Three-dimensional spherical cellular aggregates of RPTEC as an in vitro tool for evaluation of human renal proximal tubular toxicity and drug disposition

ABSTRACT: The proximal tubule plays an important role in the secretion and reabsorption of drugs in the kidney and is a major site of drug interaction and toxicity. Kidney toxicity analysis via in vitro assays is challenging as few provide appropriate proximal tubular cell function. In this study, we aimed to develop a simple and reproducible method to culture human proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTECs), used in pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluation by monitoring organic anion transporter (OAT)1 as a selection marker. As a result, by culturing RPTECs in spherical cellular aggregates, OAT1 protein expression, which does not increase in conventional 2D culture, increased over time and reached a similar level to that in human renal cortices from 5 different donors. The expression of proximal tubule markers, AQP1 and CDH6, was maintained, indicating that 3D RPTEC spheroids had proximal tubule characteristics. For SLC transporters, the 3D spheroid culture improved the protein expression of about 7% of the 139 transporter proteins detected and 2.3% of 4,800 proteins detected to about 5-fold that in human renal cortices. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of about 4800 proteins in 3D RPTEC spheroids (cultured for 12 days) were maintained over 20 days. Cisplatin and adefovir exhibited transporter-dependent ATP decreases in 3D RPTEC spheroids. These results indicate that the 3D RPTEC spheroid is a simple and robust in vitro experimental system for pharmacokinetic and toxicological evaluation in drug development.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE216153 | GEO | 2023/10/20

REPOSITORIES: GEO