Isolation and Enrichment of Human Lung Epithelial Progenitor Cells for Organoid Culture

Summary

This article provides a detailed methodology for tissue dissociation and cellular fractionation approaches allowing enrichment of viable epithelial cells from proximal and distal regions of the human lung. Herein these approaches are applied for the functional analysis of lung epithelial progenitor cells through the use of 3D organoids culture models.

Abstract

Epithelial organoid models serve as valuable tools to study the basic biology of an organ system and for disease modeling. When grown as organoids, epithelial progenitor cells can self-renew and generate differentiating progeny that exhibit cellular functions similar to those of their in vivo counterparts. Herein we describe a step-by-step protocol to isolate region-specific progenitors from human lung and generate 3D organoid cultures as an experimental and validation tool. We define proximal and distal regions of the lung with the goal of isolating region-specific progenitor cells. We utilized a combination of enzymatic and mechanical dissociation to isolate total cells from the lung and trachea. Specific progenitor cells were then fractionated from the proximal or distal origin cells using fluorescence associated cell sorting (FACS) based on cell type-specific surface markers, such as NGFR for sorting basal cells and HTII-280 for sorting alveolar type II cells. Isolated basal or alveolar type II progenitors were used to generate 3D organoid cultures. Both distal and proximal progenitors formed organoids with a colony forming efficiency of 9-13% in distal region and 7-10% in proximal region when plated 5000 cell/well on day 30. Distal organoids maintained HTII-280⁺ alveolar type II cells in culture whereas proximal organoids differentiated into ciliated and secretory cells by day 30. These 3D organoid cultures can be used as an experimental tool for studying the cell biology of lung epithelium and epithelial mesenchymal interactions, as well as for the development and validation of therapeutic strategies targeting epithelial dysfunction in a disease.

Introduction

Airspaces of the human respiratory system can be broadly divided into conducting and respiratory zones that mediate transport of gasses and their subsequent exchange across the epithelial-microvascular barrier, respectively. The conducting airways include trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and terminal bronchioles, whereas respiratory air spaces include respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli. The epithelial lining of these airspaces changes in composition along the proximo-distal axis to accommodate the unique requirements of each functionally distinct zone. The pseudostratified epithelium of tracheo-bronchial airways is composed of three major cell types, bas....

Protocol

Human lung tissue was obtained from deceased tissue donors in compliance with consent procedures developed by International Institute for the Advancement of Medicine (IIAM) and approved by the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Internal Review Board.

1. Tissue processing for isolation of lung cells from either tracheo-bronchial or small airway/parenchymal (small airways and alveoli) regions

1. Prepare and autoclave all dissection instruments, glassware and the appropriate solutions one day prior to cell isolation.
2. Upon receiving lung tissue, identify and separate the proximal and distal regions. The trachea and bronchi are consi....

Results

Source lung tissue
The trachea and extrapulmonary bronchus (Figure 1A) were used as the source tissue for isolation of proximal airway epithelial cells and subsequent generation of proximal organoids. Distal lung tissue that includes both parenchyma and small airways of less than 2 mm in diameter (Figure 1A) were used for the isolation of small airway and alveolar epithelial cells (distal lung epithelium) and generation of either small airwa.......

Discussion

We describe a reliable method for the isolation of defined subpopulations of lung cells from human lung tissue for either molecular or functional analysis and disease modeling. Critical elements of methods include the ability to achieve tissue dissociation with preservation of surface epitopes, which allow antibody-mediated enrichment of freshly isolated cells, and the optimization of culture methods for the efficient generation of region-specific epithelial organoids. We focus on the recovery and enrichment of epithelia.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Cell Isolation
10 mL Sterile syringes, Luer-Lok Tip	Fisher scientific	BD 309646
30 mL Sterile syringes, Luer-Lok Tip	VWR	BD302832
Biohazard bags	VWR	89495-440
Biohazard bags	VWR	89495-440
connecting ring	Pluriselect	41-50000-03
Deoxyribonuclease (lot#SLBF7798V)	sigma Aldrich	DN25-1G
Disposable Petri dishes	Corning/Falcon	25373-187
Funnel	Pluriselect	42-50000
HBSS	Corning	21-023
Liberase TM Research Grade	sigma Aldrich	5401127001
needle 16G	VWR	305198
needle 18G	VWR	305199
PluriStrainer 100 µm (Cell Strainer)	Pluriselect	43-50100-51
PluriStrainer 300 µm (Cell Strainer)	Pluriselect	43-50300-03
PluriStrainer 40 µm (Cell Strainer)	Pluriselect	43-50040-51
PluriStrainer 500 µm (Cell Strainer)	Pluriselect	43-50500-03
PluriStrainer 70 µm (Cell Strainer)	Pluriselect	43-50070-51
Razor blades	VWR	55411-050
Red Blood Cell lysis buffer	eBioscience	00-4333-57
Equipment’s
GentleMACS C Tubes	MACS Miltenyi Biotec	130-096-334
GentleMACS Octo Dissociator	MACS Miltenyi Biotec	130-095-937
Leica ASP 300s Tissue processor
LS Columns	MACS Miltenyi Biotec	130-042-401
MACS MultiStand**	Miltenyi Biotech	130-042-303
Thermomixer	Eppendorf	05-412-503
Thermomixer	Eppendorf	05-412-503
HBSS+ Buffer
Amphotericin B	Thermo fisher scientific	15290018	2ml
EDTA (0.5 M), pH 8.0, RNase-free	Thermo fisher scientific	AM9260G	500µl
Fetal Bovine Serum	Gemini Bio-Products	100-106	10ml
HBSS Hank's Balanced Salt Solution 1X 500 ml	VWR	45000-456	500ml bottle
HEPES (1 M)	Thermo fisher scientific	15630080	5ml
Penicillin-Streptomycin-Neomycin (PSN) Antibiotic Mixture	Thermo fisher scientific	15640055	5ml
List of antibodies for FACS
Alexa Fluor 647 anti-human CD326 (EpCAM) Antibody	BioLegend	369820	1:50
BD CompBead Anti-Mouse Ig, K/ Negative control particles set	Fisher Scientific	BDB552843
CD31 MicroBead Kit, human	Miltenyi Biotec	130-091-935	20µl/ 107 total cells
CD45 MicroBeads, human	Miltenyi Biotec	130-045-801	20µl/ 107 total cells
DAPI	Sigma Aldrich	D9542-10MG	1:10000
FITC anti-human CD235a	BioLegend	349104	1:100
FITC anti-human CD31	BioLegend	303104	1:100
FITC anti-human CD45	BioLegend	304054	1:100
FITC anti-mouse IgM Antibody	BioLegend	406506	1:500
Mouse IgM anti human HT2-280	Terrace Biotech	TB-27AHT2-280	1:300
PE anti-human CD271(NGFR)	BioLegend	345106	1:50
Composition of Organoid Culture mediums
MRC-5	ATCC	CCL-171
PneumaCult -ALI Medium	Stemcell Technologies	5001
Small Airway Epithelial Cell Growth Medium	PromoCell	C-21170
ThinCert Tissue Culture Inserts, Sterile	Greiner Bio-One	662641
Y-27632 (ROCK inhibitor) 100mM stock (1000x)	Stemcell Technologies	72302
Mouse Basal medium:
Amphotericin B	Thermo fisher scientific	15290018	50 µl
DMEM/F-12, HEPES	ThermoFisher scientific	11330032	50 ml
Fetal Bovine Serum	Gemini Bio-Products	100-106	5 ml
Insulin-Transferrin-Selenium (ITS -G) (100X)	ThermoFisher scientific	41400045	500 µl
Penicillin-Streptomycin-Neomycin (PSN) Antibiotic Mixture	Thermo fisher scientific	15640055	500 µl
SB431542 TGF-β pathway inhibitor (stock 100 mM)	Stem cell	72234	5 µl
List of antibodies for Immunohistochemistry
Antigen unmasking solution, citric acid based	Vector	H-3300	937 µl in 100ml water
Histogel	Thermo Scientific	HG-4000-012
Primary Antibodies
Anti HT2-280	Terracebiotech	TB-27AHT2-280	1:500
FOXJ1 Monoclonal Antibody (2A5)	Thermo Fisher Scientific	14-9965-82	1:300
Human Uteroglobin/SCGB1A1 Antibody	R and D systems	MAB4218	1:300
Keratin 5 Polyclonal Chicken Antibody, Purified [Poly9059]	Biolegend	905901	1:500
MUC5AC Monoclonal Antibody (45M1)	Thermo Fisher Scientific	MA5-12178	1:300
PDPN / Podoplanin Antibody (clone 8.1.1)	LifeSpan Biosciences	LS-C143022-100	1:300
Purified Mouse Anti-E-Cadherin	BD biosciences	610182	1:1000
Sox-2 Antibody	Santa Cruz biotechnologies	sc-365964	1:300
Secondary Antibodies
Donkey anti-rabbit lgG, 488	Thermo Fisher Scientific	A-21206	1:500
FITC anti-mouse IgM Antibody	BioLegend	406506	1:500
Goat anti-Hamster IgG (H+L), Alexa Fluor 594	Thermo Fisher Scientific	A-21113	1:500
Goat anti-Mouse IgG1 Cross-Adsorbed Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 488	Thermo Fisher Scientific	A-21121	1:500
Goat anti-Mouse IgG2a Cross-Adsorbed Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 488	Thermo Fisher Scientific	A-21131	1:500
Goat anti-Mouse IgG2a Cross-Adsorbed Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 568	Thermo Fisher Scientific	A-21134	1:500
Goat anti-Mouse IgG2b Cross-Adsorbed Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 568	Thermo Fisher Scientific	A-21144	1:500
Buffers
Immunohistochemistry Blocking Solution			3% BSA, o.4% Triton-x100 in TBS (Tris based saline)
Immunohistochemistry Incubation Solution			3% BSA, ).1% Triton-X100 in TBS
Immunohistochemistry Washing Solution			TBS with 0.1% Tween 20