Loss of pluripotency is a gradual event whose initiating factors are largely unknown. Here we report the earliest metabolic changes induced during the first hours of differentiation. High-resolution NMR identified 44 metabolites and a distinct metabolic transition occurring during early differentiation. Metabolic and transcriptional analyses showed that pluripotent cells produced acetyl-CoA through glycolysis and rapidly lost this function during differentiation. Importantly, modulation of glycolysis blocked histone deacetylation and differentiation in human and mouse embryonic stem cells. Acetate, a precursor of acetyl-CoA, delayed differentiation and blocked early histone deacetylation in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibitors upstream of acetyl-CoA caused differentiation of pluripotent cells, while those downstream delayed differentiation. Our results show a metabolic switch causing a loss of histone acetylation and pluripotent state during the first hours of differentiation. Our data highlight the important role metabolism plays in pluripotency and suggest that a glycolytic switch controlling histone acetylation can release stem cells from pluripotency.

Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip technology aims to replace animal toxicity testing, but thus far has demonstrated few advantages over traditional methods. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role in the development of chemical and pharmaceutical toxicity, as well as pluripotency and disease processes. However, current methods to evaluate mitochondrial activity still rely on end-point assays, resulting in limited kinetic and prognostic information. Here, we present a liveron-chip device capable of maintaining human tissue for over a month in vitro under physiological conditions. Mitochondrial respiration was monitored in real time using two-frequency phase modulation of tissue-embedded phosphorescent microprobes. A computer-controlled microfluidic switchboard allowed contiguous electrochemical measurements of glucose and lactate, providing real-time analysis of minute shifts from oxidative phosphorylation to anaerobic glycolysis, an early indication of mitochondrial stress. We quantify the dynamics of cellular adaptation to mitochondrial damage and the resulting redistribution of ATP production during rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and troglitazone (Rezulin)-induced mitochondrial stress. We show troglitazone shifts metabolic fluxes at concentrations previously regarded as safe, suggesting a mechanism for its observed idiosyncratic effect. Our microfluidic platform reveals the dynamics and strategies of cellular adaptation to mitochondrial damage, a unique advantage of organ-on-chip technology.microfluidics | liver tissue engineering | toxicology | organ-on-a-chip

Hepatocytes have a critical role in metabolism, but their study is limited by the inability to expand primary hepatocytes in vitro while maintaining proliferative capacity and metabolic function. Here we describe the oncostatin M (OSM)-dependent expansion of primary human hepatocytes by low expression of the human papilloma virus (HPV) genes E6 and E7 coupled with inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. We show that E6 and E7 expression upregulates the OSM receptor gp130 and that OSM stimulation induces hepatocytes to expand for up to 40 population doublings, producing 10 to 10 cells from a single human hepatocyte isolate. OSM removal induces differentiation into metabolically functional, polarized hepatocytes with functional bile canaliculi. Differentiated hepatocytes show transcriptional and toxicity profiles and cytochrome P450 induction similar to those of primary human hepatocytes. Replication and infectivity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in differentiated hepatocytes are similar to those of Huh7.5.1 human hepatoma cells. These results offer a means of expanding human hepatocytes of different genetic backgrounds for research, clinical applications and pharmaceutical development.

The liver is the main organ responsible for the modification, clearance, and transformational toxicity of most xenobiotics owing to its abundance in cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes. However, the scarcity and variability of primary hepatocytes currently limits their utility. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) represent an excellent source of differentiated hepatocytes; however, current protocols still produce fetal-like hepatocytes with limited mature function. Interestingly, fetal hepatocytes acquire mature CYP450 expression only postpartum, suggesting that nutritional cues may drive hepatic maturation. We show that vitamin K 2 and lithocholic acid, a by-product of intestinal flora, activate pregnane X receptor (PXR) and subsequent CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 expression in hPSC-derived and isolated fetal hepatocytes. Differentiated cells produce albumin and apolipoprotein B100 at levels equivalent to primary human hepatocytes, while demonstrating an 8-fold induction of CYP450 activity in response to aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist omeprazole and a 10-fold induction in response to PXR agonist rifampicin. Flow cytometry showed that over 83% of cells were albumin and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4a) positive, permitting high-content screening in a 96-well plate format. Analysis of 12 compounds showed an R 2 correlation of 0.94 between TC50 values obtained in stem cellderived hepatocytes and primary cells, compared to 0.62 for HepG2 cells. Finally, stem cell-derived hepatocytes demonstrate all toxicological endpoints examined, including steatosis, apoptosis, and cholestasis, when exposed to nine known hepatotoxins. Conclusion: Our work provides fresh insights into liver development, suggesting that microbial-derived cues may drive the maturation of CYP450 enzymes postpartum. Addition of these cues results in the first functional, inducible, hPSC-derived hepatocyte for predictive toxicology. (HEPATOLOGY 2015;62:265-278) T he liver is the largest internal organ in the human body, responsible for protein synthesis and metabolic homeostasis. Metabolic transformation of lipids is primarily carried out by the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) family of monooxygenases, also responsible for xenobiotic transformation.

Prediction of drug-induced toxicity is complicated by the failure of animal models to extrapolate human response, especially during assessment of repeated dose toxicity for cosmetic or chronic drug treatments. In this work, we present a 3D microreactor capable of maintaining metabolically active HepG2/C3A spheroids for over 28 days in vitro under stable oxygen gradients mimicking the in vivo microenvironment. Mitochondrial respiration was monitored using two-frequency phase modulation of phosphorescent microprobes embedded in the tissue. Phase modulation is focus independent and unaffected by cell death or migration. This sensitive measurement of oxygen dynamics revealed important information on the drug mechanism of action and transient subthreshold effects. Specifically, exposure to antiarrhythmic agent, amiodarone, showed that both respiration and the time to onset of mitochondrial damage were dose dependent showing a TC50 of 425 μm. Analysis showed significant induction of both phospholipidosis and microvesicular steatosis during long-term exposure. Importantly, exposure to widely used analgesic, acetaminophen, caused an immediate, reversible, dose-dependent loss of oxygen uptake followed by a slow, irreversible, dose-independent death, with a TC50 of 12.3 mM. Transient loss of mitochondrial respiration was also detected below the threshold of acetaminophen toxicity. The phenomenon was repeated in HeLa cells that lack CYP2E1 and 3A4, and was blocked by preincubation with ascorbate and TMPD. These results mark the importance of tracing toxicity effects over time, suggesting a NAPQI-independent targeting of mitochondrial complex III might be responsible for acetaminophen toxicity in extrahepatic tissues.

Viruses lack the basic machinery needed to replicate and therefore must hijack the host's metabolism to propagate. Virus-induced metabolic changes have yet to be systematically studied in the context of host transcriptional regulation, and such studies shoul offer insight into host-pathogen metabolic interplay. In this work we identified hepatitis C virus (HCV)-responsive regulators by coupling system-wide metabolic-flux analysis with targeted perturbation of nuclear receptors in primary human hepatocytes. We found HCV-induced upregulation of glycolysis, ketogenesis and drug metabolism, with glycolysis controlled by activation of HNF4α, ketogenesis by PPARα and FXR, and drug metabolism by PXR. Pharmaceutical inhibition of HNF4α reversed HCV-induced glycolysis, blocking viral replication while increasing apoptosis in infected cells showing virus-induced dependence on glycolysis. In contrast, pharmaceutical inhibition of PPARα or FXR reversed HCV-induced ketogenesis but increased viral replication, demonstrating a novel host antiviral response. Our results show that virus-induced changes to a host's metabolism can be detrimental to its life cycle, thus revealing a biologically complex relationship between virus and host.

Mitophagy is the degradation of surplus or damaged mitochondria by autophagy. In addition to programmed and stress-induced mitophagy, basal mitophagy processes exert organelle quality control. Here, we show that the sorting and assembly machinery (SAM) complex protein SAMM50 interacts directly with ATG8 family proteins and p62/SQSTM1 to act as a receptor for a basal mitophagy of components of the SAM and mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) complexes. SAMM50 regulates mitochondrial architecture by controlling formation and assembly of the MICOS complex decisive for normal cristae morphology and exerts quality control of MICOS components. To this end, SAMM50 recruits ATG8 family proteins through a canonical LIR motif and interacts with p62/SQSTM1 to mediate basal mitophagy of SAM and MICOS components. Upon metabolic switch to oxidative phosphorylation, SAMM50 and p62 cooperate to mediate efficient mitophagy.

The liver is the largest internal organ in mammals, serving a wide spectrum of vital functions. Loss of liver function due to drug toxicity, progressive fatty liver disease, or viral infection is a major cause of death in the United States of America. Pharmaceutical and cosmetic toxicity screening, basic research and the development of bioartificial liver devices require long-term hepatocyte culture techniques that sustain hepatocyte morphology and function. In recent years, several techniques have been developed that can support high levels of liver-specific gene expression, metabolic function, and synthetic activity for several weeks in culture. These include the collagen double gel configuration, hepatocyte spheroids, coculture with nonparenchymal cells, and micropatterned cocultures. This chapter will cover the current status of hepatocyte culture techniques, including media formulation, oxygen supply, and heterotypic cell-cell interactions.