NEWS – A team of researchers have designed a novel 3D hydrogel culture system to study how TB bacteria infect lung cells

HIGHLIGHTS

Key Findings from IISc Research

• Novel 3D Hydrogel Culture System
  • Designed by IISc’s Department of Bioengineering.
  • Mimics mammalian lung environment to study TB bacteria infection.
• Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Mtb)
  • Dangerous pathogen primarily infecting the lungs.
  • Affected 10.6 million people and caused 1.3 million deaths in 2022 (WHO).

Limitations of Current Culture Models

• Typically use monolayered culture plates.
• Do not accurately mimic the 3D microenvironment of the lungs.
• Cells in 2D culture experience a vastly different microenvironment compared to the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding lung tissue.

Advantages of the 3D Hydrogel Culture

• Composition and Functionality
  • Made of collagen, a key ECM molecule in lung cells.
  • Allows interactions between Mtb and human macrophages to be studied over 2-3 weeks.
  • Maintains mammalian cell viability for three weeks, compared to 4-7 days in traditional cultures.
• Study Results
  • RNA sequencing showed lung cells in hydrogel were more similar to human samples than those in traditional culture systems.
  • Testing with pyrazinamide (common TB drug) showed effectiveness in clearing Mtb with a small amount (10 µg/ml) in the hydrogel culture.

Significance

• Enhanced Research and Treatment
  • Provides a more accurate model for studying TB infection and progression.
  • Potential to refine TB treatment protocols based on more realistic cellular responses.
• Publication
  • Study published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.