Abstract
Current in vitro models for identifying nephrotoxins are poorly predictive. We differentiated human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into three-dimensional, multicellular structures containing proximal tubule cells (PTCs) and podocytes and evaluated them as a platform for predicting nephrotoxicity. The PTCs showed megalin-dependent, cubilin-mediated endocytosis of fluorescently labeled dextran and active gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase enzymes. Transporters from both the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) and the solute carrier (SLC) families were present at physiological levels in the differentiated cells, but important renal transporters such as organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), OAT3, and organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) were present only at lower levels. Radioactive uptake studies confirmed the functional activity of organic cation transporter, novel, type 2 (OCTN2), organic anion transporter polypeptide 4C1 (OATP4C1), and OCTs/multidrug and toxin extrusion proteins (MATEs). When treated with 10 pharmacologic agents as a test of the platform, the known nephrotoxic compounds were distinguished from the more benign compounds by an increase in tubular (PTC, kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1)) and glomerular (nephrin [NPHS1]/Wilms tumor protein [WT1]) markers associated with nephrotoxicity, and we were able to distinguish the type of nephrotoxin by examining the relative levels of these markers. Given the functions demonstrated and with improved expression of key renal transporters, this hPSC-derived in vitro kidney model shows promise as a platform for detection of mechanistically different nephrotoxins.