Drug discovery is associated with high levels of compound elimination in all stages of development. The current practices for the pharmacokinetic testing of intestinal absorption combine Transwell® inserts with the Caco-2 cell line and are associated with a wide range of limitations. The improvement of pharmacokinetic research relies on the development of more advanced in vitro intestinal constructs that better represent human native tissue and its response to drugs, providing greater predictive accuracy. Here, we present a humanized, bioengineered intestinal construct that recapitulates aspects of intestinal microanatomy. We present improved histotypic characteristics reminiscent of the human intestine, such as a reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the formation of a robust basement membrane, which are contributed to in-part by a strong stromal foundation. We explore the link between stromal-epithelial crosstalk, paracrine communication, and the role of the keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) as a soluble mediator, underpinning the tissue-specific role of fibroblast subpopulations. Permeability studies adapted to a 96-well format allow for high throughput screening and demonstrate the role of the stromal compartment and tissue architecture on permeability and functionality, which is thought to be one of many factors responsible for unexpected drug outcomes using current approaches for pharmacokinetic testing.
Keywords: 3D cell culture; Caco-2; drug discovery; fibroblast; intestine; keratinocyte growth factor; pharmacology; scaffold; tissue engineering.