Dr. Kwak is professor at Department of Pharmacology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Korea. He is currently the Director of Immune-network Pioneer Research Center, Ajou University Medical Center. He became a vice-president of Korean Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2015 and is a Doctor Honoris Causa in Russian Academy of Science since 2012. He completed his doctorate in Medical Biochemistry with neutrophil activation and signal transduction pathways at the Pusan National University, Korea in 1991. After his study of activation of neutrophils in Emory University as a post doctorate, he directed his research to dendritic cell analysis. Current research topics in his laboratory are dendritic cell regulation, imunogenic response of damaged cells, and 3D culture of immune cells. Recently, he created venture company, Nanofaenetech, Inc and becomes CEO.

Topic title:

Three-dimensional coculture system to mimic epithelial tissue containing immune cell

Abstract:

Epithelial tissue consists of primary epithelial and stromal cells, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells. It is essential to coculture different types of cells derived from epithelial tissue to develop epithelial tissue in vitro. However, direct contact between different types of cells induces activation of cells such as immune cells. We developed an indirect coculture system using a nanofiber-based culture of epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells. MLE-12, lung epithelial cells, and primary hepatocytes were cultured on laminin- and fibronectin-derived peptide-blended poly (vinyl alcohol) nanofiber membrane as a multilayer rather than spheroid structure. Coculture of fibroblasts in different layers of nanofibrous membrane stabilized long-term culture of epithelial cells. Direct co-culture of dendritic cells (DC) and fibroblasts on a culture plate and polycaprolactone nanofiber membrane induced DC activation. Adding peptides, which bind to integrin in DCs, blocked co-culture-induced spontaneous activation of DCs. To mimic epithelial inflammation, we used the coculture system. We confirmed that soluble factor(s) released from immune stimulant-treated epithelial cells up-regulated DC activation induced by immune stimulant. We can develop organoids based on the co-culture of tissue-derived primary and stromal cells and use this system for precision medicine.