Functional Characterisation of Human Hepatoma Cell Line HepG2 in 3D Culture

New challenges in drug development and drug testing arise from regulatory requirements. Animal trials have to be replaced by cell culture assays, preferably by test systems with human material. Standard 2D monolayer cultures are often unsatisfactory and therefore tissue-like 3D cultures are suggested as an alternative. In this study in vitro assessment of hepatocyte xenobiotic metabolism was examined. 2D and 3D cultures of hepatoma cells (HepG2) were compared for their xenobiotic metabolising capacity determined by measuring the EROD (Cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1A2) activity. The results indicate that 3D cultivation resulted in altered kinetic characteristics compared to monolayer culture. The measurement of hepatocyte drug and xenobiotic metabolising enzymes in 3D cultures appears to be a promising approach for the testing of chronic toxicity and long term effects of pharmaceuticals in a human hepatic model in vitro.