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Folts L, Martinez AS, McKey J. Tissue clearing and imaging approaches for in toto analysis of the reproductive system†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:1041-1054. [PMID: 38159104 PMCID: PMC11180619 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad182] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
New microscopy techniques in combination with tissue clearing protocols and emerging analytical approaches have presented researchers with the tools to understand dynamic biological processes in a three-dimensional context. This paves the road for the exploration of new research questions in reproductive biology, for which previous techniques have provided only approximate resolution. These new methodologies now allow for contextualized analysis of far-larger volumes than was previously possible. Tissue optical clearing and three-dimensional imaging techniques posit the bridging of molecular mechanisms, macroscopic morphogenic development, and maintenance of reproductive function into one cohesive and comprehensive understanding of the biology of the reproductive system. In this review, we present a survey of the various tissue clearing techniques and imaging systems, as they have been applied to the developing and adult reproductive system. We provide an overview of tools available for analysis of experimental data, giving particular attention to the emergence of artificial intelligence-assisted methods and their applicability to image analysis. We conclude with an evaluation of how novel image analysis approaches that have been applied to other organ systems could be incorporated into future experimental evaluation of reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian Folts
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
| | - Anthony S Martinez
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
| | - Jennifer McKey
- Section of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO, USA
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2
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Wang Y, Heymann F, Peiseler M. Intravital imaging: dynamic insights into liver immunity in health and disease. Gut 2024:gutjnl-2023-331739. [PMID: 38777574 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-331739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Inflammation is a critical component of most acute and chronic liver diseases. The liver is a unique immunological organ with a dense vascular network, leading to intense crosstalk between tissue-resident immune cells, passenger leucocytes and parenchymal cells. During acute and chronic liver diseases, the multifaceted immune response is involved in disease promoting and repair mechanisms, while upholding core liver immune functions. In recent years, single-cell technologies have unravelled a previously unknown heterogeneity of immune cells, reshaping the complexity of the hepatic immune response. However, inflammation is a dynamic biological process, encompassing various immune cells, orchestrated in temporal and spatial dimensions, and driven by multiorgan signals. Intravital microscopy (IVM) has emerged as a powerful tool to investigate immunity by visualising the dynamic interplay between different immune cells and their surroundings within a near-natural environment. In this review, we summarise the experimental considerations to perform IVM and highlight recent technological developments. Furthermore, we outline the unique contributions of IVM to our understanding of liver immunity. Through the lens of liver disease, we discuss novel immune-mediated disease mechanisms uncovered by imaging-based studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Wang
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Heymann
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Moritz Peiseler
- Department of Hepatology & Gastroenterology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Meena NK, Ng Y, Randazzo D, Weigert R, Puertollano R, Raben N. Intravital imaging of muscle damage and response to therapy in a model of Pompe disease. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1561. [PMID: 38445455 PMCID: PMC10915738 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Naresh K. Meena
- Cell and Developmental Biology CenterNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Yeap Ng
- Intravital Microscopy CoreCenter for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular BiologyCenter for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Davide Randazzo
- Light Imaging SectionOffice of Science and TechnologyNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Roberto Weigert
- Intravital Microscopy CoreCenter for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular BiologyCenter for Cancer ResearchNational Cancer Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Rosa Puertollano
- Cell and Developmental Biology CenterNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Nina Raben
- Cell and Developmental Biology CenterNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIHBethesdaMarylandUSA
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Peng X, Wang Y, Zhang J, Zhang Z, Qi S. Intravital imaging of the functions of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment during immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1288273. [PMID: 38124754 PMCID: PMC10730658 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1288273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has developed rapidly in recent years and stands as one of the most promising techniques for combating cancer. To develop and optimize cancer immunotherapy, it is crucial to comprehend the interactions between immune cells and tumor cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME is complex, with the distribution and function of immune cells undergoing dynamic changes. There are several research techniques to study the TME, and intravital imaging emerges as a powerful tool for capturing the spatiotemporal dynamics, especially the movement behavior and the immune function of various immune cells in real physiological state. Intravital imaging has several advantages, such as high spatio-temporal resolution, multicolor, dynamic and 4D detection, making it an invaluable tool for visualizing the dynamic processes in the TME. This review summarizes the workflow for intravital imaging technology, multi-color labeling methods, optical imaging windows, methods of imaging data analysis and the latest research in visualizing the spatio-temporal dynamics and function of immune cells in the TME. It is essential to investigate the role played by immune cells in the tumor immune response through intravital imaging. The review deepens our understanding of the unique contribution of intravital imaging to improve the efficiency of cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuwen Peng
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuke Wang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhihong Zhang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shuhong Qi
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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5
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Korolj A, Kohler RH, Scott E, Halabi EA, Lucas K, Carlson JCT, Weissleder R. Perfusion Window Chambers Enable Interventional Analyses of Tumor Microenvironments. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2304886. [PMID: 37870204 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Intravital microscopy (IVM) allows spatial and temporal imaging of different cell types in intact live tissue microenvironments. IVM has played a critical role in understanding cancer biology, invasion, metastases, and drug development. One considerable impediment to the field is the inability to interrogate the tumor microenvironment and its communication cascades during disease progression and therapeutic interventions. Here, a new implantable perfusion window chamber (PWC) is described that allows high-fidelity in vivo microscopy, local administration of stains and drugs, and longitudinal sampling of tumor interstitial fluid. This study shows that the new PWC design allows cyclic multiplexed imaging in vivo, imaging of drug action, and sampling of tumor-shed materials. The PWC will be broadly useful as a novel perturbable in vivo system for deciphering biology in complex microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Korolj
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rainer H Kohler
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Ella Scott
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Elias A Halabi
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Kilean Lucas
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jonathan C T Carlson
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Ralph Weissleder
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge St, CPZN 5206, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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Heaton AR, Burkard NJ, Sondel PM, Skala MC. Quantifying in vivo collagen reorganization during immunotherapy in murine melanoma with second harmonic generation imaging. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.09.566407. [PMID: 38014149 PMCID: PMC10680631 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.09.566407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Significance Increased collagen linearization and deposition during tumorigenesis can impede immune cell infiltration and lead to tumor metastasis. Although melanoma is well studied in immunotherapy research, studies that quantify collagen changes during melanoma progression and treatment are lacking. Aim Image in vivo collagen in preclinical melanoma models during immunotherapy and quantify the collagen phenotype in treated and control mice. Approach Second harmonic generation imaging of collagen was performed in mouse melanoma tumors in vivo over a treatment time-course. Animals were treated with a curative radiation and immunotherapy combination. Collagen morphology was quantified over time at an image and single fiber level using CurveAlign and CT-FIRE software. Results In immunotherapy-treated mice, collagen reorganized toward a healthy phenotype, including shorter, wider, curlier collagen fibers, with modestly higher collagen density. Temporally, collagen fiber straightness and length changed late in treatment (Day 9 and 12) while width and density changed early (Day 6) compared to control mice. Single fiber level collagen analysis was most sensitive to the changes between treatment groups compared to image level analysis. Conclusions Quantitative second harmonic generation imaging can provide insight into collagen dynamics in vivo during immunotherapy, with key implications in improving immunotherapy response in melanoma and other cancers.
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Hammoudeh SM, Ng Y, Wei BR, Madsen TD, Simpson RM, Weigert R, Randazzo PA. Fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma orthotopic tongue xenografts for study of invasion, intravasation and metastasis in live animals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.21.558858. [PMID: 38076999 PMCID: PMC10705524 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.21.558858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
PAX3/7 Fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma (FN-RMS) is a childhood mesodermal lineage malignancy with a poor prognosis for metastatic or relapsed cases. Towards achieving a more complete understanding of advanced FN-RMS, we developed an orthotopic tongue xenograft model for studies of molecular basis of FN-RMS invasion and metastasis. The behavior of FN-RMS cells injected into murine tongue was examined using in vivo bioluminescence imaging, non-invasive intravital microscopy (IVM), and histopathology and compared to the prevailing hindlimb intramuscular and subcutaneous xenografts. FN-RMS cells were retained in the tongue and invaded locally into muscle mysial spaces and vascular lumen. While evidence of hematogenous dissemination to the lungs occurred in tongue and intramuscular xenografts, evidence of local invasion and lymphatic dissemination to lymph nodes only occurred in tongue xenografts. IVM and RNA-seq of tongue xenografts reveal shifts in cellular phenotype and differentiation state in tongue xenografts. IVM also shows homing to blood and lymphatic vessels, lymphatic intravasation, and dynamic membrane protrusions. Based on these findings, the tongue orthotopic xenograft of FN-RMS is a valuable model for tumor progression studies at the tissue, cellular and subcellular levels providing insight into kinetics and molecular bases of tumor invasion and metastasis and, hence, new therapeutic avenues for advanced FN-RMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Hammoudeh
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yeap Ng
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- CCR-Intravital Microscopy Core, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Bih-Rong Wei
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas D Madsen
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Copenhagen Center for Glycomics, University of Copenhagen, Department for Cellular and Molecular Medicine; Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - R Mark Simpson
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Roberto Weigert
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- CCR-Intravital Microscopy Core, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Paul A Randazzo
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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8
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Chen R, Peng S, Zhu L, Meng J, Fan X, Feng Z, Zhang H, Qian J. Enhancing Total Optical Throughput of Microscopy with Deep Learning for Intravital Observation. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300172. [PMID: 37183924 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The significance of performing large-depth dynamic microscopic imaging in vivo for life science research cannot be overstated. However, the optical throughput of the microscope limits the available information per unit of time, i.e., it is difficult to obtain both high spatial and temporal resolution at once. Here, a method is proposed to construct a kind of intravital microscopy with high optical throughput, by making near-infrared-II (NIR-II, 900-1880 nm) wide-field fluorescence microscopy learn from two-photon fluorescence microscopy based on a scale-recurrent network. Using this upgraded NIR-II fluorescence microscope, vessels in the opaque brain of a rodent are reconstructed three-dimensionally. Five-fold axial and thirteen-fold lateral resolution improvements are achieved without sacrificing temporal resolution and light utilization. Also, tiny cerebral vessel dilatations in early acute respiratory failure mice are observed, with this high optical throughput NIR-II microscope at an imaging speed of 30 fps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runze Chen
- College of Optical Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shiyi Peng
- College of Optical Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liang Zhu
- College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology (ZIINT), Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia Meng
- College of Optical Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Fan
- College of Optical Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhe Feng
- College of Optical Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
- Dr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hequn Zhang
- College of Optical Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Qian
- College of Optical Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentations, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
- Dr. Li Dak Sum & Yip Yio Chin Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Zhejiang University, 310058, Hangzhou, China
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Ren M, Yao B, Han B, Li C. Nuclear Imaging of CAR T Immunotherapy to Solid Tumors: In Terms of Biodistribution, Viability, and Cytotoxic Effect. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2200293. [PMID: 36642820 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200293] [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: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has become a mainstay of cancer therapy. Since chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T immunotherapy achieves unprecedented success in curing hematological malignancies, the possibility of it revolutionizing the paradigm of solid tumors has aroused increasing attention. However, the restricted accessibility to tumor parenchyma, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and antigen heterogeneity of solid tumors make it difficult to replicate its success. Therefore, dynamic evaluation of CAR T cells' tumor accessibility, intratumoral viability, and anti-tumor cytotoxicity is necessary to facilitate its translation to solid tumors. Besides, real-timely imaging above events in vivo can help evaluate therapeutic responses and optimize CAR T immunotherapy for solid tumors. Nuclear imaging, including positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging, is frequently applied for evaluating adoptive cell therapies owing to its excellent sensitivity, high tissue penetration, and great translation potential. In addition, quantitative analysis can be performed in dynamic and noninvasive patterns. This review focuses on recent advances in PET/SPECT technologies and imaging probes in monitoring CAR T cells' migration, viability, and cytotoxicity to solid tumors post-administration. Prospects of what should be done in the next stage to promote CAR T therapy's application in solid tumors are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Ren
- Minhang Hospital and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Zhangheng Road 826, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Bolin Yao
- Minhang Hospital and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Zhangheng Road 826, 201203, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Han
- Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cong Li
- Minhang Hospital and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Zhangheng Road 826, 201203, Shanghai, China
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10
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Conway JRW, Warren SC, Lee YK, McCulloch AT, Magenau A, Lee V, Metcalf XL, Stoehr J, Haigh K, Abdulkhalek L, Guaman CS, Reed DA, Murphy KJ, Pereira BA, Mélénec P, Chambers C, Latham SL, Lenthall H, Deenick EK, Ma Y, Phan T, Lim E, Joshua AM, Walters S, Grey ST, Shi YC, Zhang L, Herzog H, Croucher DR, Philp A, Scheele CLGJ, Herrmann D, Sansom OJ, Morton JP, Papa A, Haigh JJ, Nobis M, Timpson P. Monitoring AKT activity and targeting in live tissue and disease contexts using a real-time Akt-FRET biosensor mouse. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf9063. [PMID: 37126544 PMCID: PMC10132756 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf9063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant AKT activation occurs in a number of cancers, metabolic syndrome, and immune disorders, making it an important target for the treatment of many diseases. To monitor spatial and temporal AKT activity in a live setting, we generated an Akt-FRET biosensor mouse that allows longitudinal assessment of AKT activity using intravital imaging in conjunction with image stabilization and optical window technology. We demonstrate the sensitivity of the Akt-FRET biosensor mouse using various cancer models and verify its suitability to monitor response to drug targeting in spheroid and organotypic models. We also show that the dynamics of AKT activation can be monitored in real time in diverse tissues, including in individual islets of the pancreas, in the brown and white adipose tissue, and in the skeletal muscle. Thus, the Akt-FRET biosensor mouse provides an important tool to study AKT dynamics in live tissue contexts and has broad preclinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R W Conway
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Sean C Warren
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Young-Kyung Lee
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Andrew T McCulloch
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Randwick Clinical Campus, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Astrid Magenau
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Victoria Lee
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Xanthe L Metcalf
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Janett Stoehr
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Katharina Haigh
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Lea Abdulkhalek
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Cristian S Guaman
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Daniel A Reed
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Kendelle J Murphy
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Brooke A Pereira
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Pauline Mélénec
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Cecilia Chambers
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Sharissa L Latham
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Helen Lenthall
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Elissa K Deenick
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Yuanqing Ma
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Tri Phan
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Elgene Lim
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Anthony M Joshua
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Stacey Walters
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Shane T Grey
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Yan-Chuan Shi
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Lei Zhang
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Herbert Herzog
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - David R Croucher
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Andy Philp
- School of Clinical Medicine, Randwick Clinical Campus, UNSW Sydney, Centre for Healthy Ageing, Centenary Institute, Missenden Road, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Colinda L G J Scheele
- Laboratory for Intravital Imaging and Dynamics of Tumor Progression, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Herrmann
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow G611BD, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G611QH, UK
| | - Jennifer P Morton
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Glasgow G611BD, UK
- School of Cancer Sciences, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G611QH, UK
| | - Antonella Papa
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jody J Haigh
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Max Nobis
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Laboratory for Intravital Imaging and Dynamics of Tumor Progression, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Intravital Imaging Expertise Center, VIB Center for Cancer Biology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paul Timpson
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research & The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Cancer Ecosystems Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
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Heaton AR, Rehani PR, Hoefges A, Lopez AF, Erbe AK, Sondel PM, Skala MC. Single cell metabolic imaging of tumor and immune cells in vivo in melanoma bearing mice. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1110503. [PMID: 37020875 PMCID: PMC10067577 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1110503] [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: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Metabolic reprogramming of cancer and immune cells occurs during tumorigenesis and has a significant impact on cancer progression. Unfortunately, current techniques to measure tumor and immune cell metabolism require sample destruction and/or cell isolations that remove the spatial context. Two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) of the autofluorescent metabolic coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) (NAD(P)H) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) provides in vivo images of cell metabolism at a single cell level. Methods Here, we report an immunocompetent mCherry reporter mouse model for immune cells that express CD4 either during differentiation or CD4 and/or CD8 in their mature state and perform in vivo imaging of immune and cancer cells within a syngeneic B78 melanoma model. We also report an algorithm for single cell segmentation of mCherry-expressing immune cells within in vivo images. Results We found that immune cells within B78 tumors exhibited decreased FAD mean lifetime and an increased proportion of bound FAD compared to immune cells within spleens. Tumor infiltrating immune cell size also increased compared to immune cells from spleens. These changes are consistent with a shift towards increased activation and proliferation in tumor infiltrating immune cells compared to immune cells from spleens. Tumor infiltrating immune cells exhibited increased FAD mean lifetime and increased protein-bound FAD lifetime compared to B78 tumor cells within the same tumor. Single cell metabolic heterogeneity was observed in both immune and tumor cells in vivo. Discussion This approach can be used to monitor single cell metabolic heterogeneity in tumor cells and immune cells to study promising treatments for cancer in the native in vivo context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa R. Heaton
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Peter R. Rehani
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Anna Hoefges
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Angelica F. Lopez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Amy K. Erbe
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Paul M. Sondel
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Melissa C. Skala
- Morgridge Institute for Research, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
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