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Kim H, Jung SO, Lee S, Lee Y. Bioluminescent Systems for Theranostic Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7563. [PMID: 39062805 PMCID: PMC11277111 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence, the light produced by biochemical reactions involving luciferases in living organisms, has been extensively investigated for various applications. It has attracted particular interest as an internal light source for theranostic applications due to its safe and efficient characteristics that overcome the limited penetration of conventional external light sources. Recent advancements in protein engineering technologies and protein delivery platforms have expanded the application of bioluminescence to a wide range of theranostic areas, including bioimaging, biosensing, photodynamic therapy, and optogenetics. This comprehensive review presents the fundamental concepts of bioluminescence and explores its recent applications across diverse fields. Moreover, it discusses future research directions based on the current status of bioluminescent systems for further expansion of their potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyemin Kim
- Department of Cosmetics Engineering, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea; (S.O.J.); (S.L.); (Y.L.)
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2
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Hasegawa H. Temperature-dependent intracellular crystallization of firefly luciferase in mammalian cells is suppressed by D-luciferin and stabilizing inhibitors. Exp Cell Res 2024; 440:114131. [PMID: 38876374 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Firefly luciferase (Fluc) from Photinus pyralis is one of the most widely used reporter proteins in biomedical research. Despite its widespread use, Fluc's protein phase transition behaviors and phase separation characteristics have not received much attention. Current research uncovers Fluc's intrinsic property to phase separate in mammalian cells upon a simple cell culture temperature change. Specifically, Fluc spontaneously produced needle-shaped crystal-like inclusion bodies upon temperature shift to the hypothermic temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 31 °C. The crystal-like inclusion bodies were not associated with or surrounded by membranous organelles and were likely built from the cytosolic pool of Fluc. Furthermore, the crystal-like inclusion formation was suppressed when cells were cultured in the presence of D-luciferin and its synthetic analog, as well as the benzothiazole family of so-called stabilizing inhibitors. These two classes of compounds inhibited intracellular Fluc crystallization by different modes of action as they had contrasting effects on steady-state luciferase protein accumulation levels. This study suggests that, under substrate insufficient conditions, the excess Fluc phase separates into a crystal-like state that can modulate intracellular soluble enzyme availability and protein turnover rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruki Hasegawa
- Discovery Protein Science, Department of Large Molecule Discovery and Research Data Science Amgen Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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3
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Huang Y, Yu Z, Peng J, Yu Q, Xu H, Yang M, Yuan S, Zhang Q, Yang Y, Gao J, Yuan Y. Amino-Acid-Encoded Supramolecular Nanostructures for Persistent Bioluminescence Imaging of Tumor. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2401244. [PMID: 38934340 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202401244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a powerful technique for noninvasive monitoring of biological processes and cell transplantation. Nonetheless, the application of D-luciferin, which is widely employed as a bioluminescent probe, is restricted in long-term in vivo tracking due to its short half-life. This study presents a novel approach using amino acid-encoded building blocks to accumulate and preserve luciferin within tumor cells, through a supramolecular self-assembly strategy. The building block platform called Cys(SEt)-X-CBT (CXCBT, with X representing any amino acid) utilizes a covalent-noncovalent hybrid self-assembly mechanism to generate diverse luciferin-containing nanostructures in tumor cells after glutathione reduction. These nanostructures exhibit efficient tumor-targeted delivery as well as sequence-dependent well-designed morphologies and prolonged bioluminescence performance. Among the selected amino acids (X = Glu, Lys, Leu, Phe), Cys(SEt)-Lys-CBT (CKCBT) exhibits the superior long-lasting bioluminescence signal (up to 72 h) and good biocompatibility. This study demonstrates the potential of amino-acid-encoded supramolecular self-assembly as a convenient and effective method for developing BLI probes for long-term biological tracking and disease imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Zian Yu
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Jiancheng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Qin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Institute of Health and Medical Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China
| | - Miaomiao Yang
- Clinical Pathology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, China
| | - Sijie Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Qianzijing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Yanyun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Jin Gao
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Hefei Ion Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230088, China
| | - Yue Yuan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
- Hefei Ion Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230088, China
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Tian X, Zhang Y, Ai HW. ATP-Independent Water-Soluble Luciferins Enable Non-Invasive High-Speed Video-Rate Bioluminescence Imaging of Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.30.591933. [PMID: 38746394 PMCID: PMC11092570 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
NanoLuc luciferase and its derivatives are attractive bioluminescent reporters recognized for their efficient photon production and ATP independence. However, utilizing them for in vivo imaging poses notable challenges. Low substrate solubility has been a prominent problem, limiting in vivo brightness, while substrate instability hampers consistent results and handling. To address these issues, we developed a range of caged PEGylated luciferins with improved stability and water solubility of up to 25 mM, resulting in substantial bioluminescence increases in mouse models. This advancement has created the brightest and most sensitive luciferase-luciferin combination, enabling high-speed video-rate imaging of freely moving mice with brain-expressed luciferase. Furthermore, we developed a bioluminescent Ca 2+ indicator with exceptional sensitivity to physiological Ca 2+ changes and paired it with a new substrate to showcase non-invasive, video-rate imaging of Ca 2+ activity in a defined brain region in awake mice. These innovative substrates and the Ca 2+ indicator are poised to become invaluable resources for biological and biomedical fields.
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Townsend KM, Prescher JA. Recent advances in bioluminescent probes for neurobiology. NEUROPHOTONICS 2024; 11:024204. [PMID: 38390217 PMCID: PMC10883388 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.11.2.024204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Bioluminescence is a popular modality for imaging in living organisms. The platform relies on enzymatically (luciferase) generated light via the oxidation of small molecule luciferins. Since no external light is needed for photon production, there are no concerns with background autofluorescence or photobleaching over time-features that have historically limited other optical readouts. Bioluminescence is thus routinely used for longitudinal tracking across whole animals. Applications in the brain, though, have been more challenging due to a lack of sufficiently bioavailable, bright, and easily multiplexed probes. Recent years have seen the development of designer luciferase and luciferin pairs that address these issues, providing more sensitive and real-time readouts of biochemical features relevant to neurobiology. This review highlights many of the advances in bioluminescent probe design, with a focus on the small molecule light emitter, the luciferin. Specific efforts to improve luciferin pharmacokinetics and tissue-penetrant emission are covered, in addition to applications that such probes have enabled. The continued development of improved bioluminescent probes will aid in illuminating critical neurochemical processes in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Townsend
- University of California, Irvine, Department of Chemistry, Irvine, California, United States
| | - Jennifer A Prescher
- University of California, Irvine, Department of Chemistry, Irvine, California, United States
- University of California, Irvine, Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Irvine, California, United States
- University of California, Irvine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irvine, California, United States
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Wu J, Kang Y, Luo X, Dai S, Shi Y, Li Z, Tang Z, Chen Z, Zhu R, Yang P, Li Z, Wang H, Chen X, Zhao Z, Ji W, Niu Y. Long-term in vivo chimeric cells tracking in non-human primate. Protein Cell 2024; 15:207-222. [PMID: 37758041 PMCID: PMC10903985 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwad049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-human primates (NHPs) are increasingly used in preclinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of biotechnology therapies. Nonetheless, given the ethical issues and costs associated with this model, it would be highly advantageous to use NHP cellular models in clinical studies. However, developing and maintaining the naïve state of primate pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) remains difficult as does in vivo detection of PSCs, thus limiting biotechnology application in the cynomolgus monkey. Here, we report a chemically defined, xeno-free culture system for culturing and deriving monkey PSCs in vitro. The cells display global gene expression and genome-wide hypomethylation patterns distinct from monkey-primed cells. We also found expression of signaling pathways components that may increase the potential for chimera formation. Crucially for biomedical applications, we were also able to integrate bioluminescent reporter genes into monkey PSCs and track them in chimeric embryos in vivo and in vitro. The engineered cells retained embryonic and extra-embryonic developmental potential. Meanwhile, we generated a chimeric monkey carrying bioluminescent cells, which were able to track chimeric cells for more than 2 years in living animals. Our study could have broad utility in primate stem cell engineering and in utilizing chimeric monkey models for clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junmo Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yu Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xiang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Shaoxing Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yuxi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhuoyao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zengli Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhenzhen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Ran Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Pengpeng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zifan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xinglong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Ziyi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Weizhi Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yuyu Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
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Cui X, Li X, Peng C, Qiu Y, Shi Y, Liu Y, Fei JF. Beyond External Light: On-Spot Light Generation or Light Delivery for Highly Penetrated Photodynamic Therapy. ACS NANO 2023; 17:20776-20803. [PMID: 37874930 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c05619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
External light sources, such as lasers, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and lamps, are widely applied in photodynamic therapy (PDT); however, their use is severely limited by the nature of shallow tissue penetration depth. The recent exploration of light delivery or local generation on tumor sites has attracted much attention, owing to the fact that these systems are significantly endowed with high tissue penetration. In this review, we briefly introduced the principle of "on-spot light generation or delivery systems" in PDT. These systems are divided into different categories: (1) implantable luminescence, (2) mechanoluminescence, (3) electrochemiluminescence, (4) Cerenkov luminescence, (5) chemiluminescence, and (6) bioluminescence. Finally, their applications, advantages, and disadvantages in PDT will be appropriately summarized and further discussed in detail. We believe that this review will provide general guidance for the further design of light generation or delivery systems and clinical studies for PDT-mediated cancer treatments with unparalleled merits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Cui
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Li
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanhui Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanmei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China, Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji-Feng Fei
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- Department of Pathology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, People's Republic of China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, People's Republic of China
- School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, People's Republic of China
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Nakashiba T, Ogoh K, Iwano S, Sugiyama T, Mizuno-Iijima S, Nakashima K, Mizuno S, Sugiyama F, Yoshiki A, Miyawaki A, Abe K. Development of two mouse strains conditionally expressing bright luciferases with distinct emission spectra as new tools for in vivo imaging. Lab Anim (NY) 2023; 52:247-257. [PMID: 37679611 PMCID: PMC10533401 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-023-01238-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has been an invaluable noninvasive method to visualize molecular and cellular behaviors in laboratory animals. Bioluminescent reporter mice harboring luciferases for general use have been limited to a classical luciferase, Luc2, from Photinus pyralis, and have been extremely powerful for various in vivo studies. However, applicability of reporter mice for in vivo BLI could be further accelerated by increasing light intensity through the use of other luciferases and/or by improving the biodistribution of their substrates in the animal body. Here we created two Cre-dependent reporter mice incorporating luciferases oFluc derived from Pyrocoeli matsumurai and Akaluc, both of which had been reported previously to be brighter than Luc2 when using appropriate substrates; we then tested their bioluminescence in neural tissues and other organs in living mice. When expressed throughout the body, both luciferases emitted an intense yellow (oFluc) or far-red (Akaluc) light easily visible to the naked eye. oFluc and Akaluc were similarly bright in the pancreas for in vivo BLI; however, Akaluc was superior to oFluc for brain imaging, because its substrate, AkaLumine-HCl, was distributed to the brain more efficiently than the oFluc substrate, D-luciferin. We also demonstrated that the lights produced by oFluc and Akaluc were sufficiently spectrally distinct from each other for dual-color imaging in a single living mouse. Taken together, these novel bioluminescent reporter mice are an ideal source of cells with bright bioluminescence and may facilitate in vivo BLI of various tissues/organs for preclinical and biomedical research in combination with a wide variety of Cre-driver mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiaki Nakashiba
- Experimental Animal Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan.
| | - Katsunori Ogoh
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus Corporation, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Satoshi Iwano
- Laboratory for Cell Function and Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
- Institute for Tenure Track Promotion, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Takashi Sugiyama
- Corporate Research and Development Center, Olympus Corporation, Hachioji, Japan
- R&D Division, Evident Corporation, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Saori Mizuno-Iijima
- Experimental Animal Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kenichi Nakashima
- Gene Engineering Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Seiya Mizuno
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center in Transborder Medical Research Center, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Sugiyama
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center in Transborder Medical Research Center, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Atsushi Yoshiki
- Experimental Animal Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Atsushi Miyawaki
- Laboratory for Cell Function and Dynamics, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Kuniya Abe
- Technology and Development Team for Mammalian Genome Dynamics, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
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Adams ST, Zephyr J, Bohn MF, Schiffer CA, Miller SC. FruitFire: a luciferase based on a fruit fly metabolic enzyme. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.30.547126. [PMID: 37425765 PMCID: PMC10327219 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.30.547126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Firefly luciferase is homologous to fatty acyl-CoA synthetases from insects that are not bioluminescent. Here, we determined the crystal structure of the fruit fly fatty acyl-CoA synthetase CG6178 to 2.5 Å. Based on this structure, we mutated a steric protrusion in the active site to create the artificial luciferase FruitFire, which prefers the synthetic luciferin CycLuc2 to d-luciferin by >1000-fold. FruitFire enabled in vivo bioluminescence imaging in the brains of mice using the pro-luciferin CycLuc2-amide. The conversion of a fruit fly enzyme into a luciferase capable of in vivo imaging underscores the potential for bioluminescence with a range of adenylating enzymes from nonluminescent organisms, and the possibilities for application-focused design of enzyme-substrate pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer T. Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, UMass Chan Medical School, 364 Plantation St, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Jacqueto Zephyr
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, UMass Chan Medical School, 364 Plantation St, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Markus F. Bohn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, UMass Chan Medical School, 364 Plantation St, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Celia A. Schiffer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, UMass Chan Medical School, 364 Plantation St, Worcester, MA 01605
| | - Stephen C. Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, UMass Chan Medical School, 364 Plantation St, Worcester, MA 01605
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10
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Beyond luciferase-luciferin system: Modification, improved imaging and biomedical application. Coord Chem Rev 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2023.215045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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11
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Hu X, Tang R, Bai L, Liu S, Liang G, Sun X. CBT‐Cys click reaction for optical bioimaging in vivo. VIEW 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/viw.20220065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
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12
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Love AC, Caldwell DR, Kolbaba-Kartchner B, Townsend KM, Halbers LP, Yao Z, Brennan CK, Ivanic J, Hadjian T, Mills JH, Schnermann MJ, Prescher JA. Red-Shifted Coumarin Luciferins for Improved Bioluminescence Imaging. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:3335-3345. [PMID: 36745536 PMCID: PMC10519142 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c07220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Multicomponent bioluminescence imaging in vivo requires an expanded collection of tissue-penetrant probes. Toward this end, we generated a new class of near-infrared (NIR) emitting coumarin luciferin analogues (CouLuc-3s). The scaffolds were easily accessed from commercially available dyes. Complementary mutant luciferases for the CouLuc-3 analogues were also identified. The brightest probes enabled sensitive imaging in vivo. The CouLuc-3 scaffolds are also orthogonal to popular bioluminescent reporters and can be used for multicomponent imaging applications. Collectively, this work showcases a new set of bioluminescent tools that can be readily implemented for multiplexed imaging in a variety of biological settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Love
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Donald R Caldwell
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Cancer for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Bethany Kolbaba-Kartchner
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
- The Biodesign Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
| | - Katherine M Townsend
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Lila P Halbers
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Zi Yao
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Caroline K Brennan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Joseph Ivanic
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Science, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Tanya Hadjian
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Jeremy H Mills
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
- The Biodesign Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
| | - Martin J Schnermann
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Cancer for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Jennifer A Prescher
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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13
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An optimized bioluminescent substrate for non-invasive imaging in the brain. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:731-739. [PMID: 36759751 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01265-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) allows non-invasive visualization of cells and biochemical events in vivo and thus has become an indispensable technique in biomedical research. However, BLI in the central nervous system remains challenging because luciferases show relatively poor performance in the brain with existing substrates. Here, we report the discovery of a NanoLuc substrate with improved brain performance, cephalofurimazine (CFz). CFz paired with Antares luciferase produces greater than 20-fold more signal from the brain than the standard combination of D-luciferin with firefly luciferase. At standard doses, Antares-CFz matches AkaLuc-AkaLumine/TokeOni in brightness, while occasional higher dosing of CFz can be performed to obtain threefold more signal. CFz should allow the growing number of NanoLuc-based indicators to be applied to the brain with high sensitivity. Using CFz, we achieve video-rate non-invasive imaging of Antares in brains of freely moving mice and demonstrate non-invasive calcium imaging of sensory-evoked activity in genetically defined neurons.
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14
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Yadav AK, Zhao Z, Weng Y, Gardner SH, Brady CJ, Pichardo Peguero OD, Chan J. Hydrolysis-Resistant Ester-Based Linkers for Development of Activity-Based NIR Bioluminescence Probes. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:1460-1469. [PMID: 36603103 PMCID: PMC10120059 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Activity-based sensing (ABS) probes equipped with a NIR bioluminescence readout are promising chemical tools to study cancer biomarkers owing to their high sensitivity and deep tissue compatibility. Despite the demand, there is a dearth of such probes because NIR substrates (e.g., BL660 (a NIR luciferin analog)) are not equipped with an appropriate attachment site for ABS trigger installation. For instance, our attempts to mask the carboxylic acid moiety with standard self-immolative benzyl linkers resulted in significant background signals owing to undesirable ester hydrolysis. In this study, we overcame this longstanding challenge by rationally designing a new hydrolysis-resistant ester-based linker featuring an isopropyl shielding arm. Compared to the parent, the new design is 140.5-fold and 67.8-fold more resistant toward spontaneous and esterase-mediated hydrolysis, respectively. Likewise, we observed minimal cleavage of the ester moiety when incubated with a panel of enzymes possessing ester-hydrolyzing activity. These impressive in vitro results were corroborated through a series of key experiments in live cells. Further, we showcased the utility of this technology by developing the first NIR bioluminescent probe for nitroreductase (NTR) activity and applied it to visualize elevated NTR expression in oxygen deficient lung cancer cells and in a murine model of non-small cell lung cancer. The ability to monitor the activity of this key biomarker in a deep tissue context is critical because it is associated with tumor hypoxia, which in turn is linked to drug resistance and aggressive cancer phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuj K Yadav
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Zhenxiang Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Yourong Weng
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Sarah H Gardner
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Catharine J Brady
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Oliver D Pichardo Peguero
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Jefferson Chan
- Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, and Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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15
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Realization of firefly bioluminescence cycle in vitro and in cells. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 220:114860. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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16
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Comparison of Bioluminescent Substrates in Natural Infection Models of Neglected Parasitic Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416074. [PMID: 36555716 PMCID: PMC9781651 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of in vivo bioluminescent imaging in infectious disease research has significantly increased over the past years. The detection of transgenic parasites expressing wildtype firefly luciferase is however hampered by a relatively low and heterogeneous tissue penetrating capacity of emitted light. Solutions are sought by using codon-optimized red-shifted luciferases that yield higher expression levels and produce relatively more red or near-infrared light, or by using modified bioluminescent substrates with enhanced cell permeability and improved luminogenic or pharmacokinetic properties. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of two modified bioluminescent substrates, CycLuc1 and AkaLumine-HCl, were compared with that of D-luciferin as a gold standard. Comparisons were made in experimental and insect-transmitted animal models of leishmaniasis (caused by intracellular Leishmania species) and African trypanosomiasis (caused by extracellular Trypanosoma species), using parasite strains expressing the red-shifted firefly luciferase PpyRE9. Although the luminogenic properties of AkaLumine-HCl and D-luciferin for in vitro parasite detection were comparable at equal substrate concentrations, AkaLumine-HCl proved to be unsuitable for in vivo infection follow-up due to high background signals in the liver. CycLuc1 presented a higher in vitro luminescence compared to the other substrates and proved to be highly efficacious in vivo, even at a 20-fold lower dose than D-luciferin. This efficacy was consistent across infections with the herein included intracellular and extracellular parasitic organisms. It can be concluded that CycLuc1 is an excellent and broadly applicable alternative for D-luciferin, requiring significantly lower doses for in vivo bioluminescent imaging in rodent models of leishmaniasis and African trypanosomiasis.
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17
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Hesemans E, Buttiens K, Manshian BB, Soenen SJ. The Role of Optical Imaging in Translational Nanomedicine. J Funct Biomater 2022; 13:137. [PMID: 36135572 PMCID: PMC9502568 DOI: 10.3390/jfb13030137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicines have been a major research focus in the past two decades and are increasingly emerging in a broad range of clinical applications. However, a proper understanding of their biodistribution is required to further progress the field of nanomedicine. For this, imaging methods to monitor the delivery and therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticles are urgently needed. At present, optical imaging is the most common method used to study the biodistribution of nanomaterials, where the unique properties of nanomaterials and advances in optical imaging can jointly result in novel methods for optimal monitoring of nanomaterials in preclinical animal models. This review article aims to give an introduction to nanomedicines and their translational impact to highlight the potential of optical imaging to study the biodistribution of nanoparticles and to monitor the delivery and therapeutic efficacy at the preclinical level. After introducing both domains, the review focuses on different techniques that can be used to overcome some intrinsic limitations of optical imaging and how this can specifically benefit nanoparticle studies. Finally, we point out some important key features of nanoparticles that currently hinder their full potential in the clinic and how the advances in optical imaging can help to provide us with the information needed to further boost the clinical translation and expand the field of nanomedicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Hesemans
- NanoHealth and Optical Imaging Group, Translational Cell and Tissue Research Unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, B3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kiana Buttiens
- NanoHealth and Optical Imaging Group, Translational Cell and Tissue Research Unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, B3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bella B. Manshian
- Translational Cell and Tissue Research Unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, B3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Cancer Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefaan J. Soenen
- NanoHealth and Optical Imaging Group, Translational Cell and Tissue Research Unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, B3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Cancer Institute, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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18
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Kim M, Gupta SK, Zhang W, Talele S, Mohammad AS, Laramy J, Mladek AC, Zhang S, Sarkaria JN, Elmquist WF. Factors Influencing Luciferase-Based Bioluminescent Imaging in Preclinical Models of Brain Tumor. Drug Metab Dispos 2022; 50:277-286. [PMID: 34887255 PMCID: PMC8969130 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.121.000597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescent imaging (BLI) is a powerful tool in biomedical research to measure gene expression and tumor growth. The current study examined factors that influence the BLI signal, specifically focusing on the tissue distribution of two luciferase substrates, D-luciferin and CycLuc1. D-luciferin, a natural substrate of firefly luciferase, has been reported to have limited brain distribution, possibly due to the efflux transporter, breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp), at the blood-brain barrier. CycLuc1, a synthetic analog of D-luciferin, has a greater BLI signal at lower doses than D-luciferin, especially in the brain. Our results indicate that limited brain distribution of D-luciferin and CycLuc1 is predominantly dictated by their low intrinsic permeability across the cell membrane, where the efflux transporter, Bcrp, plays a relatively minor role. Both genetic ablation and pharmacological inhibition of Bcrp decreased the systemic clearance of both luciferase substrates, significantly increasing exposure in the blood and, hence, in organs and tissues. These data also indicate that the biodistribution of luciferase substrates can be differentially influenced in luciferase-bearing tissues, leading to a "tissue-dependent" BLI signal. The results of this study point to the need to consider multiple mechanisms that influence the distribution of luciferase substrates. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Bioluminescence is used to monitor many biological processes, including tumor growth. This study examined the pharmacokinetics, brain distribution, and the role of active efflux transporters on the luciferase substrates D-luciferin and CycLuc1. CycLuc1 has a more sustained systemic circulation time (longer half-life) that can provide an advantage for the superior imaging outcome of CycLuc1 over D-luciferin. The disparity in imaging intensities between brain and peripheral sites is due to low intrinsic permeability of these luciferase substrates across the blood-brain barrier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjee Kim
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Shiv K Gupta
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Wenjuan Zhang
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Surabhi Talele
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Afroz S Mohammad
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Janice Laramy
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Ann C Mladek
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Shuangling Zhang
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - Jann N Sarkaria
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
| | - William F Elmquist
- Brain Barriers Research Center, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (M.K., W.Z., S.T., A.S.M., J.L., S.Z., W.F.E.) and Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (S.K.G., A.C.M., J.N.S.)
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19
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Systematic Comparison of Beetle Luciferase-Luciferin Pairs as Sources of Near-Infrared Light for In Vitro and In Vivo Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052451. [PMID: 35269601 PMCID: PMC8910387 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Luciferases catalyze light-emitting reactions that produce a rainbow of colors from their substrates (luciferins), molecular oxygen, and often additional cofactors. These bioluminescence (BL) systems have afforded an incredible variety of basic research and medical applications. Driven by the importance of BL-based non-invasive animal imaging (BLI) applications, especially in support of cancer research, new BL systems have been developed by engineering beetle luciferase (Luc) variants and synthetic substrate combinations to produce red to near-infrared (nIR) light to improve imaging sensitivity and resolution. To stimulate the application of BLI research and advance the development of improved reagents for BLI, we undertook a systematic comparison of the spectroscopic and BL properties of seven beetle Lucs with LH2 and nine substrates, which included two new quinoline ring-containing analogs. The results of these experiments with purified Luc enzymes in vitro and in live HEK293T cells transfected with luc genes have enabled us to identify Luc/analog combinations with improved properties compared to those previously reported and to provide live cell BL data that may be relevant to in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, we found strong candidate enzyme/substrate pairs for in vitro biomarker applications requiring nIR sources with minimal visible light components. Notably, one of our new substrates paired with a previously developed Luc variant was demonstrated to be an excellent in vitro source of nIR and a potentially useful BL system for improved resolution in BLI.
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20
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Rodriguez-Rios M, Megia-Fernandez A, Norman DJ, Bradley M. Peptide probes for proteases - innovations and applications for monitoring proteolytic activity. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:2081-2120. [PMID: 35188510 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00798j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Proteases are excellent biomarkers for a variety of diseases, offer multiple opportunities for diagnostic applications and are valuable targets for therapy. From a chemistry-based perspective this review discusses and critiques the most recent advances in the field of substrate-based probes for the detection and analysis of proteolytic activity both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rodriguez-Rios
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, EH9 3FJ Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Alicia Megia-Fernandez
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, EH9 3FJ Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Daniel J Norman
- Technical University of Munich, Trogerstrasse, 30, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Mark Bradley
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, EH9 3FJ Edinburgh, UK.
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21
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Smith CB, van der Vinne V, McCartney E, Stowie AC, Leise TL, Martin-Burgos B, Molyneux PC, Garbutt LA, Brodsky MH, Davidson AJ, Harrington ME, Dallmann R, Weaver DR. Cell-Type-Specific Circadian Bioluminescence Rhythms in Dbp Reporter Mice. J Biol Rhythms 2022; 37:53-77. [PMID: 35023384 DOI: 10.1177/07487304211069452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are endogenously generated physiological and molecular rhythms with a cycle length of about 24 h. Bioluminescent reporters have been exceptionally useful for studying circadian rhythms in numerous species. Here, we report development of a reporter mouse generated by modification of a widely expressed and highly rhythmic gene encoding D-site albumin promoter binding protein (Dbp). In this line of mice, firefly luciferase is expressed from the Dbp locus in a Cre recombinase-dependent manner, allowing assessment of bioluminescence rhythms in specific cellular populations. A mouse line in which luciferase expression was Cre-independent was also generated. The Dbp reporter alleles do not alter Dbp gene expression rhythms in liver or circadian locomotor activity rhythms. In vivo and ex vivo studies show the utility of the reporter alleles for monitoring rhythmicity. Our studies reveal cell-type-specific characteristics of rhythms among neuronal populations within the suprachiasmatic nuclei ex vivo. In vivo studies show Dbp-driven bioluminescence rhythms in the liver of Albumin-Cre;DbpKI/+ "liver reporter" mice. After a shift of the lighting schedule, locomotor activity achieved the proper phase relationship with the new lighting cycle more rapidly than hepatic bioluminescence did. As previously shown, restricting food access to the daytime altered the phase of hepatic rhythmicity. Our model allowed assessment of the rate of recovery from misalignment once animals were provided with food ad libitum. These studies confirm the previously demonstrated circadian misalignment following environmental perturbations and reveal the utility of this model for minimally invasive, longitudinal monitoring of rhythmicity from specific mouse tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciearra B Smith
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Vincent van der Vinne
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts
| | | | - Adam C Stowie
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tanya L Leise
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Lauren A Garbutt
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael H Brodsky
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Alec J Davidson
- Neuroscience Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Robert Dallmann
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - David R Weaver
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
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22
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Advancing Tumor Microenvironment Research by Combining Organs-on-Chips and Biosensors. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1379:171-203. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-04039-9_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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23
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Liu S, Su Y, Lin MZ, Ronald JA. Brightening up Biology: Advances in Luciferase Systems for in Vivo Imaging. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:2707-2718. [PMID: 34780699 PMCID: PMC8689642 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Bioluminescence imaging
(BLI) using luciferase reporters is an
indispensable method for the noninvasive visualization of cell populations
and biochemical events in living animals. BLI is widely performed
with preclinical rodent models to understand disease processes and
evaluate potential cell- or gene-based therapies. However, in vivo BLI remains constrained by low photon production
and tissue attenuation, limiting the sensitivity of reporting from
small numbers of cells in deep locations and hindering its application
to larger animal models. This Review highlights recent advances in
the development of luciferase systems that improve the sensitivity
of in vivo BLI and discusses the expanding array
of biological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Liu
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A3K7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A3K7, Canada
| | - Yichi Su
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Michael Z. Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - John A. Ronald
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A3K7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A3K7, Canada
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24
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Martin-Burgos B, Wang W, William I, Tir S, Mohammad I, Javed R, Smith S, Cui Y, Arzavala J, Mora D, Smith CB, van der Vinne V, Molyneux PC, Miller SC, Weaver DR, Leise TL, Harrington ME. Methods for Detecting PER2:LUCIFERASE Bioluminescence Rhythms in Freely Moving Mice. J Biol Rhythms 2021; 37:78-93. [PMID: 34873943 DOI: 10.1177/07487304211062829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms are driven by daily oscillations of gene expression. An important tool for studying cellular and tissue circadian rhythms is the use of a gene reporter, such as bioluminescence from the reporter gene luciferase controlled by a rhythmically expressed gene of interest. Here we describe methods that allow measurement of circadian bioluminescence from a freely moving mouse housed in a standard cage. Using a LumiCycle In Vivo (Actimetrics), we determined conditions that allow detection of circadian rhythms of bioluminescence from the PER2 reporter, PER2::LUC, in freely behaving mice. The LumiCycle In Vivo applies a background subtraction that corrects for effects of room temperature on photomultiplier tube (PMT) output. We tested delivery of d-luciferin via a subcutaneous minipump and in the drinking water. We demonstrate spikes in bioluminescence associated with drinking bouts. Further, we demonstrate that a synthetic luciferase substrate, CycLuc1, can support circadian rhythms of bioluminescence, even when delivered at a lower concentration than d-luciferin, and can support longer-term studies. A small difference in phase of the PER2::LUC bioluminescence rhythms, with females phase leading males, can be detected with this technique. We share our analysis scripts and suggestions for further improvements in this method. This approach will be straightforward to apply to mice with tissue-specific reporters, allowing insights into responses of specific peripheral clocks to perturbations such as environmental or pharmacological manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wanqi Wang
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Ivana William
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Selma Tir
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Innus Mohammad
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Reja Javed
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Stormi Smith
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Yilin Cui
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | | | - Dalilah Mora
- Neuroscience Program, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Ciearra B Smith
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Vincent van der Vinne
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Department of Biology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts
| | | | - Stephen C Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - David R Weaver
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.,Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Tanya L Leise
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts
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25
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Moreira Teixeira L, Mezzanotte L. New bioimaging avenues for organs‐on‐chips by integration of bioluminescence. VIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/viw.20200177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Moreira Teixeira
- Department of Developmental Bioengineering Technical Medical Centre University of Twente Enschede The Netherlands
| | - Laura Mezzanotte
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Genetics Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam The Netherlands
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26
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Yang J, Johnson CH. Bioluminescent Sensors for Ca ++ Flux Imaging and the Introduction of a New Intensity-Based Ca ++ Sensor. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:773353. [PMID: 34778237 PMCID: PMC8578923 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.773353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitive detection of biological events is a goal for the design and characterization of sensors that can be used in vitro and in vivo. One important second messenger is Ca++ which has been a focus of using genetically encoded Ca++ indicators (GECIs) within living cells or intact organisms in vivo. An ideal GECI would exhibit high signal intensity, excellent signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), rapid kinetics, a large dynamic range within relevant physiological conditions, and red-shifted emission. Most available GECIs are based on fluorescence, but bioluminescent GECIs have potential advantages in terms of avoiding tissue autofluorescence, phototoxicity, photobleaching, and spectral overlap, as well as enhancing SNR. Here, we summarize current progress in the development of bioluminescent GECIs and introduce a new and previously unpublished biosensor. Because these biosensors require a substrate, we also describe the pros and cons of various substrates used with these sensors. The novel GECI that is introduced here is called CalBiT, and it is a Ca++ indicator based on the functional complementation of NanoBiT which shows a high dynamic change in response to Ca++ fluxes. Here, we use CalBiT for the detection of Ca++ fluctuations in cultured cells, including its ability for real-time imaging in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Carl Hirschie Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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Bozdemir E, Vigil FA, Chun SH, Espinoza L, Bugay V, Khoury SM, Holstein DM, Stoja A, Lozano D, Tunca C, Sprague SM, Cavazos JE, Brenner R, Liston TE, Shapiro MS, Lechleiter JD. Neuroprotective Roles of the Adenosine A 3 Receptor Agonist AST-004 in Mouse Model of Traumatic Brain Injury. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:2707-2721. [PMID: 34608616 PMCID: PMC8804149 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01113-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the greatest public health concerns with increasing morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Our group reported that stimulation of astrocyte mitochondrial metabolism by P2Y1 receptor agonists significantly reduced cerebral edema and reactive gliosis in a TBI model. Subsequent data on the pharmacokinetics (PK) and rapid metabolism of these compounds suggested that neuroprotection was likely mediated by a metabolite, AST-004, which binding data indicated was an adenosine A3 receptor (A3R) agonist. The neuroprotective efficacy of AST-004 was tested in a control closed cortical injury (CCCI) model of TBI in mice. Twenty-four (24) hours post-injury, mice subjected to CCCI and treated with AST-004 (0.22 mg/kg, injected 30 min post-trauma) exhibited significantly less secondary brain injury. These effects were quantified with less cell death (PSVue794 fluorescence) and loss of blood brain barrier breakdown (Evans blue extravasation assay), compared to vehicle-treated TBI mice. TBI-treated mice also exhibited significantly reduced neuroinflammatory markers, glial-fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, astrogliosis) and ionized Ca2+-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1, microgliosis), both at the mRNA (qRT-PCR) and protein (Western blot and immunofluorescence) levels, respectively. Four (4) weeks post-injury, both male and female TBI mice presented a significant reduction in freezing behavior during contextual fear conditioning (after foot shock). AST-004 treatment prevented this TBI-induced impairment in male mice, but did not significantly affect impairment in female mice. Impairment of spatial memory, assessed 24 and 48 h after the initial fear conditioning, was also reduced in AST-004-treated TBI-male mice. Female TBI mice did not exhibit memory impairment 24 and 48 h after contextual fear conditioning and similarly, AST-004-treated female TBI mice were comparable to sham mice. Finally, AST-004 treatments were found to increase in vivo ATP production in astrocytes (GFAP-targeted luciferase activity), consistent with the proposed mechanism of action. These data reveal AST-004 as a novel A3R agonist that increases astrocyte energy production and enhances their neuroprotective efficacy after brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eda Bozdemir
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Fabio A. Vigil
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Sang H. Chun
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Liliana Espinoza
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Vladislav Bugay
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Sarah M. Khoury
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Deborah M. Holstein
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Aiola Stoja
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Damian Lozano
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Ceyda Tunca
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Shane M. Sprague
- Department of Neurosurgery, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Jose E. Cavazos
- Department of Neurology, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Robert Brenner
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - Theodore E. Liston
- Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals Inc, 245 First Street, Suite 1800, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Mark S. Shapiro
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
| | - James D. Lechleiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, 8403 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3904 USA
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Firefly luciferase offers superior performance to AkaLuc for tracking the fate of administered cell therapies. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2021; 49:796-808. [PMID: 34313817 PMCID: PMC8803776 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-021-05439-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Introduction A novel, red-shifted bioluminescence imaging (BLI) system called AkaBLI has been recently developed for cell tracking in preclinical models and to date, limited data is available on how it performs in relation to existing systems. Purpose To systematically compare the performance of AkaBLI and the standard Firefly luciferase (FLuc) systems to monitor the biodistribution and fate of cell therapies in rodents. Methods Umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were transduced to produce two genetically engineered populations, expressing either AkaLuc or the engineered FLuc luc2. The bioluminescence of AkaLuc+ and FLuc+ cells was assessed both in vitro (emission spectra, saturation kinetics and light emission per cell) and in vivo (substrate kinetics following intraperitoneal and subcutaneous administration and biodistribution of the cells up to day 7). Results Introduction of the reporter genes has no effect on MSC phenotype. For BLI, the FLuc system is superior to AkaBLI in terms of (i) light output, producing a stronger signal after subcutaneous substrate delivery and more consistent signal kinetics when delivered intraperitoneally; (ii) absence of hepatic background; and (iii) safety, where the AkaLuc substrate was associated with a reaction in the skin of the mice in vivo. Conclusion We conclude that there is no advantage in using the AkaBLI system to track the biodistribution of systemically administered cell-based regenerative medicine therapies in vivo. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00259-021-05439-4.
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Yevtodiyenko A, Bazhin A, Khodakivskyi P, Godinat A, Budin G, Maric T, Pietramaggiori G, Scherer SS, Kunchulia M, Eppeldauer G, Polyakov SV, Francis KP, Bryan JN, Goun EA. Portable bioluminescent platform for in vivo monitoring of biological processes in non-transgenic animals. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2680. [PMID: 33976191 PMCID: PMC8113525 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22892-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescent imaging (BLI) is one of the most powerful and widely used preclinical imaging modalities. However, the current technology relies on the use of transgenic luciferase-expressing cells and animals and therefore can only be applied to a limited number of existing animal models of human disease. Here, we report the development of a “portable bioluminescent” (PBL) technology that overcomes most of the major limitations of traditional BLI. We demonstrate that the PBL method is capable of noninvasive measuring the activity of both extracellular (e.g., dipeptidyl peptidase 4) and intracellular (e.g., cytochrome P450) enzymes in vivo in non-luciferase-expressing mice. Moreover, we successfully utilize PBL technology in dogs and human cadaver, paving the way for the translation of functional BLI to the noninvasive quantification of biological processes in large animals. The PBL methodology can be easily adapted for the noninvasive monitoring of a plethora of diseases across multiple species. Bioluminescence imaging tends to rely on transgenic luciferase-expressing cells and animals. Here the authors report a portable bioluminescent system to non-invasively measure intra- and extracellular enzymes in vivo in non-transgenic animals which do not express luciferase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksey Yevtodiyenko
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Arkadiy Bazhin
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pavlo Khodakivskyi
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Aurelien Godinat
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ghyslain Budin
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tamara Maric
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Pietramaggiori
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Plastic Surgery, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sandra S Scherer
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Plastic Surgery, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Marina Kunchulia
- Institute of Cognitive Neurosciences, Free University of Tbilisi, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - George Eppeldauer
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Sergey V Polyakov
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD, USA.,Physics Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Kevin P Francis
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey N Bryan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Elena A Goun
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering (ISIC), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland. .,Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA.
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30
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Nissim-Eliraz E, Nir E, Marsiano N, Yagel S, Shpigel NY. NF-kappa-B activation unveils the presence of inflammatory hotspots in human gut xenografts. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0243010. [PMID: 33939711 PMCID: PMC8092666 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The single-epithelial cell layer of the gut mucosa serves as an essential barrier between the host and luminal microflora and plays a major role in innate immunity against invading pathogens. Nuclear factor kB (NF-κB), a central component of the cellular signaling machinery, regulates immune response and inflammation. NF-κB proteins are activated by signaling pathways downstream to microbial recognition receptors and cytokines receptors. Highly regulated NF-κB activity in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) is essential for normal gut homeostasis; dysregulated activity has been linked to a number of disease states, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's Disease (CD). Our aim was to visualize and quantify spatial and temporal dynamics of NF-κB activity in steady state and inflamed human gut. Lentivirus technology was used to transduce the IEC of human gut xenografts in SCID mice with a NF-κB luminescence reporter system. NF-κB signaling was visualized and quantified using low resolution, intravital imaging of the whole body and high resolution, immunofluorescence microscopic imaging of the tissues. We show that NF-κB is activated in select subset of IEC with low "leaky" NF-κB activity. These unique inflammatory epithelial cells are clustered in the gut into discrete hotspots of NF-κB activity that are visible in steady state and selectively activated by systemic LPS and human TNFα or luminal bacteria. The presence of inflammatory hotspots in the normal and inflamed gut might explain the patchy mucosal lesions characterizing CD and thus could have important implications for diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat Nissim-Eliraz
- Department of Basic Sciences, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eilam Nir
- Department of Basic Sciences, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Noga Marsiano
- Department of Basic Sciences, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Simcha Yagel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Nahum Y. Shpigel
- Department of Basic Sciences, Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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31
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Zeng K, Ma L, Yang W, Lei S, Wang M, You Y, Zhao Y, Ge X. Biodegradable nano-organosilica gene carrier for high-efficiency gene transfection. J Mater Chem B 2021; 8:2483-2494. [PMID: 32110782 DOI: 10.1039/d0tb00108b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Finding and exploiting safe and high-efficiency gene carriers have always been critical tasks for gene therapy. In this work, novel GSH-triggered degradable organosilica nanoparticles grafted with guanidinated-fluorinated α-polylysine (o-SiNP-GF) are prepared to be studied as gene carriers. The organosilica matrix of o-SiNP-GF is synthesized through the hydrolysis and condensation of 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTSE) and bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl]tetrasulfide (BTSPTS). The o-SiNP-GF nanoparticles have a size of about 20 nm. They possess a positive zeta potential of 42 mV in PBS (pH 7.4) and can be disintegrated in the presence of GSH. The cytotoxicity and DNA-binding ability of o-SiNP-GF, as well as in vitro gene transfection performance of DNA/o-SiNP-GF complexes, have been investigated using enhanced green fluorescent protein plasmid (pEGFP) as the DNA model. MTT assay shows that the cytotoxicity of o-SiNP-GF is very low even at a concentration up to 800 μg mL-1. The o-SiNP-GF nanoparticles can effectively bind to pEGFP through a complex coacervation method. The in vitro transfection efficiency of pEGFP/o-SiNP-GF complexes in 293T cells is up to 94.7% at the N/P ratio of 10, much higher than that of pEGFP/PEI complexes. Luciferase gene and fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) gene are also used as the DNA models to study the in vivo gene transfection performance of the o-SiNP-GF carrier by bioluminescence imaging and the evaluation of the healing rate of a mouse wound, respectively. Compared with naked DNA and DNA/PEI complexes, DNA/o-SiNP-GF complexes show much higher in vivo transfection efficiency. This work not only provides a way to prepare novel GSH-triggered degradable organosilica nanoparticles of size less than 50 nm, but also proves that the modification of guanidinated-fluorinated α-polylysine is an effective method to improve the efficiency of gene carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zeng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
| | - Li Ma
- Department of Plastic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China
| | - Wenxiu Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
| | - Shan Lei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
| | - Mozhen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
| | - Yezi You
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
| | - Yu Zhao
- Department of Plastic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China
| | - Xuewu Ge
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
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Zhou Y, Yin K, Dong H, Yang S, Li J, Luo J, Li Y, Yang R. Long-Lasting Bioluminescence Imaging of the Fibroblast Activation Protein by an Amphiphilic Block Copolymer-Based Probe. Anal Chem 2021; 93:3726-3732. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Zhou
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P. R. China
| | - Keyi Yin
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P. R. China
| | - Hao Dong
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P. R. China
| | - Sheng Yang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P. R. China
| | - JunBin Li
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P. R. China
| | - Jinqiu Luo
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P. R. China
| | - Yi Li
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ministry of Education, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, P. R. China
| | - Ronghua Yang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology & Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, P. R. China
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Diet- and sex-related changes of gut microbiota composition and functional profiles after 4 months of weight loss intervention. Eur J Nutr 2021; 60:3279-3301. [PMID: 33591390 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-021-02508-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Obesity has been related to intestinal dysbiosis and the modification of gut microbiota composition by dietary strategies becomes a promising strategy to help manage obesity. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of two weight-loss diets on the composition and functional profile of gut microbiota. METHODS 55 men and 124 women with BMI > 25 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to moderately high-protein (MHP) or low-fat (LF) diet. Differences in fecal bacteria abundance (based on 16 s rRNA sequencing) between before and after 4 months of calorie restriction was analyzed using EdgeR tool in MicrobiomeAnalyst platform. Bacterial functional profile was predicted using Tax4Fun and metagenomeSeq analysis. Significant KEGG Orthology (KO) terms were selected for the metabolomic study using chromatography. RESULTS After the intervention, MHP-men showed a significant decrease in Negativicutes, Selenomonadales, Dielma and Dielma fastidiosa. LF-men showed a significant increase in Bacilli, Lactobacillales, Christensenellaceae, Peptococcaceae, and Streptococcaceae, Peptococcus, Streptococcus and Christensenella, Duncaniella dubosii_CP039396_93.49%, Roseburia sp_AB744234_98.96% and Alistipes inops_KJ572413_99.57%. MHP-women increased Pasteurellales, Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens, Ruthenibacterium lactatiformans_LR215981_99.55% and decreased in Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens_NR112902_99.56%. Finally, LF-women presented a significant decrease in Bacteroides clarus and Erysipelothrix inopinata_CP060715_84.4%. Surprisingly, no matching bacterial changes were found between these four groups. A total of 42 KO, 10 metabolic pathways and 107 related metabolites related were found implicated in these bacterial changes. Seven metabolites were confirmed in plasma. CONCLUSION Weight-loss-related-changes in gut microbiome composition and the functional profile occur in a sex- and diet-related manner, showing that women and men could differentially benefit from the consumption of MHP and LF diets. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT02737267, 10th March 2016 retrospectively registered.
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Saito-Moriya R, Nakayama J, Kamiya G, Kitada N, Obata R, Maki SA, Aoyama H. How to Select Firefly Luciferin Analogues for In Vivo Imaging. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1848. [PMID: 33673331 PMCID: PMC7918177 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence reactions are widely applied in optical in vivo imaging in the life science and medical fields. Such reactions produce light upon the oxidation of a luciferin (substrate) catalyzed by a luciferase (enzyme), and this bioluminescence enables the quantification of tumor cells and gene expression in animal models. Many researchers have developed single-color or multicolor bioluminescence systems based on artificial luciferin analogues and/or luciferase mutants, for application in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI). In the current review, we focus on the characteristics of firefly BLI technology and discuss the development of luciferin analogues for high-resolution in vivo BLI. In addition, we discuss the novel luciferin analogues TokeOni and seMpai, which show potential as high-sensitivity in vivo BLI reagents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Saito-Moriya
- School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
- Center for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Jun Nakayama
- Division of Cellular Signaling, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Genta Kamiya
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
- Center for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Nobuo Kitada
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
- Center for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Rika Obata
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Shojiro A Maki
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
- Center for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Aoyama
- School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan
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35
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Syed AJ, Anderson JC. Applications of bioluminescence in biotechnology and beyond. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:5668-5705. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cs01492c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Bioluminescent probes have hugely benefited from the input of synthetic chemistry and protein engineering. Here we review the latest applications of these probes in biotechnology and beyond, with an eye on current limitations and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha J. Syed
- Department of Chemistry
- University College London
- London
- UK
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36
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Li S, Ruan Z, Zhang H, Xu H. Recent achievements of bioluminescence imaging based on firefly luciferin-luciferase system. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 211:113111. [PMID: 33360804 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a newly developed noninvasive visual approach which facilitates the understanding of a plethora of biological processes in vitro and in vivo due to the high sensitivity, resolution and selectivity, low background signal, and the lack of external light excitation. BLI based on firefly luciferin-luciferase system has been widely used for the activity evaluation of tumor-specific enzymes, for the detection of diseases-related bioactive small molecules and metal ions, and for the diagnosis and therapy of diseases including the studies of drug transport, the research of immune response, and the evaluation of drug potency and tissue distribution. In this review, we highlight the recent achievements in luciferin derivatives with red-shifted emission spectra, mutant luciferase-luciferin pairs, and the diagnostic and therapeutic application of BLI based on firefly luciferin-luciferase system. The development and application of BLI will expand our knowledge of the occurrence and development of diseases and shed light on the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Henan Province for New Drug R&D and Preclinical Safety, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, China
| | - Zhiyang Ruan
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Henan Province for New Drug R&D and Preclinical Safety, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, China
| | - Hang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Henan Province for New Drug R&D and Preclinical Safety, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, China.
| | - Haiwei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Henan Province for New Drug R&D and Preclinical Safety, and School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, China.
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Madsen SD, Giler MK, Bunnell BA, O'Connor KC. Illuminating the Regenerative Properties of Stem Cells In Vivo with Bioluminescence Imaging. Biotechnol J 2020; 16:e2000248. [PMID: 33089922 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202000248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical animal studies are essential to the development of safe and effective stem cell therapies. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a powerful tool in animal studies that enables the real-time longitudinal monitoring of stem cells in vivo to elucidate their regenerative properties. This review describes the application of BLI in preclinical stem cell research to address critical challenges in producing successful stem cell therapeutics. These challenges include stem cell survival, proliferation, homing, stress response, and differentiation. The applications presented here utilize bioluminescence to investigate a variety of stem and progenitor cells in several different in vivo models of disease and implantation. An overview of luciferase reporters is provided, along with the advantages and disadvantages of BLI. Additionally, BLI is compared to other preclinical imaging modalities and potential future applications of this technology are discussed in emerging areas of stem cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean D Madsen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Margaret K Giler
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
| | - Bruce A Bunnell
- Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Kim C O'Connor
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA.,Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA
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Dimond A, Van de Pette M, Fisher AG. Illuminating Epigenetics and Inheritance in the Immune System with Bioluminescence. Trends Immunol 2020; 41:994-1005. [PMID: 33036908 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable process of light emission by living organisms has fascinated mankind for thousands of years. A recent expansion in the repertoire of catalytic luciferase enzymes, coupled with the discovery of the genes and pathways that encode different luciferin substrates, means that bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is set to revolutionize longitudinal and dynamic studies of gene control within biomedicine, including the regulation of immune responses. In this review article, we summarize recent advances in bioluminescence-based imaging approaches that promise to enlighten our understanding of in vivo gene and epigenetic control within the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Dimond
- Lymphocyte Development Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mathew Van de Pette
- Epigenetic Mechanisms of Toxicity, MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Amanda G Fisher
- Lymphocyte Development Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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Bellini M, Riva B, Tinelli V, Rizzuto MA, Salvioni L, Colombo M, Mingozzi F, Visioli A, Marongiu L, Frascotti G, Christodoulou MS, Passarella D, Prosperi D, Fiandra L. Engineered Ferritin Nanoparticles for the Bioluminescence Tracking of Nanodrug Delivery in Cancer. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e2001450. [PMID: 32856404 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202001450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The identification of a highly sensitive method to check the delivery of administered nanodrugs into the tumor cells is a crucial step of preclinical studies aimed to develop new nanoformulated cures, since it allows the real therapeutic potential of these devices to be forecast. In the present work, the ability of an H-ferritin (HFn) nanocage, already investigated as a powerful tool for cancer therapy thanks to its ability to actively interact with the transferrin receptor 1, to act as an efficient probe for the monitoring of nanodrug delivery to tumors is demonstrated. The final formulation is a bioluminescent nanoparticle, where the luciferin probe is conjugated on nanoparticle surface by means of a disulfide containing linker (Luc-linker@HFn) which is subjected to glutathione-induced cyclization in tumor cell cytoplasm. The prolonged imaging of luciferase+ tumor models, demonstrated by an in vitro and an in vivo approach, associated with the prolonged release of luciferin into cancer cells by disulfide bridge reduction, clearly indicates the high efficiency of Luc-linker@HFn for drug delivery to the tumor tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Bellini
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Benedetta Riva
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Veronica Tinelli
- Nanomedicine laboratory, ICS Maugeri S.p.A. SB, via S. Maugeri 10, Pavia, 27100, Italy
| | - Maria Antonietta Rizzuto
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Lucia Salvioni
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Miriam Colombo
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Francesca Mingozzi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Alberto Visioli
- STEMGEN Spa, c/o Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Laura Marongiu
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | - Gianni Frascotti
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
| | | | - Daniele Passarella
- Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, via Golgi 19, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Davide Prosperi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, Milan, 20126, Italy
- Nanomedicine laboratory, ICS Maugeri S.p.A. SB, via S. Maugeri 10, Pavia, 27100, Italy
| | - Luisa Fiandra
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 1, Milan, 20126, Italy
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Zambito G, Gaspar N, Ridwan Y, Hall MP, Shi C, Kirkland TA, Encell LP, Löwik C, Mezzanotte L. Evaluating Brightness and Spectral Properties of Click Beetle and Firefly Luciferases Using Luciferin Analogues: Identification of Preferred Pairings of Luciferase and Substrate for In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging. Mol Imaging Biol 2020; 22:1523-1531. [PMID: 32926287 PMCID: PMC7666294 DOI: 10.1007/s11307-020-01523-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Currently, a variety of red and green beetle luciferase variants are available for bioluminescence imaging (BLI). In addition, new luciferin analogues providing longer wavelength luminescence have been developed that show promise for improved deep tissue imaging. However, a detailed assessment of these analogues (e.g., Akalumine-HCl, CycLuc1, and amino naphthyl luciferin (NH2-NpLH2)) combined with state of the art luciferases has not been performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time the in vivo brightness and spectral characteristics of firefly (Luc2), click beetle green (CBG99), click beetle red 2 (CBR2), and Akaluc luciferases when paired with different d-luciferin (d-LH2) analogues in vivo. Procedures Transduced human embryonic kidney (HEK 293T) cells expressing individual luciferases were analyzed both in vitro and in mice (via subcutaneous injection). Following introduction of the luciferins to cells or animals, the resulting bioluminescence signal and photon emission spectrum were acquired using a sensitive charge-coupled device (CCD) camera equipped with a series of band pass filters and spectral unmixing software. Results Our in vivo analysis resulted in four primary findings: (1) the best substrate for Luc2, CBG99, and CBR2 in terms of signal strength was d-luciferin; (2) the spectra for Luc2 and CBR2 were shifted to a longer wavelength when Akalumine-HCl was the substrate; (3) CBR2 gave the brightest signal with the near-infrared substrate, NH2-NpLH2; and (4) Akaluc was brighter when paired with either CycLuc1 or Akalumine-HCl when paired with d-LH2. Conclusion We believe that the experimental results described here should provide valuable guidance to end users for choosing the correct luciferin/luciferase pairs for a variety of BLI applications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11307-020-01523-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Zambito
- Erasmus Medical Center, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Center, Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Medres medical research GmBH, Cologne, Germany
| | - Natasa Gaspar
- Erasmus Medical Center, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Center, Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Percuros B.V, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yanto Ridwan
- Erasmus Medical Center, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Center, Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ce Shi
- Promega Biosciences Incorporated, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Clemens Löwik
- Erasmus Medical Center, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus Medical Center, Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- CHUV Department of Oncology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laura Mezzanotte
- Erasmus Medical Center, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Erasmus Medical Center, Molecular Genetics, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Fukuchi M, Saito R, Maki S, Hagiwara N, Nakajima Y, Mitazaki S, Izumi H, Mori H. Visualization of activity-regulated BDNF expression in the living mouse brain using non-invasive near-infrared bioluminescence imaging. Mol Brain 2020; 13:122. [PMID: 32894176 PMCID: PMC7487487 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00665-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been reported in neurologically diseased human brains. Therefore, it is important to understand how the expression of BDNF is controlled under pathophysiological as well as physiological conditions. Here, we report a method to visualize changes in BDNF expression in the living mouse brain using bioluminescence imaging (BLI). We previously generated a novel transgenic mouse strain, Bdnf-Luciferase (Luc), to monitor changes in Bdnf expression; however, it was difficult to detect brain-derived signals in the strain using BLI with d-luciferin, probably because of incomplete substrate distribution and light penetration. We demonstrate that TokeOni, which uniformly distributes throughout the whole mouse body after systematic injection and produces a near-infrared bioluminescence light, was suitable for detecting signals from the brain of the Bdnf-Luc mouse. We clearly detected brain-derived bioluminescence signals that crossed the skin and skull after intraperitoneal injection of TokeOni. However, repeated BLI using TokeOni should be limited, because repeated injection of TokeOni on the same day reduced the bioluminescence signal, presumably by product inhibition. We successfully visualized kainic acid-induced Bdnf expression in the hippocampus and sensory stimulation-induced Bdnf expression in the visual cortex. Taken together, non-invasive near-infrared BLI using Bdnf-Luc mice with TokeOni allowed us to evaluate alterations in BDNF levels in the living mouse brain. This will enable better understanding of the involvement of BDNF expression in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamoru Fukuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, 60 Nakaorui-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0033 Japan
| | - Ryohei Saito
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-8585 Japan
- School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392 Japan
| | - Shojiro Maki
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-8585 Japan
| | - Nami Hagiwara
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, 60 Nakaorui-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0033 Japan
| | - Yumena Nakajima
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, 60 Nakaorui-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0033 Japan
| | - Satoru Mitazaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, 60 Nakaorui-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0033 Japan
| | - Hironori Izumi
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194 Japan
| | - Hisashi Mori
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194 Japan
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Love AC, Prescher JA. Seeing (and Using) the Light: Recent Developments in Bioluminescence Technology. Cell Chem Biol 2020; 27:904-920. [PMID: 32795417 PMCID: PMC7472846 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Bioluminescence has long been used to image biological processes in vivo. This technology features luciferase enzymes and luciferin small molecules that produce visible light. Bioluminescent photons can be detected in tissues and live organisms, enabling sensitive and noninvasive readouts on physiological function. Traditional applications have focused on tracking cells and gene expression patterns, but new probes are pushing the frontiers of what can be visualized. The past few years have also seen the merger of bioluminescence with optogenetic platforms. Luciferase-luciferin reactions can drive light-activatable proteins, ultimately triggering signal transduction and other downstream events. This review highlights these and other recent advances in bioluminescence technology, with an emphasis on tool development. We showcase how new luciferins and engineered luciferases are expanding the scope of optical imaging. We also highlight how bioluminescent systems are being leveraged not just for sensing-but also controlling-biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Love
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Jennifer A Prescher
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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43
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Wang DD, Zou LW, Jin Q, Guan XQ, Yu Y, Zhu YD, Huang J, Gao P, Wang P, Ge GB, Yang L. Bioluminescent Sensor Reveals that Carboxylesterase 1A is a Novel Endoplasmic Reticulum-Derived Serologic Indicator for Hepatocyte Injury. ACS Sens 2020; 5:1987-1995. [PMID: 32529833 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c00384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Discovery of novel liver injury indicators and development of practical assays to detect target indicator(s) would strongly facilitate the diagnosis of liver disorders. Herein, an alternative biomarker discovery strategy was applied to find suitable endoplasmic reticulum-resident protein(s) as serologic indicator(s) for hepatocyte injury via analysis of the human proteome database among plasma and various organs. Both database searching and preliminary experiments suggested that human carboxylesterase 1A (CES1A), one of the most abundant and hepatic-restricted proteins, could serve as a good serologic indicator for hepatocyte injury. Then, a highly selective and practical bioluminescent sensor was developed for real-time sensing of CES1A in various biological systems including plasma. With the help of this bioluminescent sensor, the release of hepatic CES1A into the extracellular medium or the circulation system could be directly monitored. Further investigations demonstrated that serum activity levels of CES1A were elevated dramatically in mice with liver injury or patients with liver diseases. Collectively, this study provided solid evidence to support that CES1A was a novel serological indicator for hepatocyte injury. Furthermore, the strategy used in this study paved a new way for the rational discovery of practical indicators to monitor the dynamic progression of injury in a given tissue or organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Wang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Li-Wei Zou
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Qiang Jin
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Guan
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ya-Di Zhu
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shanghai Institute of Food and Drug Control, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Peng Gao
- Dalian Sixth Peoples Hospital Affiliated of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116001, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Guang-Bo Ge
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ling Yang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
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Abstract
Luciferase enzymes from bioluminescent organisms can be expressed in mice, enabling these rodents to glow when treated with a corresponding luciferin substrate. Light emission occurs where the expression of the genetically-encoded luciferase overlaps with the biodistribution of the administered small molecule luciferin. Here we discuss differences between firefly luciferin analogues for bioluminescence imaging, focusing on transgenic and adeno-associated virus (AAV)-transduced mice.
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Precise visual distinction of brain glioma from normal tissues via targeted photoacoustic and fluorescence navigation. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2020; 27:102204. [PMID: 32294568 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2020.102204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The vexing difficulty in distinguishing glioma from normal tissues is a major obstacle to prognosis. In an attempt to solve this problem, we used a joint strategy that combined targeted-cancer stem cells nanoparticles with precise photoacoustic and fluorescence navigation. We showed that traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did not represent the true morphology of tumors. Targeted nanoparticles specifically accumulated in the tumor area. Glioma was precisely revealed at the cellular level. Tumors could be non-invasively detected through the intact skull by fluorescence molecular imaging (FMI) and photoacoustic tomography (PAT). Moreover, PAT can be used to excise deep gliomas. Histological correlation confirmed that FMI imaging accurately delineated scattered tumor cells. The combination of optical PAT and FMI navigation fulfilled the promise of precise visual imaging in glioma detection and resection. This detection method was deeper and more intuitive than the current intraoperative pathology.
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Dai Y, Chen D, Wang G, Yin J, Zhan Y, Wu K, Liang J, Chen X. Kinetic modeling and analysis of dynamic bioluminescence imaging of substrates administered by intraperitoneal injection. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2020; 10:389-396. [PMID: 32190565 DOI: 10.21037/qims.2020.01.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has been found to have diverse applications in the life sciences and medical research due to its ease of use and high sensitivity. From kinetics analysis, dynamic imaging studies have significant advantages for diagnosis when compared to traditional static imaging studies. This work focuses on modeling and quantitatively analyzing the dynamic data produced from the intraperitoneal (IP) injection of D-luciferin in longitudinal BLI, aiming to provide a powerful tool for monitoring the growth of tumors. Methods We constructed a three-compartment pharmacokinetic (PK) model and employed the standard Michaelis-Menten (M-M) kinetics to investigate the dynamic BLI data produced from the IP injection of D-luciferin. The 3 compartments were the plasma compartment, the non-specific compartment, and the specific compartment. The validity of this PK model was tested by the dynamic BLI data of MKN28M-luc xenograft mice, along with the published longitudinal dynamic BLI data of B16F10-luc xenograft mice. Results The R-squares between the simulated lines and the measurement were 1 and 0.99, respectively, for the mice data and the published data. In addition, the 2 kinetic macroparameters obtained reflected the rate of tumor growth in vivo. In particular, the values of macroparameters A showed a significant dependence on tumor surface area. Conclusions The proposed PK model may be an effective tool for use in drug development programs and for monitoring the response of tumors to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Dai
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Duofang Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Guodong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jipeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Yonghua Zhan
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Kaichun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jimin Liang
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
| | - Xueli Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education & School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
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Schomann T, Mezzanotte L, de Groot JCMJ, Löwik CWGM, Frijns JHM, Huisman MA. Imaging Bioluminescent Exogenous Stem Cells in the Intact Guinea Pig Cochlea. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 303:427-440. [PMID: 30635981 PMCID: PMC7065152 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Stem-cell-based therapy may be used to replace damaged or lost neurons in the cochlear nerve of patients suffering from severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. In order to achieve functional recovery in future clinical trials, knowledge about survival of grafted cells and their differentiation into functional neurons is a prerequisite. This calls for non-invasive in vivo visualization of cells and long-term monitoring of their survival and fate after cochlear transplantation. We have investigated if molecular optical imaging enables visualization of exogenous cells in the intact cochlea of guinea pig cadaver heads. Transduced (stem) cells, stably co-expressing fluorescent (copGFP) and bioluminescent (Luc2) reporter molecules, were injected into the internal auditory meatus or directly into the cochlea through the round window. After injection of the cells into the internal auditory meatus, a bright bioluminescent signal was observed in the cavum conchae of the auricle, indicating that light generated by Luc2 is passing through the tympanic membrane and the external auditory meatus. Similar results were obtained after injection of the cells through the round window membrane, either directly into the scala tympani or in Rosenthal's canal within the modiolus of the basal cochlear turn. Imaging of the auditory bulla demonstrated that the bioluminescent signal passes through the tympanic membrane and crevices in the bony wall of the bulla. After opening the auditory bulla, the bioluminescent signal was emanating from the round window. This is the first study demonstrating that bioluminescence imaging enables visualization of luciferase-expressing cells injected into the intact guinea pig cochlea. Anat Rec, 303:427-440, 2020. © 2019 The Authors. The Anatomical Record published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Anatomists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Schomann
- Auditory Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Laura Mezzanotte
- Optical Molecular Imaging, Department of RadiologyErasmus Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - John C. M. J. de Groot
- Auditory Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Clemens W. G. M. Löwik
- Optical Molecular Imaging, Department of RadiologyErasmus Medical Center RotterdamRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Johan H. M. Frijns
- Auditory Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Margriet A. Huisman
- Auditory Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck SurgeryLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
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Jones K, Kentala K, Beck MW, An W, Lippert AR, Lewis JC, Dickinson BC. Development of a Split Esterase for Protein-Protein Interaction-Dependent Small-Molecule Activation. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2019; 5:1768-1776. [PMID: 31807678 PMCID: PMC6891849 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.9b00567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Split reporters based on fluorescent proteins and luciferases have emerged as valuable tools for measuring interactions in biological systems. Relatedly, biosensors that transduce measured input signals into outputs that influence the host system are key components of engineered gene circuits for synthetic biology applications. While small-molecule-based imaging agents are widely used in biological studies, and small-molecule-based drugs and chemical probes can target a range of biological processes, a general method for generating a target small molecule in a biological system based on a measured input signal is lacking. Here, we develop a proximity-dependent split esterase that selectively unmasks ester-protected small molecules in an interaction-dependent manner. Exploiting the versatility of an ester-protected small-molecule output, we demonstrate fluorescent, chemiluminescent, and pharmacological probe generation, each created by masking key alcohol functional groups on a target small molecule. We show that the split esterase system can be used in combination with ester-masked fluorescent or luminescent probes to measure protein-protein interactions and protein-protein interaction inhibitor engagement. We demonstrate that the esterase-based reporter system is compatible with other commonly used split reporter imaging systems for the simultaneous detection of multiple protein-protein interactions. Finally, we develop a system for selective small-molecule-dependent cell killing by unmasking a cytotoxic molecule using an inducible split esterase. Presaging utility in future synthetic biology-based therapeutic applications, we also show that the system can be used for intercellular cell killing via a bystander effect, where one activated cell unmasks a cytotoxic molecule and kills cells physically adjacent to the activated cells. Collectively, this work illustrates that the split esterase system is a valuable new addition to the split protein toolbox, with particularly exciting potential in synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krysten
A. Jones
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Kaitlin Kentala
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Michael W. Beck
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Weiwei An
- Department
of Chemistry, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4),
Center for Global Health Impact (CGHI), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275-0314, United States
| | - Alexander R. Lippert
- Department
of Chemistry, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4),
Center for Global Health Impact (CGHI), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275-0314, United States
| | - Jared C. Lewis
- Department
of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Bryan C. Dickinson
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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49
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Stowe CL, Burley TA, Allan H, Vinci M, Kramer-Marek G, Ciobota DM, Parkinson GN, Southworth TL, Agliardi G, Hotblack A, Lythgoe MF, Branchini BR, Kalber TL, Anderson JC, Pule MA. Near-infrared dual bioluminescence imaging in mouse models of cancer using infraluciferin. eLife 2019; 8:e45801. [PMID: 31610848 PMCID: PMC6828332 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is ubiquitous in scientific research for the sensitive tracking of biological processes in small animal models. However, due to the attenuation of visible light by tissue, and the limited set of near-infrared bioluminescent enzymes, BLI is largely restricted to monitoring single processes in vivo. Here we show, that by combining stabilised colour mutants of firefly luciferase (FLuc) with the luciferin (LH2) analogue infraluciferin (iLH2), near-infrared dual BLI can be achieved in vivo. The X-ray crystal structure of FLuc with a high-energy intermediate analogue, 5'-O-[N-(dehydroinfraluciferyl)sulfamoyl] adenosine (iDLSA) provides insight into the FLuc-iLH2 reaction leading to near-infrared light emission. The spectral characterisation and unmixing validation studies reported here established that iLH2 is superior to LH2 for the spectral unmixing of bioluminescent signals in vivo; which led to this novel near-infrared dual BLI system being applied to monitor both tumour burden and CAR T cell therapy within a systemically induced mouse tumour model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Stowe
- Cancer InstituteUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Helen Allan
- Department of ChemistryUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Maria Vinci
- The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Giulia Agliardi
- Cancer InstituteUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Mark F Lythgoe
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Tammy L Kalber
- Centre for Advanced Biomedical ImagingUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - James C Anderson
- Department of ChemistryUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Martin A Pule
- Cancer InstituteUniversity College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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50
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Branchini BR, Fontaine DM, Southworth TL, Huta BP, Racela A, Patel KD, Gulick AM. Mutagenesis and Structural Studies Reveal the Basis for the Activity and Stability Properties That Distinguish the Photinus Luciferases scintillans and pyralis. Biochemistry 2019; 58:4293-4303. [PMID: 31560532 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The dazzling yellow-green light emission of the common North American firefly Photinus pyralis and other bioluminescent organisms has provided a wide variety of prominent research applications like reporter gene assays and in vivo imaging methods. While the P. pyralis enzyme has been extensively studied, only recently has a second Photinus luciferase been cloned from the species scintillans. Even though the enzymes share very high sequence identity (89.8%), the color of the light they emit, their specific activity and their stability to heat, pH, and chemical denaturation are quite different with the scintillans luciferase being generally more resistant. Through the construction and evaluation of the properties of chimeric domain swapped, single point, and various combined variants, we have determined that only six amino acid changes are necessary to confer all of the properties of the scintillans enzyme to wild-type P. pyralis luciferase. Altered stability properties were attributed to four of the amino acid changes (T214N/S276T/H332N/E354N), and single mutations each predominantly changed emission color (Y255F) and specific activity (A222C). Results of a crystallographic study of the P. pyralis enzyme containing the six changes (Pps6) provide some insight into the structural basis for some of the documented property differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce R Branchini
- Department of Chemistry , Connecticut College , New London , Connecticut 06320 , United States
| | - Danielle M Fontaine
- Department of Chemistry , Connecticut College , New London , Connecticut 06320 , United States
| | - Tara L Southworth
- Department of Chemistry , Connecticut College , New London , Connecticut 06320 , United States
| | - Brian P Huta
- Department of Chemistry , Connecticut College , New London , Connecticut 06320 , United States
| | - Allison Racela
- Department of Chemistry , Connecticut College , New London , Connecticut 06320 , United States
| | - Ketan D Patel
- Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences , University at Buffalo , Buffalo , New York 14203 , United States
| | - Andrew M Gulick
- Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences , University at Buffalo , Buffalo , New York 14203 , United States
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