Prediction of Acute Hepatotoxicity With Human Pluripotent Stem Cell‐Derived Hepatic Organoids

Abstract

Recent development of hepatic organoids (HOs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provides an alternative in vitro model that can mimic the human liver detoxification pathway for drug safety assessment. By recapitulating the high level of maturity and drug‐metabolizing capacity of the liver in a three‐dimensional organoid culture, HOs may allow researchers to assess drug toxicity and metabolism more accurately than animal models or hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Although this promising potential has contributed to the development of various protocols, only a few protocols are available to generate functional HOs with guaranteed CYP450 enzymatic activity, the key feature driving toxic responses during drug metabolism. Based on previously published protocols, we describe an optimized culture method that can substantially increase the expression and activity of CYP450s, in particular CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19, in HOs. To generate mass‐produced and highly reproducible HOs required as models for toxicity evaluation, we first generated hepatic endodermal organoids (HEOs) from hPSCs capable of in vitro proliferation and cryopreservation. The stepwise protocol includes generating HEOs as well as efficient methods to enhance CYP450 expression and activity in terminally differentiated HOs. Furthermore, we present a simple protocol for the assessment of HO cytotoxicity, one of the hallmarks of drug‐induced acute hepatotoxicity. The protocols are relatively straightforward and can be successfully used by laboratories with basic experience in culturing hPSCs. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: Generation of hepatic endodermal organoids from human pluripotent stem cellsBasic Protocol 2: Expansion and cryopreservation of hepatic endodermal organoidsBasic Protocol 3: Differentiation of hepatic organoids from hepatic endodermal organoidsBasic Protocol 4: Evaluation of hepatotoxicity using hepatic organoidsSupport Protocol: Human pluripotent stem cell culture