SummaryHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The multikinase inhibitor sorafenib is the only treatment option for advanced HCC. Due to tumor heterogeneity, its efficacy greatly varies between patients and is limited due to adverse effects and drug resistance. Current in vitro models fail to recapitulate key features of HCCs. We report the generation of long-term organoid cultures from tumor needle biopsies of HCC patients with various etiologies and tumor stages. HCC organoids retain the morphology as well as the expression pattern of HCC tumor markers and preserve the genetic heterogeneity of the originating tumors. In a proof-of-principle study, we show that liver cancer organoids can be used to test sensitivity to sorafenib. In conclusion, organoid models can be derived from needle biopsies of liver cancers and provide a tool for developing tailored therapies.

The recent demonstration that primary cells from the liver can be expanded in vitro as organoids holds enormous promise for regenerative medicine and disease modelling. The use of three-dimensional (3D) cultures based on ill-defined and potentially immunogenic matrices, however, hampers the translation of liver organoid technology into real-life applications. We here use chemically defined hydrogels for the efficient derivation of both mouse and human hepatic organoids. Organoid growth is found to be highly stiffness-sensitive, a mechanism independent of acto-myosin contractility and requiring instead activation of the Src family of kinases (SFKs) and yes-associated protein 1 (YAP). Aberrant matrix stiffness, on the other hand, results in compromised proliferative capacity. Finally, we demonstrate the establishment of biopsy-derived human liver organoids without the use of animal components at any step of the process. Our approach thus opens up exciting perspectives for the establishment of protocols for liver organoid-based regenerative medicine.

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