Effects of mouse fetal liver cell culture density on hematopoietic cell expansion in three-dimensional cocultures with stromal cells.

OBJECTIVE: An effective ex vivo expansion system of primitive hematopoietic cells (HCs) is required for wider application of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In this study, we examined effects of culture density on mouse fetal liver cells (FLCs) used as an HC source for the expansion of primitive HCs in three-dimensional (3D) cocultures with two kinds of mouse stromal cell lines (OP9 or C3H10T1/2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: FLCs were seeded at different densities (1, 2, and 10 × 107 cells/cm3) into porous polymer scaffolds with or without stromal cell layers and HCs were expanded in the cultures for 2 weeks without exogenous cytokines. RESULTS: Differential effects of culture density on HC expansion were observed between cocultures and solitary FLC controls. In stromal cell cocultures, high expansion of HCs was achieved when FLCs were seeded at low densities. In contrast, the expansion in the controls was enhanced with increasing culture densities. With respect to expansion of primitive HCs existing in the FLCs, cocultures with C3H10T1/2 cells were superior to those with OP9 cells with a 29.3-fold expansion for c-kit+ hematopoietic progenitor cells and 8.3-fold expansion for CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells. In the controls, HC expansion was lower than in any cocultures, demonstrating the advantages of coculturing for HC expansion. CONCLUSION: Stromal cell lines are useful in expanding primitive HCs derived from FLCs in 3D cocultures. Culture density is a pivotal factor for the effective expansion of primitive HCs and this effect differs by culture condition.

Growth and albumin secretion of mouse fetal liver cells cryopreserved within porous polymer scaffolds as a viable cell source for bioartificial livers.

To clinically apply bioartificial livers (BALs), an effective liver cell cryopreservation method is required for a stable cell supply. In this study, we performed tissue-engineered construct (TEC) cryopreservation of fetal liver cells (FLCs) in which FLCs cultured within a porous polymer scaffold were cryopreserved. Growth and albumin secretion in TEC-cryopreserved FLCs after thawing were compared to freshly isolated FLCs (control experiments). The effect of preculture duration prior to cryopreservation (0-3 weeks) on these functions was also examined. In the three-dimensional cultures, the TEC-cryopreserved FLCs with preculturing showed constant growth, and this growth was comparable to controls. On the contrary, the TEC-cryopreserved FLCs without preculturing did not proliferate after thawing. Albumin secretion of TEC-cryopreserved FLCs with preculturing rapidly increased up to day 12 and high secretory activity comparable to controls was maintained thereafter in FLCs with 1- or 2-week preculturing, suggesting this as an appropriate preculture duration. Compared to conventionally cryopreserved FLCs, growth and albumin secretion in the TEC-cryopreserved FLCs were significantly higher, indicating their usefulness as a potent cell source for BALs.

The Regenerative Effect of Portal Vein Injection of Liver Organoids by Retrorsine/Partial Hepatectomy in Rats.

In this study, we reveal that liver organoid transplantation through the portal vein is a safe and effective method for the treatment of chronic liver damage. The liver organoids significantly reconstituted the hepatocytes; hence, the liver was significantly enlarged in this group, compared to the monolayer cell transplantation group in the retrorsine/partial hepatectomy (RS/PH) model. In the liver organoid transplantation group, the bile ducts were located in the donor area and connected to the recipient bile ducts. Thus, the rate of bile reconstruction in the liver was significantly higher compared to that in the monolayer group. By transplanting liver organoids, we saw a level of 70% replacement of the damaged liver. Consequently, in the transplantation group, diminished ductular reaction and a decrease of placental glutathione S-transferase (GST-p) precancerous lesions were observed. After trans-portal injection, the human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived liver organoids revealed no translocation outside the liver; in contrast, the monolayer cells had spread to the lungs. The hiPSC-derived liver organoids were attached to the liver in the immunodeficient RS/PH rats. This study clearly demonstrates that liver organoid transplantation through the portal vein is a safe and effective method for the treatment of chronic liver damage in rats.

Generation of Hepatic Organoids with Biliary Structures.

Incorporation of bile drainage system into engineered liver tissue is an important issue to advance liver regenerative medicine. Our group reported that three-dimensional (3D) coculture of fetal liver cells (FLCs) and adult rat biliary epithelial cells (BECs) allows reconstruction of hepatic spheroids that possess bile ductular structures. In this chapter, we describe the detailed protocol to isolate FLCs and BECs and to generate the spheroids with bile drainage system using these two types of primary cells.

The biocharacterization of intrasplenic transplantation of gene modified mouse fetal liver cells / 中华消化杂志

Objective To develop a genetically modified fetal liver cells (FLC) based transplantation system that can release therapeutic levels of hematopoietic growth factors into the system circulation which can facilitate treatment of patient receiving cytokine therapy following chemotherapy. Method Examine adeno virus mediated gene transfer to isolated murine FLC and evaluate the biocharacterization of intrasplenic transplantation of gene modified murine FLC. Results Substantial transfection rate of 80%～85% were achieved at a ratio of 50 for 2 hr of exposure. Gene modified FLC (FLC GM) labeled with 111 In were injected into the allogenic mice, spleen, the %ID/g of liver was 20%～25% at 24 hr and 50%～55% at 48 hr after transplantation. In addition, serum concentration of GM CSF in mice with intrasplenic transplantation reached its maximum at 48 hr [(356 ?58 ) pg/ml]. Conclusion Intrasplenic transplantation of FLC GM can be predominantly localized in liver and spleen, and engraft rapidly and maintain normal function, which represent a critical step toward successfully accomplishing liver directed gene therapy.

Acceleration of the Recovery of Chemotherapy-Induced Immune Suppression by the Intrasplenic Transplantation of GM-CSF Gene-Transfected Fetal Liver Cells / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

After murine fetal liver cells (FLC) were transfected with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene by recombinant adenovirus and intrasplenically transplanted into allogeneic mice, the effects of GM-CSF gene-transfected FLC on the recovery of immune response inhibited by chemotherapy were observed. The number of CD4 + cells and the ratio of CD4 + /CDS + cells from peripheral blood lymphocytes increased significantly. The cytotoxicity of the NK cells and the proliferation response of splenocytes to ConA, LPS elevated markedly, but the same results were not from bone marrow. These data demonstrated that intrasplenic transplantation of GM-CSF gene-transfected FLC could effectively accelerate the recovery of immune response after high-dose chemotherapy.

Effect of fetal liver AFT024 cells on multidrug resistant gene 1 transfection efficiency and in vitro expansion of CD34~+ cells derived from umbilical cord blood / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

Objective:To investigate the influence of fetal liver AFT024 cells on the transfection efficiency of multidrug resistant gene 1(MDR1)and the in vitro expansion of CD34+ cells derived from umbilical cord blood.Methods:CD34+ cells were isolated from human umbilical cord blood by MACS CD34 Progenitor Cell Isolation Kit and co-cultured with AFT024 cells(AFT024 group)or cultured alone(control group)for 7 days.During the subsequent 14 days,retrovirus carrying MDR1 gene was supplemented twice a week to transfect CD34+ cells.On the 7th,14th and 21st day after culture,the number of total nucleated cells(TNC)was counted,the ratio of CD34+ cells was assayed by flow cytometry(FCM)and the number of CD34+ cells was calculated,and colony-forming cells(CFC)were counted by methylcellulose cultures.RT-PCR method was used to detect the level of MDR1 mRNA in the transfected cells.The expression and function of P-glycoprotein(P-gp)were evaluated by FCM assay and Rhodamine-123 efflux assay,respectively.The gene transfection efficiency was calculated by drug-resistant colony-forming cells assay.Results:(1)The MDR1 mRNA level in AFT024 group than that in control group.The gene transfection efficiency in AFT024 group was significantly higher than that in control group(46.0% vs 15.2%,P0.05).On the 14th day,the expansion fold of TNCs in control group was significantly higher than that in AFT024 group(P0.05).The expansion folds of CD34+ cells and CFCs in the AFT024 group were significantly higher than that of the control group(P

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TREATMENT OF SUBACUTE SEVERE HEPATITIS / 第二军医大学学报

In an attempt to find out an effective treatment for severe hepatitis, clinical characteristics and treatment of fifty cases of subacute severe hepatitis (subacute necrosis of the liver), admitted to our department, were investigated. The data suggested that: (l)the fatality rate was significantly higher in the aged(40 years) group; (2) the five clinical features such as fever, exudative ascites, prolonged prothrombin time, negative CIC and increased peripheral white cell count (10?109 /L) significantly indicated a poor prognosis; (3) multiorgans system failure (MOSF)was found to be more common (71.9%) in this group- (4) branched chain amino acid (B.CAA) therapy benefited and revived most of the cases, however, did not rescue their life eventually.Fetal liver cell transplantation (iv) survived 4 out of 6 treated patients (66. 7%)without any side-effects, so it seems to be a hopeful therapeutic strategy in this field. This report also emphasizes that the mechanism of subrxute severe hepatitis and antiviral agents in its treatment remained to be studied