Objective To design a new type of hybrid bioartificial liver (HBAL), evaluate its efficacy in vitro, and explore the feasibility in clinical application.Methods CL-1 human hepatocytes were cultured on microcarriers for 5 days, when cell count reached about 4.0 × 109 with cell density of about 4.0 × 107/ml.CL-1 cells cultured on microcarriers in home-made bioreactor constitute the biological part of the HBAL.The abiotic part included blood perfusion and bilirubin adsorption, and blood pump was employed as the circulation driver, which were parts of HBAL.The changes of the concentrations of indirect bilirubin (UBD), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCD), cholic acid (CA), blood ammonia (AA), AST, ALT and LDH were observed under the condition of in vitro circulation.Meanwhile, the function, morphology and the cell activity of CL-1 cells were also observed.Results After in vitro circulation for 24 h, the concentrations of UBD, CDCD, CA and AA significantly decreased from (335.3 ± 6.0) μmol/L, (395.0 ± 5.6) μmol/L, (155.7 ± 4.5) μmol/L, (39.0 ± 2.6) μmol/L at 0 h to (106.0 ± 10.9) μmol/L, (131.8 ± 28.7) μmol/L, (42.2 ± 7.3) μmol/L, (3.5 ± 1.0) μmol/L, respectively.At 48 h, ALT, AST and LDH significantly increased from (25.9 ± 4.2) IU/L, (22.0 ± 3.6) IU/L, (0.28 ± 0.09) μmol/L to (31.0 ± 2.6) IU/L,(31.6 ± 8.0) IU/L, (0.41 ± 0.12) μmol/L, meanwhile the count and vitality of CL-1 cells were significant declined.Conclusions (1) In the new HBAL system, CL-1 cells can keep its viability and function in vitro;and (2) the HBAL appears to be effective in purifying the serum in liver failure simulation model by clearing out non-conjugated bilirubin, chenodeoxycholic acid, cholic acid and ammonium chloride, which seems to be a promising therapeutic option.

OBJECTIVETo explore whether the function of the CL-1 hepatocytes, co-cultured with human hepatic stellate cells (HSC) on microcarriers was better than that cultured without HSC.

METHODSCL-1 hepatocytes were divided into 2 groups. The co-culture group was cultured with HSC in DMEM culture medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, and HSC were not added in single-culture group. The cytomorphology was observed by inverted microscope and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of different culture method on the proliferation in vitro were analyzed by MTT assay. The function of hepatocytes was evaluated through measuring the concentration of ALT and albumin.

RESULTSThe inverted microscope and the MTT staining results showed that the quantity and viability of the human hepatocyte (C3A) in bidirectional bioreactor group were much better than the RCMW group. The growth curve results showed that the density of the human hepatocyte (C3A) was firstly increased and then decreased in both groups, and the peak of the curve appeared in day 5. The density of human liver cells in the second generation of bi-directional rotation and perfusion microgravity bioreactor group was significantly higher than the RCMW group from day1 to day 7 (P<0.05). The functional results showed that the albumin and urea concentration, which reached the peak on day 5, also gone up firstly and then gradually gone down in both teams. And the albumin and urea concentration in bidirectional bioreactor group was significantly higher than RCMW group from day 1 to day7 (P<0.01). Besides, the concentration of ALT and AST in bidirectional bioreactor group was significantly lower than RCMW group from day 1 to day 7 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThis study shows that this new culture method is advantageous in enhancing cell viability and function. It indicates that co-culturing hepatocytes with HSC has a good application prospect in the development of artificial liver technology.

Bioreactors ; Cells, Cultured ; Coculture Techniques ; Hepatic Stellate Cells ; cytology ; Hepatocytes ; cytology ; Humans

Objective:To construct a mouse asthma model induced by mugwort pollen and to explore endotyping,providing methods for subsequent precision treatment.Methods:BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with mugwort pollen extract(MPE)to sensitize,following MPE intranasal challenge to construct MPE allergic asthma murine model.Mice were randomly divided into PBS sensitization and PBS challenge(P-P),MPE sensitization and PBS challenge(M-P),MPE sensitization and MPE challenge model(M-M)groups.24 h after final challenge,mice were performed to examine airway responsiveness;bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)was harvested for cell counting and statistical classification of inflammatory cells through flow cytometry analysis.Pulmonary slides were collected for pathological examination,including HE,PAS,Masson and α-SMA immunohistochemical staining.ELISA was used to detect levels of IFN-γ,IL-4,IL-5,IL-13,IL-17A in lung tissue and serum,as well as serum total IgE and MPE-specific IgE,IgG1,IgG2a levels.Results:Pathological examination showed higher airway reactivity,more inflammatory cells infiltration around airway,obvious goblet metaplasia,thickening of airway smooth muscles and dramatical fibrin deposition around airway in model group.Total cell numbers of BALF were increased from<1×105 cells/ml in P-P group to>5×105 cells/ml in model group,in which eosinophils were predominant cellular type,levels of IL-4,IL-13,IL-17A in lung and IL-5,IL-13 levels in serum were significantly increased,as well as significant increasing levels of total IgE and MPE-specific IgE,IgG1,IgG2a.Conclusion:MPE-sensitized and challenged mice induces typical eosinophilic asthma featured with elevated eosinophils,as well as secretion of inflammatory factors of type 2 and type 17,IgE,IgG1 and IgG2a subtypes soars to high levels.