Generation of Tetrafluoroethylene-Propylene Elastomer-Based Microfluidic Devices for Drug Toxicity and Metabolism Studies

Authors:
Emi Sano, Sayaka Deguchi , Naoki Matsuoka , Masahiro Tsuda, Mengyang Wang , Kaori Kosugi  Chihiro Mori , Keisuke Yagi , Aya Wada , Shinsuke Yamasaki , Tsuyoshi Kawai , Masahide Yodogawa, Hiroyuki Mizuguchi , Norihito Nakazawa , Fumiyoshi Yamashita , Yu-Suke Torisawa , Kazuo Takayama 
In:
Source: ACS Nano
Publication Date: ()
Issue: 6: 24859
Research Area:
Toxicology
Drug Discovery
Cells used in publication:
Hepatocyte, human
Species: human
Tissue Origin: liver
Culture Media:
Experiment

PHHs Cultured on PS Plates or PDMS and FEPM Devices. Cryopreserved human hepatocytes (Lonza) were used in this study. The vials of PHHs were rapidly thawed in a shaking water bath at 37 °C, the contents of each vial were emptied in pre-warmed cryopreserved hepatocyte recovery medium (Thermo Fisher Scientific), and the suspension was centrifuged at 1200 rpm for 5 min at room temperature. The PHH was suspended at 5 × 106 cells/mL in HCM (Lonza) containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). For the PS plates, the PHH was seeded at 1.0 × 105 cells/cm2 in HCM (Lonza) containing 10% FCS onto type I collagen-coated 96-well plates.

Abstract

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is widely used to fabricate microfluidic organs-on-chips. Using these devices (PDMS-based devices), the mechanical microenvironment of living tissues, such as pulmonary respiration and intestinal peristalsis, can be reproduced in vitro. However, the use of PDMS-based devices in drug discovery research is limited because of their extensive absorption of drugs. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of the tetrafluoroethylene-propylene (FEPM) elastomer to fabricate a hepatocyte-on-a-chip (FEPM-based hepatocyte chip) with lower drug absorption. The FEPM-based hepatocyte chip expressed drug-metabolizing enzymes, drug-conjugating enzymes, and drug transporters. Also, it could produce human albumin. Although the metabolites of midazolam and bufuralol were hardly detected in the PDMS-based hepatocyte chip, they were detected abundantly in the FEPM-based hepatocyte chip. Finally, coumarin-induced hepatocyte cytotoxicity was less severe in the PDMS-based hepatocyte chip than in the FEPM-based hepatocyte chip, reflecting the different drug absorptions of the two chips. In conclusion, the FEPM-based hepatocyte chip could be a useful tool in drug discovery research, including drug metabolism and toxicity studies.