Cholesterol-Secreting and Statin-Responsive Hepatocytes from Human ES and iPS Cells to Model Hepatic Involvement in Cardiovascular Health

Hepatocytes play a central and crucial role in cholesterol and lipid homeostasis, and their proper function is of key importance for cardiovascular health. In particular, hepatocytes (especially periportal hepatocytes) endogenously synthesize large amounts of cholesterol and secrete it into circulating blood via apolipoprotein particles. Cholesterol-secreting hepatocytes are also the clinically-relevant cells targeted by statin treatment in vivo. The study of cholesterol homeostasis is largely restricted to the use of animal models and immortalized cell lines that do not recapitulate those key aspects of normal human hepatocyte function that result from genetic variation of individuals within a population. Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) derived from human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells can provide a cell culture model for the study of cholesterol homeostasis, dyslipidemias, the action of statins and other pharmaceuticals important for cardiovascular health. We have analyzed expression of core components for cholesterol homeostasis in untreated human iPS cells and in response to pravastatin. Here we show the production of differentiated cells resembling periportal hepatocytes from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells express a broad range of apolipoproteins required for secretion and elimination of serum cholesterol, actively secrete cholesterol into the medium, and respond functionally to statin treatment by reduced cholesterol secretion. Our research shows that HLCs derived from human pluripotent cells provide a robust cell culture system for the investigation of the hepatic contribution to human cholesterol homeostasis at both cellular and molecular levels. Importantly, it permits for the first time to also functionally assess the impact of genetic polymorphisms on cholesterol homeostasis. Finally, the system will also be useful for mechanistic studies of heritable dyslipidemias, drug discovery, and investigation of modes of action of cholesterol-modulatory drugs.