A Human Hepatocyte-Bearing Mouse: An Animal Model to Predict Drug Metabolism and Effectiveness in Humans

Preclinical studies to predict the efficacy and safety of drugs have conventionally been conducted almost exclusively in mice and rats as rodents, despite the differences in drug metabolism between humans and rodents. Furthermore, human (h) viruses such as hepatitis viruses do not infect the rodent liver. A mouse bearing a liver in which the hepatocytes have been largely repopulated with h-hepatocytes would overcome some of these disadvantages. We have established a practical, efficient, and large-scale production system for such mice. Accumulated evidence has demonstrated that these hepatocyte-humanized mice are a useful and reliable animal model, exhibiting h-type responses in a series of in vivo drug processing (adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) experiments and in the infection and propagation of hepatic viruses. In this review, we present the current status of studies on chimeric mice and describe their usefulness in the study of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors

Property of hepatitis B virus replication in Tupaia belangeri hepatocytes

AbstractThe northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) has been reported to be an effective candidate for animal infection model with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The objective of our study was to analyze the growth characteristics of HBV in tupaia hepatocytes and the host response to HBV infection. We established primary tupaia hepatocytes (3–6-week old tupaia) and infected them with HBV genotypes A, B and C, and all the genotypes proliferated as well as those in human primary hepatocytes (>105 copies/ml in culture supernatant). We next generated a chimeric mouse with tupaia liver by transplantation of tupaia primary hepatocytes to urokinase-type plasminogen activator cDNA (cDNA-uPA)/severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice and the replacement ratio with tupaia hepatocytes was found to be more than 95%. Infection of chimeric mice with HBV (genotypes B, C, and D) resulted in HBV-DNA level of 104-106 copies/ml after 8 weeks of infection, which were almost similar to that in humanized chimeric mouse. In contrast, serum HBV level in adult tupaia (1-year-old tupaia) was quite low (<103 copies/ml). Understanding the differences in the response to HBV infection in primary tupaia hepatocytes, chimeric mouse, and adult tupaia will contribute to elucidating the mechanism of persistent HBV infection and viral eradication. Thus, T. belangeri was found to be efficient for studying the host response to HBV infection, thereby providing novel insight into the pathogenesis of HBV

Chimeric Mice with Humanized Livers: A Unique Tool for in Vivo and in Vitro Enzyme Induction Studies

We performed in vivo and in vitro studies to determine the induction of human cytochrome P450 (CYP) using chimeric mice with humanized liver (PXB-mice®) and human hepatocytes isolated from the PXB-mice (PXB-cells), which were derived from the same donor. For the in vivo study, PXB-mice were injected with 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC, 2 or 20 mg/kg) or rifampicin (0.1 or 10 mg/kg) for four days. For the in vitro study, PXB-cells were incubated with 3-MC (10, 50, or 250 ng/mL) or with rifampicin (5 or 25 μg/mL). The CYP1A1 and 1A2, and CYP3A4 mRNA expression levels increased significantly in the PXB-mouse livers with 20 mg/kg of 3-MC (Cmax, 12.2 ng/mL), and 10 mg/kg rifampicin (Cmax, 6.9 µg/mL), respectively. The CYP1A1 mRNA expression level increased significantly in PXB-cells with 250 ng/mL of 3-MC, indicating lower sensitivity than in vivo. The CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 mRNA expression levels increased significantly with 50 ng/mL of 3-MC, and 5 μg/mL of rifampicin, respectively, which indicated that the sensitivities were similar between in vivo and in vitro studies. In conclusion, PXB-mice and PXB-cells provide a robust model as an intermediate between in vivo and in vitro human metabolic enzyme induction studies

The whole genome effects of the PPARα agonist fenofibrate on livers of hepatocyte humanized mice

The role of PPARα in gene regulation in mouse liver is well characterized. However, less is known about the effect of PPARα activation in human liver. The aim of the present study was to better characterize the impact of PPARα activation on gene regulation in human liver by combining transcriptomics with the use of hepatocyte humanized livers. To that end, chimeric mice containing hepatocyte humanized livers were given an oral dose of 300 mg/kg fenofibrate daily for 4 days. Livers were collected and analysed by hematoxilin and eosin staining, qPCR, and transcriptomics. Transcriptomics data were compared with existing datasets on fenofibrate treatment in normal mice. The human hepatocytes exhibited excessive lipid accumulation. Fenofibrate increased the size of the mouse but not human hepatocytes, and tended to reduce steatosis in the human hepatocytes. Quantitative PCR indicated that induction of PPARα targets by fenofibrate was less pronounced in the human hepatocytes than in the residual mouse hepatocytes. Transcriptomics analysis indicated that, after filtering, a total of 282 genes was significantly different between fenofibrate- and control-treated mice (P<0.01). 123 genes were significantly lower and 159 genes significantly higher in the fenofibrate-treated mice, including many established PPARα targets such as FABP1, HADHB, HADHA, VNN1, PLIN2, ACADVL and HMGCS2. According to gene set enrichment analysis, fenofibrate upregulated interferon/cytokine signaling-related pathways in hepatocyte humanized liver, but downregulated these pathways in normal mouse liver. Also, fenofibrate downregulated pathways related to DNA synthesis in hepatocyte humanized liver but not in normal mouse liver. The results support the major role of PPARα in regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, and underscore the more modest effect of PPARα activation on gene regulation in human liver compared to mouse liver. The data suggest that PPARα may have a suppressive effect on DNA synthesis in human liver, and a stimulatory effect on interferon/cytokine signalling

The whole genome effects of the PPARα agonist fenofibrate on livers of hepatocyte humanized mice

The role of PPARα in gene regulation in mouse liver is well characterized. However, less is known about the effect of PPARα activation in human liver. The aim of the present study was to better characterize the impact of PPARα activation on gene regulation in human liver by combining transcriptomics with the use of hepatocyte humanized livers. To that end, chimeric mice containing hepatocyte humanized livers were given an oral dose of 300 mg/kg fenofibrate daily for 4 days. Livers were collected and analysed by hematoxilin and eosin staining, qPCR, and transcriptomics. Transcriptomics data were compared with existing datasets on fenofibrate treatment in normal mice. The human hepatocytes exhibited excessive lipid accumulation. Fenofibrate increased the size of the mouse but not human hepatocytes, and tended to reduce steatosis in the human hepatocytes. Quantitative PCR indicated that induction of PPARα targets by fenofibrate was less pronounced in the human hepatocytes than in the residual mouse hepatocytes. Transcriptomics analysis indicated that, after filtering, a total of 282 genes was significantly different between fenofibrate- and control-treated mice (P<0.01). 123 genes were significantly lower and 159 genes significantly higher in the fenofibrate-treated mice, including many established PPARα targets such as FABP1, HADHB, HADHA, VNN1, PLIN2, ACADVL and HMGCS2. According to gene set enrichment analysis, fenofibrate upregulated interferon/cytokine signaling-related pathways in hepatocyte humanized liver, but downregulated these pathways in normal mouse liver. Also, fenofibrate downregulated pathways related to DNA synthesis in hepatocyte humanized liver but not in normal mouse liver. The results support the major role of PPARα in regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, and underscore the more modest effect of PPARα activation on gene regulation in human liver compared to mouse liver. The data suggest that PPARα may have a suppressive effect on DNA synthesis in human liver, and a stimulatory effect on interferon/cytokine signalling

The whole genome effects of the PPARα agonist fenofibrate on livers of hepatocyte humanized mice

The role of PPARα in gene regulation in mouse liver is well characterized. However, less is known about the effect of PPARα activation in human liver. The aim of the present study was to better characterize the impact of PPARα activation on gene regulation in human liver by combining transcriptomics with the use of hepatocyte humanized livers. To that end, chimeric mice containing hepatocyte humanized livers were given an oral dose of 300 mg/kg fenofibrate daily for 4 days. Livers were collected and analysed by hematoxilin and eosin staining, qPCR, and transcriptomics. Transcriptomics data were compared with existing datasets on fenofibrate treatment in normal mice. The human hepatocytes exhibited excessive lipid accumulation. Fenofibrate increased the size of the mouse but not human hepatocytes, and tended to reduce steatosis in the human hepatocytes. Quantitative PCR indicated that induction of PPARα targets by fenofibrate was less pronounced in the human hepatocytes than in the residual mouse hepatocytes. Transcriptomics analysis indicated that, after filtering, a total of 282 genes was significantly different between fenofibrate- and control-treated mice (P<0.01). 123 genes were significantly lower and 159 genes significantly higher in the fenofibrate-treated mice, including many established PPARα targets such as FABP1, HADHB, HADHA, VNN1, PLIN2, ACADVL and HMGCS2. According to gene set enrichment analysis, fenofibrate upregulated interferon/cytokine signaling-related pathways in hepatocyte humanized liver, but downregulated these pathways in normal mouse liver. Also, fenofibrate downregulated pathways related to DNA synthesis in hepatocyte humanized liver but not in normal mouse liver. The results support the major role of PPARα in regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, and underscore the more modest effect of PPARα activation on gene regulation in human liver compared to mouse liver. The data suggest that PPARα may have a suppressive effect on DNA synthesis in human liver, and a stimulatory effect on interferon/cytokine signalling

Multiplicative mononuclear small hepatocytes in adult rat liver : Their isolation as a homogeneous population and localization to periportal zone

Adult rat liver contains a minor population of hepatocytes called small hepatocytes (SHs) that are smaller in size and show a higher replicative potential than conventional parenchymal hepatocytes (PHs). However, SHs have been hitherto characterized using a "SH-fraction" that was contaminated with PHs. In the present study, we isolated a PH-free SH-fraction from the adult rat liver using fluorescence-activated cell sorter combined with centrifugal elutriation and characterized the hepatocytes in the fraction. These hepatocytes were designated R3Hs in this study. R3Hs were mononuclear and of lower ploidy. They expressed at high levels genes of Cdc2, connexin 26, hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase, pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor, and prostaglandin E2 receptor EP3 subtype. We conclude that SHs dominate the periportal zone in the adult liver, because mRNA or proteins of these genes were exclusively expressed by periportal hepatocytes