metabolism. The data are integrated into a toxicokinetic model. Internal concentrations predicted using this toxicokinetic model are compared with the results from in vivo human-controlled exposure experiments for model validation. The toxicokinetic model is then used in reverse dosimetry to predict air concentrations, leading to brain concentrations lower than the NOAECs determined in the hiPSC-derived 3D brain model. These predictions will contribute to the protection of exposed workers and the general population with domestic exposures. RESULTS: The Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology funded the project, commencing in January 2021. The Human Ethics Committee approval was obtained on November 16, 2022. Zebrafish experiments and in vitro methods started in February 2021, whereas recruitment of human volunteers started in 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions were lifted. We anticipate that we will be able to provide a neurotoxicity testing strategy by 2026 and predicted air concentrations for 6 commonly used propylene glycol ethers based on toxicokinetic models incorporating liver metabolism, BBB leakage parameters, and brain toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: This study will be of great interest to regulatory agencies and chemical industries needing and seeking novel solutions to develop human chemical risk assessments. It will contribute to protecting human health from the deleterious effects of environmental chemicals. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/50300.

A Perfused In Vitro Human iPSC-Derived Blood-Brain Barrier Faithfully Mimics Transferrin Receptor-Mediated Transcytosis of Therapeutic Antibodies.

Delivering biologics to elicit a therapeutic response in the central nervous system (CNS) remains challenging due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Receptor-mediated transcytosis is a strategy to improve brain exposure after systemic drug administration. The availability of a clinically relevant in vitro BBB model is crucial to investigate transcytosis pathways and to predict the penetration of biologics into the CNS. We created a perfused human in vitro BBB model made of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) for studying transferrin receptor-mediated transcytosis. iPSC-derived BMEC were seeded in the top channel of a three-lane microfluidic device (OrganoPlate®). After 2 days in culture, the established cell model exhibited relevant BBB features, including physiological transendothelial electrical resistance in a transwell setting (1500 Ω*cm2), reduced apparent permeability (Papp) to the fluorescence tracer Lucifer yellow (20-fold less than cell-free chips), expression of key BBB markers such as tight junctions proteins, transporters, receptors and functional P-gp efflux pump. Moreover, the model exhibited functional transferrin receptor-mediated uptake and transcytosis. To assess selective transferrin receptor-mediated transcytosis, a mixture of anti-human transferrin receptor (MEM-189) and control (sheep IgG anti-bovine serum albumin) antibodies was perfused in the top channel for 2 h. The Papp of MEM-189 was 11-fold higher than that of the control antibody, demonstrating facilitated receptor-mediated transcytosis. Compared to published work reporting a 2-fold ratio, this result is remarkable and establishes the suitability of our model for exploring receptor-mediated transcytosis and screening of antibodies for putative brain shuttle application. A perfused in vitro human model made of iPSC-derived BMEC with the chief characteristics (barrier tightness, functionality) of the human BBB can be applied to study transferrin receptor (TfR)-mediated transcytosis of therapeutic antibodies. This may bring critical advances in drug shuttle technology. Graphical abstract generated with biorender.com.

Electrospun decellularized extracellular matrix scaffolds promote the regeneration of injured neurons.

Traumatic injury to the spinal cord (SCI) causes the transection of neurons, formation of a lesion cavity, and remodeling of the microenvironment by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and scar formation leading to a regeneration-prohibiting environment. Electrospun fiber scaffolds have been shown to simulate the ECM and increase neural alignment and neurite outgrowth contributing to a growth-permissive matrix. In this work, electrospun ECM-like fibers providing biochemical and topological cues are implemented into a scaffold to represent an oriented biomaterial suitable for the alignment and migration of neural cells in order to improve spinal cord regeneration. The successfully decellularized spinal cord ECM (dECM), with no visible cell nuclei and dsDNA content < 50 ng/mg tissue, showed preserved ECM components, such as glycosaminoglycans and collagens. Serving as the biomaterial for 3D printer-assisted electrospinning, highly aligned and randomly distributed dECM fiber scaffolds (< 1 µm fiber diameter) were fabricated. The scaffolds were cytocompatible and supported the viability of a human neural cell line (SH-SY5Y) for 14 days. Cells were selectively differentiated into neurons, as confirmed by immunolabeling of specific cell markers (ChAT, Tubulin ß), and followed the orientation given by the dECM scaffolds. After generating a lesion site on the cell-scaffold model, cell migration was observed and compared to reference poly-ε-caprolactone fiber scaffolds. The aligned dECM fiber scaffold promoted the fastest and most efficient lesion closure, indicating superior cell guiding capabilities of dECM-based scaffolds. The strategy of combining decellularized tissues with controlled deposition of fibers to optimize biochemical and topographical cues opens the way for clinically relevant central nervous system scaffolding solutions.

In vitro to in vivo extrapolation and high-content imaging for simultaneous characterization of chemically induced liver steatosis and markers of hepatotoxicity.

Chemically induced steatosis is characterized by lipid accumulation associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and nucleus distortion. New approach methods integrating in vitro and in silico models are needed to identify chemicals that may induce these cellular events as potential risk factors for steatosis and associated hepatotoxicity. In this study we used high-content imaging for the simultaneous quantification of four cellular markers as sentinels for hepatotoxicity and steatosis in chemically exposed human liver cells in vitro. Furthermore, we evaluated the results with a computational model for the extrapolation of human oral equivalent doses (OED). First, we tested 16 reference chemicals with known capacities to induce cellular alterations in nuclear morphology, lipid accumulation, mitochondrial membrane potential and oxidative stress. Then, using physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling and reverse dosimetry, OEDs were extrapolated from data of any stimulated individual sentinel response. The extrapolated OEDs were confirmed to be within biologically relevant exposure ranges for the reference chemicals. Next, we tested 14 chemicals found in food, selected from thousands of putative chemicals on the basis of structure-based prediction for nuclear receptor activation. Amongst these, orotic acid had an extrapolated OED overlapping with realistic exposure ranges. Thus, we were able to characterize known steatosis-inducing chemicals as well as data-scarce food-related chemicals, amongst which we confirmed orotic acid to induce hepatotoxicity. This strategy addresses needs of next generation risk assessment and can be used as a first chemical prioritization hazard screening step in a tiered approach to identify chemical risk factors for steatosis and hepatotoxicity-associated events.

Methotrexate-Induced Liver Injury Is Associated with Oxidative Stress, Impaired Mitochondrial Respiration, and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress In Vitro.

Low-dose methotrexate (MTX) is a standard therapy for rheumatoid arthritis due to its low cost and efficacy. Despite these benefits, MTX has been reported to cause chronic drug-induced liver injury, namely liver fibrosis. The hallmark of liver fibrosis is excessive scarring of liver tissue, triggered by hepatocellular injury and subsequent activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). However, little is known about the precise mechanisms through which MTX causes hepatocellular damage and activates HSCs. Here, we investigated the mechanisms leading to hepatocyte injury in HepaRG and used immortalized stellate cells (hTERT-HSC) to elucidate the mechanisms leading to HSC activation by exposing mono- and co-cultures of HepaRG and hTERT-HSC to MTX. The results showed that at least two mechanisms are involved in MTX-induced toxicity in HepaRG: (i) oxidative stress through depletion of glutathione (GSH) and (ii) impairment of cellular respiration in a GSH-independent manner. Furthermore, we measured increased levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in activated HSC following MTX treatment. In conclusion, we established a human-relevant in vitro model to gain mechanistical insights into MTX-induced hepatotoxicity, linked oxidative stress in HepaRG to a GSH-dependent and -independent pathway, and hypothesize that not only oxidative stress in hepatocytes but also ER stress in HSCs contribute to MTX-induced activation of HSCs.

Directional Submicrofiber Hydrogel Composite Scaffolds Supporting Neuron Differentiation and Enabling Neurite Alignment.

Cell cultures aiming at tissue regeneration benefit from scaffolds with physiologically relevant elastic moduli to optimally trigger cell attachment, proliferation and promote differentiation, guidance and tissue maturation. Complex scaffolds designed with guiding cues can mimic the anisotropic nature of neural tissues, such as spinal cord or brain, and recall the ability of human neural progenitor cells to differentiate and align. This work introduces a cost-efficient gelatin-based submicron patterned hydrogel-fiber composite with tuned stiffness, able to support cell attachment, differentiation and alignment of neurons derived from human progenitor cells. The enzymatically crosslinked gelatin-based hydrogels were generated with stiffnesses from 8 to 80 kPa, onto which poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) alignment cues were electrospun such that the fibers had a preferential alignment. The fiber-hydrogel composites with a modulus of about 20 kPa showed the strongest cell attachment and highest cell proliferation, rendering them an ideal differentiation support. Differentiated neurons aligned and bundled their neurites along the aligned PCL filaments, which is unique to this cell type on a fiber-hydrogel composite. This novel scaffold relies on robust and inexpensive technology and is suitable for neural tissue engineering where directional neuron alignment is required, such as in the spinal cord.

Apical Medium Flow Influences the Morphology and Physiology of Human Proximal Tubular Cells in a Microphysiological System.

There is a lack of physiologically relevant in vitro human kidney models for disease modelling and detecting drug-induced effects given the limited choice of cells and difficulty implementing quasi-physiological culture conditions. We investigated the influence of fluid shear stress on primary human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (RPTECs) cultured in the micro-physiological Vitrofluid device. This system houses cells seeded on semipermeable membranes and can be connected to a regulable pump that enables controlled, unidirectional flow. After 7 days in culture, RPTECs maintained physiological characteristics such as barrier integrity, protein uptake ability, and expression of specific transporters (e.g., aquaporin-1). Exposure to constant apical side flow did not cause cytotoxicity, cell detachment, or intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation. However, unidirectional flow profoundly affected cell morphology and led to primary cilia lengthening and alignment in the flow direction. The dynamic conditions also reduced cell proliferation, altered plasma membrane leakiness, increased cytokine secretion, and repressed histone deacetylase 6 and kidney injury molecule 1 expression. Cells under flow also remained susceptible to colistin-induced toxicity. Collectively, the results suggest that dynamic culture conditions in the Vitrofluid system promote a more differentiated phenotype in primary human RPTECs and represent an improved in vitro kidney model.

Coplanar embedding of multiple 3D cell models in hydrogel towards high-throughput micro-histology.

Standardised and high-throughput methods have been developed for the production and experimental handling of some 3D in vitro models. However, adapted analytical tools are still missing for scientists and researchers to fully exploit the potential of complex cellular models in pre-clinical drug testing and precision medicine. Histology is the established, cost-effective and gold standard method for structural and functional tissue analysis. However, standard histological processes are challenging and costly to apply to 3D cell models, as their small size often leads to poor alignment of samples, which lowers analysis throughput. This body of work proposes a new approach: HistoBrick facilitates histological processing of spheroids and organoids by enabling gel embedding of 3D cell models with precise coplanar alignment, parallel to the sectioning plane, thus minimising the loss of sample material. HistoBrick's features are compatible with automation standards, potentially allowing automated sample transfer from a multi-well plate to the gel device. Moreover, HistoBrick's technology was validated by demonstrating the alignment of HepG2 cultured spheroids measuring 150-200 µm in diameter with a height precision of ± 80 µm. HistoBrick allows up to 96 samples to be studied across minimal sections, paving the way towards high-throughput micro-histology.

How to Foster 'New Approach Methodology' Toxicologists.

The need to reduce, refine and replace animal experimentation has led to a boom in the establishment of new approach methodologies (NAMs). This promising trend brings the hope that the replacement of animals by using NAMs will become increasingly accepted by regulators, included in legislation, and consequently more-often implemented by industry. The majority of NAMs, however, are still not very well understood, either due to the complexity of the applied approach or the data analysis workflow. A potential solution to this problem is the provision of better educational resources to scientists new to the area - showcasing the added value of NAMs and outlining various ways of overcoming issues associated with knowledge gaps. In this paper, the educational exchange between four institutions - namely, two universities and two SMEs - via a series of video training sessions, is described. The goal of this exchange was to showcase an exemplary event to help introduce scientists to non-animal approaches, and to actively support the development of resources enabling the use of alternatives to laboratory animals.

Evaluation of dioxin induced transcriptomic responses in a 3D human liver microtissue model.

Three-dimensional human liver microtissue model provides a promising method for predicting the human hepatotoxicity of environmental chemicals. However, the dynamics of transcriptional responses of 3D human liver microtissue model to dioxins exposure remain unclear. Herein, time-series transcriptomic analysis was used to characterize modulation of gene expression over 14 days in 3D human liver microtissues exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetra-chlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, 31 nM, 10 ng/ml). Changes in gene expression and modulation of biological pathways were evaluated at several time points. The results showed that microtissues stably expressed genes related to toxicological pathways (e.g. highly of genes involved in external stimuli and maintenance of cell homeostasis pathways) during the 14-day culture period. Furthermore, a weekly phenomenon pattern was observed for the number of the differentially expressed genes in microtissues exposed to TCDD at each time point. TCDD led to an induction of genes involved in cell cycle regulation at day three. Metabolic pathways were the main significantly induced pathways during the subsequent days, with the immune/inflammatory response enriched on the fifth day, and the cellular response to DNA damage was identified at the end of the exposure. Finally, relevant transcription patterns identified in microtissues were compared with published data on rodent and human cell-line studies to elucidate potential species-specific responses to TCDD over time. Cell development and cytochrome P450 pathway were mainly affected after a 3-day exposure, with the DNA damage response identified at the end of exposure in the human microtissue system but not in mouse/rat primary hepatocytes models. Overall, the 3D human liver microtissue model is a valuable tool to predict the toxic effects of environmental chemicals with a relatively long exposure.

Cigarette Smokers Versus Cannabis Smokers Versus Co-users of Cigarettes and Cannabis: A Pilot Study Examining Exposure to Toxicants.

INTRODUCTION: Studies suggest tobacco and cannabis co-users may experience greater toxicant exposure than exclusive cigarette (ET) smokers. No study has systematically tested differences in toxicant exposure among co-users, exclusive cannabis (ECa) smokers, and ET smokers. AIMS AND METHODS: Adult daily cigarette smokers and/or weekly cannabis smokers completed two laboratory visits. Co-users (n = 19) tested positive for urinary 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH), self-reported cannabis use ≥1 per week, and smoked ≥5 cigarettes per day (CPD). ET smokers (n = 18) denied past month cannabis use, tested negative for urinary THCCOOH and smoked ≥5 CPD. ECa smokers (n = 16) tested positive for urinary THCCOOH, self-reported cannabis use ≥1 per week, and denied past month tobacco use (NicAlert <3). Self-reported tobacco and cannabis use were collected at both visits. First morning urinary tobacco and combustion-related biomarkers of exposure were compared following a cannabis or tobacco smoking session (visit 2). RESULTS: Co-users and ET smokers had higher levels of exhaled carbon monoxide, total nicotine equivalents, metabolites of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNAL), and all four measured mercapturic acids (measures of volatile organic compounds) than ECa smokers (ps < .005). ET smokers (geometric mean = 7220.2 pmol/mg) had higher levels of 2-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid than co-users (geometric mean = 5348.7 adjusted p = .009). Phenanthrene tetraol did not differ by group (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Co-users and ET smokers demonstrated comparable levels of biomarkers of exposure to harmful constituents despite smoking similar amounts of tobacco. ECa smokers demonstrated lower levels of toxicant exposure for most biomarkers. IMPLICATIONS: Although ECa smokers are exposed to significantly lower levels of harmful constituents compared with co-users and exclusive cigarette smokers, this group is still exposed to higher levels of toxicants than observed in studies of nonsmokers. Additionally, these three groups were exposed to similar levels of phenanthrene tetraol. It is important to account for cannabis use in studies examining biomarkers of exposure among cigarette smokers. Additionally, further research is needed examining exposure to harmful chemicals among various types of cannabis and tobacco users.

Identification of miR-199a-5p, miR-214-3p and miR-99b-5p as Fibrosis-Specific Extracellular Biomarkers and Promoters of HSC Activation.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) resulting in the formation of fibrous scars. In the clinic, liver biopsies are the standard diagnostic method despite the potential for clinical complications. miRNAs are single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that can be detected in tissues, body fluids and cultured cells. The regulation of many miRNAs has been linked to tissue damage, including liver fibrosis in patients, resulting in aberrant miRNA expression/release. Experimental evidence also suggests that miRNAs are regulated in a similar manner in vitro and could thus serve as translational in vitro-in vivo biomarkers. In this work, we set out to identify and characterize biomarkers for liver fibrosis that could be used in vitro and clinically for research and diagnostic purposes. We focused on miRNAs released from hepatic 3D cultures exposed to methotrexate (MTX), which causes fibrosis, and acetaminophen (APAP), an acute hepatotoxicant with no clinically relevant association to liver fibrosis. Using a 3D in vitro model, we corroborated compound-specific responses as we show MTX induced a fibrotic response, and APAP did not. Performing miRNA-seq of cell culture supernatants, we identified potential miRNA biomarkers (miR-199a-5p, miR-214-3p, niRNA-125a-5p and miR-99b-5p) that were associated with a fibrotic phenotype and not with hepatocellular damage alone. Moreover, transfection of HSC with miR-199a-5p led to decreased expression of caveolin-1 and increased α-SMA expression, suggesting its role in HSC activation. In conclusion, we propose that extracellular miR-214-3p, miR-99b-5p, miR-125a-5p and specifically miR-199a-5p could contribute towards a panel of miRNAs for identifying liver fibrosis and that miR-199a-5p, miR-214-3p and miR-99b-5p are promoters of HSC activation.

Single Cell Gene Expression Analysis in a 3D Microtissue Liver Model Reveals Cell Type-Specific Responses to Pro-Fibrotic TGF-ß1 Stimulation.

3D cell culture systems are widely used to study disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Multicellular liver microtissues (MTs) comprising HepaRG, hTERT-HSC and THP-1 maintain multicellular interactions and physiological properties required to mimic liver fibrosis. However, the inherent complexity of multicellular 3D-systems often hinders the discrimination of cell type specific responses. Here, we aimed at applying single cell sequencing (scRNA-seq) to discern the molecular responses of cells involved in the development of fibrosis elicited by TGF-ß1. To obtain single cell suspensions from the MTs, an enzymatic dissociation method was optimized. Isolated cells showed good viability, could be re-plated and cultured in 2D, and expressed specific markers determined by scRNA-seq, qRT-PCR, ELISA and immunostaining. The three cell populations were successfully clustered using supervised and unsupervised methods based on scRNA-seq data. TGF-ß1 led to a fibrotic phenotype in the MTs, detected as decreased albumin and increased αSMA expression. Cell-type specific responses to the treatment were identified for each of the three cell types. They included HepaRG damage characterized by a decrease in cellular metabolism, prototypical inflammatory responses in THP-1s and extracellular matrix remodeling in hTERT-HSCs. Furthermore, we identified novel cell-specific putative fibrosis markers in hTERT-HSC (COL15A1), and THP-1 (ALOX5AP and LAPTM5).

Implementation of a Human Renal Proximal Tubule on a Chip for Nephrotoxicity and Drug Interaction Studies.

Proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTEC) are susceptible to drug-induced kidney injury (DIKI). Cell-based, two-dimensional (2D) in vitro PTEC models are often poor predictors of DIKI, probably due to the lack of physiological architecture and flow. Here, we assessed a high throughput, 3D microfluidic platform (Nephroscreen) for the detection of DIKI in pharmaceutical development. This system was established with four model nephrotoxic drugs (cisplatin, tenofovir, tobramycin and cyclosporin A) and tested with eight pharmaceutical compounds. Measured parameters included cell viability, release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and N-acetyl-ß-d-glucosaminidase (NAG), barrier integrity, release of specific miRNAs, and gene expression of toxicity markers. Drug-transporter interactions for P-gp and MRP2/4 were also determined. The most predictive read outs for DIKI were a combination of cell viability, LDH and miRNA release. In conclusion, Nephroscreen detected DIKI in a robust manner, is compatible with automated pipetting, proved to be amenable to long-term experiments, and was easily transferred between laboratories. This proof-of-concept-study demonstrated the usability and reproducibility of Nephroscreen for the detection of DIKI and drug-transporter interactions. Nephroscreen it represents a valuable tool towards replacing animal testing and supporting the 3Rs (Reduce, Refine and Replace animal experimentation).

Assessment of fibrotic pathways induced by environmental chemicals using 3D-human liver microtissue model.

Exposure to environmental chemicals, particularly those with persistent and bioaccumulative properties have been linked to liver diseases. Induction of fibrotic pathways is considered as a pre-requirement of chemical induced liver fibrosis. Here, we applied 3D in vitro human liver microtissues (MTs) composed of HepaRG, THP-1 and hTERT-HSC that express relevant hepatic pathways (bile acid, sterol, and xenobiotic metabolism) and can recapitulate key events of liver fibrosis (e.g. extracellular matrix-deposition). The liver MTs were exposed to a known profibrotic chemical, thioacetamide (TAA) and three representative environmental chemicals (TCDD, benzo [a] pyrene (BaP) and PCB126). Both TAA and BaP triggered fibrotic pathway related events such as hepatocellular damage (cytotoxicity and decreased albumin release), hepatic stellate cell activation (transcriptional upregulation of α-SMA and Col1α1) and extracellular matrix remodelling. TCDD or PCB126 at measured concentrations did not elicit these responses in the 3D liver MTs system, though they caused cytotoxicity in HepaRG monoculture at high concentrations. Reduced human transcriptome (RHT) analysis captured molecular responses involved in liver fibrosis when MTs were treated with TAA and BaP. The results suggest that 3D, multicellular, human liver microtissues represent an alternative, human-relevant, in vitro liver model for assessing fibrotic pathways induced by environmental chemicals.

Swiss Startup Framework: A Highly Effective Network Supporting the Generation of Emerging Biotech Businesses.

For over 50 years, Switzerland has been one of the leading countries driving innovation in biotechnology and its industrial applications. Today, some 1,000 biotech companies form a tightly knit, cross-functional network ranging from research through to manufacturing. This network comprises R&D companies, contract research organizations, and highly specialized advisors and biotech investors. Together, they form an external innovation pool that complements the in-house R&D capacity of the large multi-national pharma companies. A highly effective startup framework, solid acceleration mechanisms, and innovative investors enable the emergence of a continuous flow of biotech startups that revitalize the industry with new technologies and products supporting drug development and diagnostics.