Інтеграційні процеси в паливно-енергетичному комплексі як фактор забезпечення екологічної безпеки

Challenge tests stress homeostasis and may reveal deviations in health that remain masked under unchallenged conditions. Ideally, challenge tests are non-invasive and applicable in an early phase of an animal experiment. Oxygen restriction (OxR; based on ambient, mild normobaric hypoxia) is a non-invasive challenge test that measures the flexibility to adapt metabolism. Metabolic inflexibility is one of the hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome. To test whether OxR can be used to reveal early diet-induced health effects, we exposed mice to a low-fat (LF) or high-fat (HF) diet for only 5 days. The response to OxR was assessed by calorimetric measurements, followed by analysis of gene expression in liver and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) and serum markers for e.g. protein glycation and oxidation. Although HF feeding increased body weight, HF and LF mice did not differ in indirect calorimetric values under normoxic conditions and in a fasting state. Exposure to OxR; however, increased oxygen consumption and lipid oxidation in HF mice versus LF mice. Furthermore, OxR induced gluconeogenesis and an antioxidant response in the liver of HF mice, whereas it induced de novo lipogenesis and an antioxidant response in eWAT of LF mice, indicating that HF and LF mice differed in their adaptation to OxR. OxR also increased serum markers of protein glycation and oxidation in HF mice, whereas these changes were absent in LF mice. Cumulatively, OxR is a promising new method to test food products on potential beneficial effects for human health

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Comparison of gene expression and biotransformation activity of HepaRG cells under static and dynamic culture conditions

Flow conditions have been shown to be important in improving longevity and functionality of primary hepatocytes, but the impact of flow on HepaRG cells is largely unknown. We studied the expression of genes encoding CYP enzymes and transporter proteins and CYP1 and CYP3A4 activity during 8 weeks of culture in HepaRG cells cultured under static conditions (conventional 24-/96-well plate culture with common bicarbonate/CO2 buffering) and under flow conditions in an organ-on-chip (OOC) device. Since the OOC-device is a closed system, bicarbonate/CO2 buffering was not possible, requiring application of another buffering agent, such as HEPES. In order to disentangle the effects of HEPES from the effects of flow, we also applied HEPES-supplemented medium in static cultures and studied gene expression and CYP activity. We found that cells cultured under flow conditions in the OOC-device, as well as cells cultured under static conditions with HEPES-supplemented medium, showed more stable gene expression levels. Furthermore, only cells cultured in the OOC-device showed relatively high baseline CYP1 activity, and their gene expression levels of selected CYPs and transporters were most similar to gene expression levels in human primary hepatocytes. However, there was a decrease in baseline CYP3A4 activity under flow conditions compared to HepaRG cells cultured under static conditions. Altogether, the present study shows that HepaRG cells cultured in the OOC-device were more stable than in static cultures, being a promising in vitro model to study hepatoxicity of chemicals upon chronic exposure.</p

Metabolic adaptation of white adipose tissue to acute, short-term environmental oxygen restriction in mice [Mus musculus]

White adipose tissue (WAT) expansion during e.g. obesity reduces oxygen availability in WAT in mice. Little is known on the adaptation of WAT to mild environmental oxygen restriction (OxR). Therefore, we studied metabolic adaptation to acute OxR in fasted, diet-induced moderately obese mice that were exposed to mild hypoxic (12% O2) or normoxic (20.9% O2) conditions for only 6 hours. Adaptation was assessed by determination of amino acids and (acyl)carnitines levels in serum and WAT, and by whole genome expression analysis in WAT. Adaptation was also assessed during the exposure using indirect calorimetry. We found that OxR reduced mitochondrial oxidation at whole-body level, as shown by a reduction in whole-body oxygen consumption and an increase in serum long-chain acylcarnitine levels. WAT did not seem to contribute to this serum profile since only short-chain acylcarnitines were increased in WAT and gene expression analysis indicated an increase in mitochondrial oxidation, based on coordinate down-regulation of Sirt4, Gpam and Chchd3/Minos3. In addition, OxR did not induce oxidative stress in obese WAT, but increased molecular pathways involved in cell growth and proliferation. OxR increased levels of tyrosine, lysine and ornithine in serum and of leucine/isoleucine in WAT. This study shows that OxR limits oxidative phosphorylation at whole-body level, but in WAT compensatory mechanisms seem to operate. The down-regulation of the mitochondria-related genes Sirt4, Gpam, and Chchd3 may be considered as a biomarker profile for WAT mitochondrial reprogramming in response to acute exposure to limited oxygen availabilit

Metabolic adaptation of white adipose tissue to acute, short-term environmental oxygen restriction in mice [Mus musculus]

White adipose tissue (WAT) expansion during e.g. obesity reduces oxygen availability in WAT in mice. Little is known on the adaptation of WAT to mild environmental oxygen restriction (OxR). Therefore, we studied metabolic adaptation to acute OxR in fasted, diet-induced moderately obese mice that were exposed to mild hypoxic (12% O2) or normoxic (20.9% O2) conditions for only 6 hours. Adaptation was assessed by determination of amino acids and (acyl)carnitines levels in serum and WAT, and by whole genome expression analysis in WAT. Adaptation was also assessed during the exposure using indirect calorimetry. We found that OxR reduced mitochondrial oxidation at whole-body level, as shown by a reduction in whole-body oxygen consumption and an increase in serum long-chain acylcarnitine levels. WAT did not seem to contribute to this serum profile since only short-chain acylcarnitines were increased in WAT and gene expression analysis indicated an increase in mitochondrial oxidation, based on coordinate down-regulation of Sirt4, Gpam and Chchd3/Minos3. In addition, OxR did not induce oxidative stress in obese WAT, but increased molecular pathways involved in cell growth and proliferation. OxR increased levels of tyrosine, lysine and ornithine in serum and of leucine/isoleucine in WAT. This study shows that OxR limits oxidative phosphorylation at whole-body level, but in WAT compensatory mechanisms seem to operate. The down-regulation of the mitochondria-related genes Sirt4, Gpam, and Chchd3 may be considered as a biomarker profile for WAT mitochondrial reprogramming in response to acute exposure to limited oxygen availabilit

Differential gene expression in iPSC-derived human intestinal epithelial cell layers following exposure to two concentrations of the Short Chain Fatty Acids butyrate, propionate and acetate

Intestinal epithelial cells and the intestinal microbiota are in a mutualistic relationship that is dependent on communication. This communication is multifaceted, but one aspect is communication through compounds produced by the microbiota such as the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) butyrate, propionate and acetate. Studying the effects of SCFAs and especially butyrate in intestinal epithelial cell lines like Caco-2 cells has been proven problematic. In contrast to the in vivo intestinal epithelium, Caco-2 cells do not use butyrate as an energy source, leading to a build-up of butyrate. Therefore, we used human induced pluripotent stem cell derived intestinal epithelial cells, grown as a cell layer, to study the effects of butyrate, propionate and acetate on whole genome gene expression in the cells. For this, cells were exposed to concentrations of 1 and 10 mM of the individual short-chain fatty acids for 24 hours. Unique gene expression profiles were observed for each of the SCFAs in a concentration-dependent manner. Evaluation on both an individual gene level and pathway level showed that butyrate induced the biggest effects followed by propionate and then acetate. Several known effects of SCFAs on intestinal cells were confirmed, such as effects on metabolism and immune responses. The changes in metabolic pathways in the intestinal epithelial cell layers in this study demonstrate that there is a switch in energy source from glucose to SCFAs, thus induced pluripotent stem cell derived intestinal epithelial cell are responding in a similar manner to SCFAs as in vivo intestinal tissues. Overall design: Induced pluripotent stem cell derived intestinal epithelial cells were exposed to butyric acid (NaB; 1 or 10mM), acetic acid (NaA 1 or 10 mM), propionic acid, (NaP 1 or 10 mM) or control treatment (water) for 24 hours, and subjected to gene expression profiling by RNA-sequencing

Correction: Cytochrome P450 expression, induction and activity in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal organoids and comparison with primary human intestinal epithelial cells and Caco-2 cells

In the original publication of the article, the dilution of DAPT in sentence “To promote intestinal differentiation,…” was published with an error. The “5 mM DAPT” should be “5 μM DAPT”. The original article has been updated with the correct dilution.</p

Cytochrome P450 expression, induction and activity in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived intestinal organoids and comparison with primary human intestinal epithelial cells and Caco-2 cells

Human intestinal organoids (HIOs) are a promising in vitro model consisting of different intestinal cell types with a 3D microarchitecture resembling native tissue. In the current study, we aimed to assess the expression of the most common intestinal CYP enzymes in a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived HIO model, and the suitability of that model to study chemical-induced changes in CYP expression and activity. We compared this model with the commonly used human colonic adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2 and with a human primary intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-based model, closely resembling in vivo tissue. We optimized an existing protocol to differentiate hiPSCs into HIOs and demonstrated that obtained HIOs contain a polarized epithelium with tight junctions consisting of enterocytes, goblet cells, enteroendocrine cells and Paneth cells. We extensively characterized the gene expression of CYPs and activity of CYP3A4/5, indicating relatively high gene expression levels of the most important intestinal CYP enzymes in HIOs compared to the other models. Furthermore, we showed that CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 were induced by β-naphtoflavone in all three models, whereas CYP3A4 was induced by phenobarbital and rifampicin in HIOs, in the IEC-based model (although not statistically significant), but not in Caco-2 cells. Interestingly, CYP2B6 expression was not induced in any of the models by the well-known liver CYP2B6 inducer phenobarbital. In conclusion, our study indicates that hiPSC-based HIOs are a useful in vitro intestinal model to study biotransformation of chemicals in the intestine.</p