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Figure 2. Gene expression in human hepatocytes and HepaRG cells using pangenomic
oligonucleotide microarrays.
fects of xenobiotics in the human liver.
A second approach (partner HULAFE) consisted
in developing viral vectors to transfect
the human hepatic cell line HepG2
with transcription factors, regulating the
expression of CYP genes. However, the
viral vector employed for transfection has
so far only allowed transient expression
of CYP activities. Moreover, it became
clear that co-transfection of several factors
will be needed to achieve functional
expression of several metabolic activities.
The use of viral vectors for transfection
of HepG2 with genes encoding for the
transcription factors regulating the main
metabolic enzymes (CYPs) has shown that
adenoviruses transfection is working, but
with transient activity. In fact, after cell
sorting the transfected cells died: this may
be attributed rather to the characteristics
of hosting cells (i.e., HepG2 cells), than to
the genetic manipulation, that proved to
be efficient to achieve the envisaged goals
in Hela cells. The use of lentiviruses may
offer better possibilities for the maintenance
of the transfected activities.
The third approach (partner VUB) was
the development of phenotypically stable
and functional cultures of primary rat hepatocytes
by using histone deacetylase
(HDAC) inhibitors, e.g., Trichostatin. A
novel strategy to differentiate rat and hu-
PROGRESS REPORTS FROM EU-FUNDED PROJECTS
Progress Report 2011 & AXLR8-2 Workshop Report
97