A tryptophan derivative, ITE, enhances liver cell metabolic functions in vitro

Zhang,Xiaoqian; Lu,Juan; He,Bin; Tang,Lingling; Liu,Xiaoli; Zhu,Danhua; Cao,Hongcui; Wang,Yingjie; Li,Lanjuan

doi:10.3892/ijmm.2016.2825

A tryptophan derivative, ITE, enhances liver cell metabolic functions in vitro

Authors:
- Xiaoqian Zhang
- Juan Lu
- Bin He
- Lingling Tang
- Xiaoli Liu
- Danhua Zhu
- Hongcui Cao
- Yingjie Wang
- Lanjuan Li
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Affiliations: State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University; Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Public Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
Published online on: December 9, 2016 https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2016.2825
Pages: 101-112
Copyright: © Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Cell encapsulation provides a three-dimensional support by incorporating isolated cells into microcapsules with the goal of simultaneously maintaining cell survival and function, as well as providing active transport for a bioreactor in vitro similarly to that observed in vivo. However, the biotransformation and metabolic functions of the encapsulated cells are not satisfactory for clinical applications. For this purpose, in this study, hepatoma-derived Huh7 cells/C3A cells were treated with 2-(1'H-indole-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE), an endogenous non-toxic ligand for aryl hydrocarbon receptor, in monolayer cultures and on microspheres. The mRNA and protein levels, as well as the metabolic activities of drug metabolizing enzymes, albumin secretion and urea synthesis were determined. When the Huh7 and C3A cells cultured in a monolayer on two‑dimensional surfaces, ITE enhanced the protein levels and the metabolic activities of the major cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes, CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP3A4 and CYP1B1, and slightly increased albumin secretion and urea synthesis. Moreover, when cultured on microspheres, ITE also substantially increased the protein levels and metabolic activities of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP3A4 and CYP1B1 in both liver cell lines. On the whole, our findings indicate that ITE enhances the enzymatic activities of major CYP450 enzymes and the metabolic functions of liver cells cultured in monolayer or on microspheres, indicating that it may be utilized to improve the functions of hepatocytes. Thus, it may be used in the future for the treatment of liver diseases.

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