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Cited by 226Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applicationsTissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine3D Printing in Biomedical Research

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Nonadhesive Alginate Hydrogels Support Growth of Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Intestinal Organoids

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Capeling, Meghan M., Czerwinski, Michael, Huang, Sha, Tsai, Yu-Hwai, Wu, Angeline, Nagy, Melinda S., Juliar, Benjamin, Sundaram, Nambirajan, Song, Yang, Han, Woojin M., Takayama, Shuichi, Alsberg, Eben, Garcia, Andres J., Helmrath, Michael, Putnam, Andrew J., Spence, Jason R.·2019·Stem Cell Reports
DOI 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.12.001PMC PMC6373433

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Abstract

Human intestinal organoids (HIOs) represent a powerful system to study human development and are promising candidates for clinical translation as drug-screening tools or engineered tissue. Experimental control and clinical use of HIOs is limited by growth in expensive and poorly defined tumor-cell-derived extracellular matrices, prompting investigation of synthetic ECM-mimetics for HIO culture. Since HIOs possess an inner epithelium and outer mesenchyme, we hypothesized that adhesive cues provided by the matrix may be dispensable for HIO culture. Here, we demonstrate that alginate, a minimally supportive hydrogel with no inherent cell instructive properties, supports HIO growth in vitro and leads to HIO epithelial differentiation that is virtually indistinguishable from Matrigel-grown HIOs. In addition, alginate-grown HIOs mature to a similar degree as Matrigel-grown HIOs when transplanted in vivo, both resembling human fetal intestine. This work demonstrates that purely mechanical support from a simple-to-use and inexpensive hydrogel is sufficient to promote HIO survival and development.

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Figure 1 Alginate Supports HIO Survival In Vitro (A) Rheological characterization of alginate hydrogels. Data shown are the mean ± SD from n ≥ 3 gels per condition. (B) Representative images of live (Calcein-AM, green) and dead (Ethidium-homodimer-1, red) staining of spheroids in alginate and Matrigel after 7 days in culture. Scale bar, 100 μm. (C) Quantification of spheroid viability after 3 and 7 days encapsulated in alginate or Matrigel. Percentage of live area denotes area of spheroid expressing live marker over total spheroid area. Data are combined from three independent experiments with n ≥ 6 spheroids per condition per experiment. Each point depicts viability of an individual spheroid, while bars depict mean and SE. Significance was calculated with a one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons test. (D) Quantification of HIO yield after 28 days in culture. HIO yield was calculated as the percentage of spheroids that gave rise to HIOs. Data shown are the average yields from three independent experiments with n > 100 spheroids per condition. Each point depicts overall yield from one experiment, while bars depict mean and SE. Significance was calculated with a one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons test. ∗p ≤ 0.05, ∗∗p ≤ 0.01, ∗∗∗p ≤ 0.001. See also Figures S1–S3.
Figure 1 Alginate Supports HIO Survival In Vitro (A) Rheological characterization of alginate hydrogels. Data shown are the mean ± SD from n ≥ 3 gels per condition. (B) Representative images of live (Calcein-AM, green) and dead (Ethidium-homodimer-1, red) staining of spheroids in alginate and Matrigel after 7 days in culture. Scale bar, 100 μm. (C) Quantification of spheroid viability after 3 and 7 days encapsulated in alginate or Matrigel. Percentage of live area denotes area of spheroid expressing live marker over total spheroid area. Data are combined from three independent experiments with n ≥ 6 spheroids per condition per experiment. Each point depicts viability of an individual spheroid, while bars depict mean and SE. Significance was calculated with a one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons test. (D) Quantification of HIO yield after 28 days in culture. HIO yield was calculated as the percentage of spheroids that gave rise to HIOs. Data shown are the average yields from three independent experiments with n > 100 spheroids per condition. Each point depicts overall yield from one experiment, while bars depict mean and SE. Significance was calculated with a one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons test. ∗p ≤ 0.05, ∗∗p ≤ 0.01, ∗∗∗p ≤ 0.001. See also Figures S1–S3.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Epithelium of Alginate-Grown HIOs Resembles Epithelium of Matrigel-Grown HIOs In Vitro (A) H&E staining of HIOs cultured in 1% alginate and Matrigel for 28 days. Dashed lines outline the epithelium. (B) Representative images of general epithelial marker staining in HIOs cultured in 1% alginate and Matrigel for 28 days. Markers shown are ECAD (epithelial marker), CDX2 (intestinal epithelium marker), PDX1 (duodenum marker), ZO-1 (tight junction marker), and VIM (mesenchymal marker). Scale bar, 50 μm. (C) Representative images of specific epithelial cell marker staining in HIOs cultured in 1% alginate and Matrigel for 28 days. Markers shown are SOX9 (progenitor cell marker), KI67 (proliferative cell marker), DPP4 (small intestinal brush border enzyme marker), MUC2 (goblet cell marker), and CHGA (enteroendocrine marker). Scale bar, 50 μm. (D) Frequency of mature cell type differentiation in 1% alginate and Matrigel. Points depict the percentage of HIOs expressing each marker as assessed by protein staining for three independent experiments with n ≥ 6 HIOs per experiment. Each color represents one matched experiment. Significance was calculated with a one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons test. Bars depict mean and SE. See also Figures S1 and S2.
Figure 2 Epithelium of Alginate-Grown HIOs Resembles Epithelium of Matrigel-Grown HIOs In Vitro (A) H&E staining of HIOs cultured in 1% alginate and Matrigel for 28 days. Dashed lines outline the epithelium. (B) Representative images of general epithelial marker staining in HIOs cultured in 1% alginate and Matrigel for 28 days. Markers shown are ECAD (epithelial marker), CDX2 (intestinal epithelium marker), PDX1 (duodenum marker), ZO-1 (tight junction marker), and VIM (mesenchymal marker). Scale bar, 50 μm. (C) Representative images of specific epithelial cell marker staining in HIOs cultured in 1% alginate and Matrigel for 28 days. Markers shown are SOX9 (progenitor cell marker), KI67 (proliferative cell marker), DPP4 (small intestinal brush border enzyme marker), MUC2 (goblet cell marker), and CHGA (enteroendocrine marker). Scale bar, 50 μm. (D) Frequency of mature cell type differentiation in 1% alginate and Matrigel. Points depict the percentage of HIOs expressing each marker as assessed by protein staining for three independent experiments with n ≥ 6 HIOs per experiment. Each color represents one matched experiment. Significance was calculated with a one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons test. Bars depict mean and SE. See also Figures S1 and S2.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 3 Alginate-Grown HIOs Mature in a Similar Manner as Matrigel-Grown HIOs In Vivo (A) Dissected kidneys containing tHIOs cultured in alginate or Matrigel. HIOs were cultured in either Matrigel or 2% alginate dissolved in H2O and transplanted after 28 days of culture in vitro. tHIOs were removed after 10 weeks in vivo. (B) H&E, Alcian blue/PAS, and Trichrome staining reveal the presence of mature crypt-villus structures in alginate and Matrigel tHIOs. Scale bar, 50 μm (H&E and Alcian blue/PAS), Scale bar, 100 μm Trichrome. (C) Representative images of general epithelial marker staining in tHIOs from alginate and Matrigel. Markers shown are ECAD (epithelial marker), CDX2 (intestinal epithelium marker), PDX1 (duodenum marker), and VIM (mesenchymal marker). Scale bar, 50 μm. (D) Representative images of specific epithelial cell marker staining in tHIOs from alginate and Matrigel. Markers shown are SOX9 (progenitor cell marker), KI67 (proliferative cell marker), DPP4 (small intestinal brush border enzyme marker), MUC2 (goblet cell marker), CHGA (enteroendocrine cell marker), LYZ and DEFA5 (Paneth cell markers), and OLFM4 (intestinal stem cell marker). Two transplant experiments were conducted with a total of n = 11 Matrigel transplanted and n = 12 alginate transplanted mice. Scale bar, 50 μm for all markers except OLFM4 scale bar, 100 μm.
Figure 3 Alginate-Grown HIOs Mature in a Similar Manner as Matrigel-Grown HIOs In Vivo (A) Dissected kidneys containing tHIOs cultured in alginate or Matrigel. HIOs were cultured in either Matrigel or 2% alginate dissolved in H2O and transplanted after 28 days of culture in vitro. tHIOs were removed after 10 weeks in vivo. (B) H&E, Alcian blue/PAS, and Trichrome staining reveal the presence of mature crypt-villus structures in alginate and Matrigel tHIOs. Scale bar, 50 μm (H&E and Alcian blue/PAS), Scale bar, 100 μm Trichrome. (C) Representative images of general epithelial marker staining in tHIOs from alginate and Matrigel. Markers shown are ECAD (epithelial marker), CDX2 (intestinal epithelium marker), PDX1 (duodenum marker), and VIM (mesenchymal marker). Scale bar, 50 μm. (D) Representative images of specific epithelial cell marker staining in tHIOs from alginate and Matrigel. Markers shown are SOX9 (progenitor cell marker), KI67 (proliferative cell marker), DPP4 (small intestinal brush border enzyme marker), MUC2 (goblet cell marker), CHGA (enteroendocrine cell marker), LYZ and DEFA5 (Paneth cell markers), and OLFM4 (intestinal stem cell marker). Two transplant experiments were conducted with a total of n = 11 Matrigel transplanted and n = 12 alginate transplanted mice. Scale bar, 50 μm for all markers except OLFM4 scale bar, 100 μm.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 4 RNA-Sequencing Comparison of Alginate and Matrigel-Grown HIO Epithelia (A) Schematic overview of sample groups included in RNA-sequencing analysis. Epithelia were extracted from alginate and Matrigel-grown HIOs both after culture in vitro and after transplantation into mice. (B) Clustering HdEs and tHdEs by sample similarity using Pearson's correlation coefficient (n = 3 aHdE, n = 2 mHdE, n = 5 atHdE, n = 4 mtHdE). Clusters formed between aHdEs and mHdEs as well as between atHdEs and mtHdEs. (C) Differential expression analysis comparing aHdEs with mHdEs, atHdEs with mtHdEs, mHdEs with mtHdEs, and aHdEs with atHdEs. Red dots represent genes with significant differences in expression (p < 0.01). In these plots, the alginate and Matrigel samples are nearly identical. RNA-sequencing data have been deposited in the ArrayExpress database at EMBL-EBI (www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress) under accession number ArrayExpress: E-MTAB-7000. See also Table S1.
Figure 4 RNA-Sequencing Comparison of Alginate and Matrigel-Grown HIO Epithelia (A) Schematic overview of sample groups included in RNA-sequencing analysis. Epithelia were extracted from alginate and Matrigel-grown HIOs both after culture in vitro and after transplantation into mice. (B) Clustering HdEs and tHdEs by sample similarity using Pearson's correlation coefficient (n = 3 aHdE, n = 2 mHdE, n = 5 atHdE, n = 4 mtHdE). Clusters formed between aHdEs and mHdEs as well as between atHdEs and mtHdEs. (C) Differential expression analysis comparing aHdEs with mHdEs, atHdEs with mtHdEs, mHdEs with mtHdEs, and aHdEs with atHdEs. Red dots represent genes with significant differences in expression (p < 0.01). In these plots, the alginate and Matrigel samples are nearly identical. RNA-sequencing data have been deposited in the ArrayExpress database at EMBL-EBI (www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress) under accession number ArrayExpress: E-MTAB-7000. See also Table S1.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central

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Metadata

Authors
Capeling, M. M., Czerwinski, M., Huang, S., Tsai, Y.-H., Wu, A., Nagy, M. S., Juliar, B., Sundaram, N., Song, Y., Han, W. M., Takayama, S., Alsberg, E., Garcia, A. J., Helmrath, M., Putnam, A. J., & Spence, J. R.
Affiliations
  • University of Michigan (US)
  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (US)
  • Georgia Institute of Technology (US)
  • Case Western Reserve University (US)
Corresponding author
Spence, Jason R.
ORCID
Venue
Stem Cell Reports
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-02
Volume
12
Issue
2
Pages
381-394
ISSN
2213-6711 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.12.001
PMC
PMC6373433
OpenAlex
W2949559557
Cited by
226
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 14
FWCI
10.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Stem Cell Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Intestinal Stem Cell Consortium (U01DK103141)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
  • Novel Alternative Model Systems for Enteric Diseases (U19AI116482)
  • Cellular and Biotechnology Training Program (T32GM008353)
  • Training Program in Organogenesis Fellowship (T32HD007505)
  • NICHD (R24HD000836)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › 3D Printing in Biomedical Research
Keywords
human intestinal organoids, alginate hydrogel, extracellular matrix mimics, pluripotent stem cells, organoid transplantation, mechanical support, organoid maturation
MeSH terms
Alginates, Animals, Cell Differentiation, Cell Line, Collagen, Drug Combinations, Epithelium, Extracellular Matrix, Humans, Intestines, Laminin, Organoids, Proteoglycans, Mice, SCID, Mice, Inbred NOD, Hydrogels, Tissue Engineering, Pluripotent Stem Cells, Mice

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