Construction and Functional Evaluation of a Three-Dimensional Blood–Brain Barrier Model Equipped With Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to construct and validate an in vitro three-dimensional blood–brain barrier (3DBBB) model system equipped with brain microvascular endothelial cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPS-BMECs). Methods: The 3D-BBB system was constructed by seeding hiPS-BMECs onto the capillary lane of a MIMETAS OrganoPlate^® 3-lane coated with fibronectin/collagen IV. hiPS-BMECs were incubated under continuous switchback flow with an OrganoFlow^® for 2 days. The 3D capillary structure and expression of tight-junction proteins and transporters were confirmed by immunocytochemistry. The mRNA expression of transporters in the 3D environment was determined using qRT-PCR, and the permeability of endogenous substances and drugs was evaluated under various conditions. Results and Discussion: The expression of tight-junction proteins, including claudin-5 and ZO-1, was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The permeability rate constant of lucifer yellow through hiPS-BMECs was undetectably low, indicating that paracellular transport is highly restricted by tight junctions in the 3D-BBB system. The mRNA expression levels of transporters and receptors in the 3D-BBB system differed from those in the 2D-culture system by 0.2- to 5.8-fold. The 3D-cultured hiPS-BMECs showed asymmetric transport of substrates of BCRP, CAT1 and LAT1 between the luminal (blood) and abluminal (brain) sides. Proton-coupled symport function of MCT1 was also confirmed. Conclusion: The 3D-BBB system constructed in this study mimics several important characteristics of the human BBB, and is expected to be a useful high-throughput evaluation tool in the development of CNS drugs.