Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are major contributors to liver fibrosis, as hepatic injuries may cause their transdifferentiation into myofibroblast-like cells capable of producing excessive extracellular matrix proteins. Also, HSCs can modulate engraftment of transplanted hepatocytes and contribute to liver regeneration. Therefore, understanding the biology of human HSCs (hHSCs) is important, but effective methods have not been available to address their fate in vivo. To investigate whether HSCs could engraft and repopulate the liver, we transplanted GFP-transduced immortalized hHSCs into immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice. Biodistribution analysis with radiolabeled hHSCs showed that after intrasplenic injection, the majority of transplanted cells rapidly translocated to the liver. GFP-immunohistochemistry demonstrated that transplanted hHSCs engrafted alongside hepatic sinusoids. Prior permeabilization of the sinusoidal endothelial layer with monocrotaline enhanced engraftment of hHSCs. Transplanted hHSCs remained engrafted without relevant proliferation in the healthy liver. However, after CCl4 or bile duct ligation-induced liver damage, transplanted hHSCs expanded and contributed to extracellular matrix production, formation of bridging cell-septae and cirrhosis-like hepatic pseudolobules. CCl4-induced injury recruited hHSCs mainly to zone 3, whereas after bile duct ligation, hHSCs were mainly in zone 1 of the liver lobule. Transplanted hHSCs neither transdifferentiated into other cell types nor formed tumors in these settings. In conclusion, a humanized mouse model was generated by transplanting hHSCs, which proliferated during hepatic injury and inflammation, and contributed to liver fibrosis. The ability to repopulate the liver with transplanted hHSCs will be particularly significant for mechanistic studies of cell-cell interactions and fibrogenesis within the liver.

A humanized mouse model of liver fibrosis following expansion of transplanted hepatic stellate cells

Follenzi, Antonia;
2018-01-01

Abstract

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are major contributors to liver fibrosis, as hepatic injuries may cause their transdifferentiation into myofibroblast-like cells capable of producing excessive extracellular matrix proteins. Also, HSCs can modulate engraftment of transplanted hepatocytes and contribute to liver regeneration. Therefore, understanding the biology of human HSCs (hHSCs) is important, but effective methods have not been available to address their fate in vivo. To investigate whether HSCs could engraft and repopulate the liver, we transplanted GFP-transduced immortalized hHSCs into immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice. Biodistribution analysis with radiolabeled hHSCs showed that after intrasplenic injection, the majority of transplanted cells rapidly translocated to the liver. GFP-immunohistochemistry demonstrated that transplanted hHSCs engrafted alongside hepatic sinusoids. Prior permeabilization of the sinusoidal endothelial layer with monocrotaline enhanced engraftment of hHSCs. Transplanted hHSCs remained engrafted without relevant proliferation in the healthy liver. However, after CCl4 or bile duct ligation-induced liver damage, transplanted hHSCs expanded and contributed to extracellular matrix production, formation of bridging cell-septae and cirrhosis-like hepatic pseudolobules. CCl4-induced injury recruited hHSCs mainly to zone 3, whereas after bile duct ligation, hHSCs were mainly in zone 1 of the liver lobule. Transplanted hHSCs neither transdifferentiated into other cell types nor formed tumors in these settings. In conclusion, a humanized mouse model was generated by transplanting hHSCs, which proliferated during hepatic injury and inflammation, and contributed to liver fibrosis. The ability to repopulate the liver with transplanted hHSCs will be particularly significant for mechanistic studies of cell-cell interactions and fibrogenesis within the liver.
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Lab Invest HTERT-HSC in Mice Benten Kluwe et al 2018.pdf

file disponibile agli utenti autorizzati

Tipologia: Documento in Pre-print
Licenza: Dominio pubblico
Dimensione 4.33 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
4.33 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11579/94505
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 9
  • Scopus 13
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 11
social impact