Generation of a 3D Liver Model Comprising Human Extracellular Matrix in an Alginate/Gelatin-Based Bioink by Extrusion Bioprinting for Infection and Transduction Studies

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2018 Oct 17

PMID 30321994

Citations 56

Authors

Thomas Hiller

Johanna Berg

Laura Elomaa

Viola Rohrs

Imran Ullah

Katrin Schaar

Ann-Christin Dietrich

Munir A Al-Zeer

Andreas Kurtz

Andreas C Hocke

Stefan Hippenstiel

Henry Fechner

Marie Weinhart

Jens Kurreck

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Bioprinting is a novel technology that may help to overcome limitations associated with two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures and animal experiments, as it allows the production of three-dimensional (3D) tissue models composed of human cells. The present study describes the optimization of a bioink composed of alginate, gelatin and human extracellular matrix (hECM) to print human HepaRG liver cells with a pneumatic extrusion printer. The resulting tissue model was tested for its suitability for the study of transduction by an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector and infection with human adenovirus 5 (hAdV5). We found supplementation of the basic alginate/gelatin bioink with 0.5 and 1 mg/mL hECM provides desirable properties for the printing process, the stability of the printed constructs, and the viability and metabolic functions of the printed HepaRG cells. The tissue models were efficiently transduced by AAV vectors of serotype 6, which successfully silenced an endogenous target (cyclophilin B) by means of RNA interference. Furthermore, the printed 3D model supported efficient adenoviral replication making it suitable to study virus biology and develop new antiviral compounds. We consider the approach described here paradigmatic for the development of 3D tissue models for studies including viral vectors and infectious viruses.

Citing Articles

Hydrogel-Based Strategies for Liver Tissue Engineering.

Zhang Y, Li L, Dong L, Cheng Y, Huang X, Xue B Chem Bio Eng. 2025; 1(11):887-915.

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