scholarly journals Functional Coupling of Human Microphysiology Systems: Intestine, Liver, Kidney Proximal Tubule, Blood-Brain Barrier and Skeletal Muscle

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Vernetti ◽  
Albert Gough ◽  
Nicholas Baetz ◽  
Sarah Blutt ◽  
James R. Broughman ◽  
...  

Abstract Organ interactions resulting from drug, metabolite or xenobiotic transport between organs are key components of human metabolism that impact therapeutic action and toxic side effects. Preclinical animal testing often fails to predict adverse outcomes arising from sequential, multi-organ metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics. Human microphysiological systems (MPS) can model these interactions and are predicted to dramatically improve the efficiency of the drug development process. In this study, five human MPS models were evaluated for functional coupling, defined as the determination of organ interactions via an in vivo-like sequential, organ-to-organ transfer of media. MPS models representing the major absorption, metabolism and clearance organs (the jejunum, liver and kidney) were evaluated, along with skeletal muscle and neurovascular models. Three compounds were evaluated for organ-specific processing: terfenadine for pharmacokinetics (PK) and toxicity; trimethylamine (TMA) as a potentially toxic microbiome metabolite; and vitamin D3. We show that the organ-specific processing of these compounds was consistent with clinical data, and discovered that trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) crosses the blood-brain barrier. These studies demonstrate the potential of human MPS for multi-organ toxicity and absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME), provide guidance for physically coupling MPS, and offer an approach to coupling MPS with distinct media and perfusion requirements.

1996 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Zünkeler ◽  
Richard E. Carson ◽  
Jeffrey Olson ◽  
Ronald G. Blasberg ◽  
Mary Girton ◽  
...  

✓ Hyperosmolar blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption remains controversial as an adjuvant therapy to increase delivery of water-soluble compounds to extracellular space in the brain in patients with malignant brain tumors. To understand the physiological effects of BBB disruption more clearly, the authors used positron emission tomography (PET) to study the time course of BBB permeability in response to the potassium analog rubidium-82 (82Rb, halflife 75 seconds) following BBB disruption in anesthetized adult baboons. Mannitol (25%) was injected into the carotid artery and PET scans were performed before and serially at 8- to 15-minute intervals after BBB disruption. The mean influx constant (K1), a measure of permeability-surface area product, in ipsilateral, mannitol-perfused mixed gray- and white-matter brain regions was 4.9 ± 2.4 µl/min/ml (± standard deviation) at baseline and increased more than 100% (ΔK1 = 9.4 ± 5.1 µl/min/ml, 18 baboons) in brain perfused by mannitol. The effect of BBB disruption on K1 correlated directly with the total amount of mannitol administered (p < 0.005). Vascular permeability returned to baseline with a halftime of 24.0 ± 14.3 minutes. The mean brain plasma volume rose by 0.57 ± 0.34 ml/100 ml in ipsilateral perfused brain following BBB disruption. This work provides a basis for the in vivo study of permeability changes induced by BBB disruption in human brain and brain tumors.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1833
Author(s):  
Shannon Morgan McCabe ◽  
Ningning Zhao

Manganese (Mn) is a trace nutrient necessary for life but becomes neurotoxic at high concentrations in the brain. The brain is a “privileged” organ that is separated from systemic blood circulation mainly by two barriers. Endothelial cells within the brain form tight junctions and act as the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which physically separates circulating blood from the brain parenchyma. Between the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the choroid plexus (CP), which is a tissue that acts as the blood–CSF barrier (BCB). Pharmaceuticals, proteins, and metals in the systemic circulation are unable to reach the brain and spinal cord unless transported through either of the two brain barriers. The BBB and the BCB consist of tightly connected cells that fulfill the critical role of neuroprotection and control the exchange of materials between the brain environment and blood circulation. Many recent publications provide insights into Mn transport in vivo or in cell models. In this review, we will focus on the current research regarding Mn metabolism in the brain and discuss the potential roles of the BBB and BCB in maintaining brain Mn homeostasis.


2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (5) ◽  
pp. H2012-H2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Fleegal ◽  
Sharon Hom ◽  
Lindsay K. Borg ◽  
Thomas P. Davis

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a metabolic and physiological barrier important for maintaining brain homeostasis. The aim of this study was to determine the role of PKC activation in BBB paracellular permeability changes induced by hypoxia and posthypoxic reoxygenation using in vitro and in vivo BBB models. In rat brain microvessel endothelial cells (RMECs) exposed to hypoxia (1% O2-99% N2; 24 h), a significant increase in total PKC activity was observed, and this was reduced by posthypoxic reoxygenation (95% room air-5% CO2) for 2 h. The expression of PKC-βII, PKC-γ, PKC-η, PKC-μ, and PKC-λ also increased following hypoxia (1% O2-99% N2; 24 h), and these protein levels remained elevated following posthypoxic reoxygenation (95% room air-5% CO2; 2 h). Increases in the expression of PKC-ε and PKC-ζ were also observed following posthypoxic reoxygenation (95% room air-5% CO2; 2 h). Moreover, inhibition of PKC with chelerythrine chloride (10 μM) attenuated the hypoxia-induced increases in [14C]sucrose permeability. Similar to what was observed in RMECs, total PKC activity was also stimulated in cerebral microvessels isolated from rats exposed to hypoxia (6% O2-94% N2; 1 h) and posthypoxic reoxygenation (room air; 10 min). In contrast, hypoxia (6% O2-94% N2; 1 h) and posthypoxic reoxygenation (room air; 10 min) significantly increased the expression levels of only PKC-γ and PKC-θ in the in vivo hypoxia model. These data demonstrate that hypoxia-induced BBB paracellular permeability changes occur via a PKC-dependent mechanism, possibly by differentially regulating the protein expression of the 11 PKC isozymes.


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