Mitochondrial correlation microscopy and nanolaser spectroscopy - new tools for biophotonic detection of cancer in single cells

Transient Cell-to-Cell Signaling Before Mitosis in Cultures of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells

Some types of cells, if not all, that undergo signal exchanges in culture need to contact other cells for various reasons, such as cell-to-cell contact for growth inhibition. However, signal exchanges by cell-to-cell contact before proliferation have never been reported. Using time-lapse recording, we discovered the emergence of several astonishing cell-to-cell contact modes in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) before the cells divided. When the cells contacted with another, a huge temporary synapse-like structure formed for molecule exchanges; a cell-tissue particle was taken in by a recipient cell; two cell membranes formed infusion-like structure for a short time; and even a 20-μm long and 5-μm wide cell tail was grafted to another cell. A total of 87% of cells underwent cell-to-cell contact before dividing. After epidermal growth factor-green fluorescent protein (EGF-GFP) vectors were transfected into MSCs and the cells were cocultured with unmanipulated MSCs, the unmanipulated MSCs took in EGF-GFP particles from EGF-GFP expressed MSCs, immediately increased in mitogen genes, and then divided. These results suggest that cells which may lack signal molecules may need to obtain these molecules from other cells through various types of cell-to-cell contact, as mentioned above. Our study provided valuable information to better understand the behaviors of cell-to-cell contact and communication before mitosis.

Photothermal imaging of skeletal muscle mitochondria

The morphology and topology of mitochondria provide useful information about the physiological function of skeletal muscle. Previous studies of skeletal muscle mitochondria are based on observation with transmission, scanning electron microscopy or fluorescence microscopy. In contrast, photothermal (PT) microscopy has advantages over the above commonly used microscopic techniques because of no requirement for complex sample preparation by fixation or fluorescent-dye staining. Here, we employed the PT technique using a simple diode laser to visualize skeletal muscle mitochondria in unstained and stained tissues. The fine mitochondrial network structures in muscle fibers could be imaged with the PT imaging system, even in unstained tissues. PT imaging of tissues stained with toluidine blue revealed the structures of subsarcolemmal (SS) and intermyofibrillar (IMF) mitochondria and the swelling behavior of mitochondria in damaged muscle fibers with sufficient image quality. PT image analyses based on fast Fourier transform (FFT) and Grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) were performed to derive the characteristic size of mitochondria and to discriminate the image patterns of normal and damaged fibers.

Novel Gallate Triphenylphosphonium Derivatives with Potent Antichagasic Activity

Chagas disease is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in the world, affecting nearly 15 million people, primarily in Latin America. Only two drugs are used for the treatment of this disease, nifurtimox and benznidazole. These drugs have limited efficacy and frequently induce adverse effects, limiting their usefulness. Consequently, new drugs must be found. In this study, we demonstrated the in vitro trypanocidal effects of a series of four gallic acid derivatives characterized by a gallate group linked to a triphenylphosphonium (TPP⁺) moiety (a delocalized cation) via a hydrocarbon chain of 8, 10, 11, or 12 atoms (TPP⁺-C₈, TPP⁺-C₁₀, TPP⁺-C₁₁, and TPP⁺-C₁₂, respectively). We analyzed parasite viability in isolated parasites (by MTT reduction and flow cytometry) and infected mammalian cells using T. cruzi Y strain trypomastigotes. Among the four derivatives, TPP⁺-C₁₀ and TPP⁺-C₁₂ were the most potent in both models, with EC₅₀ values (in isolated parasites) of 1.0 ± 0.6 and 1.0 ± 0.7 μM, respectively, and were significantly more potent than nifurtimox (EC₅₀ = 4.1 ± 0.6 μM). At 1 μM, TPP⁺-C₁₀ and TPP⁺-C₁₂ induced markers of cell death, such as phosphatidylserine exposure and propidium iodide permeabilization. In addition, at 1 μM, TPP⁺-C₁₀ and TPP⁺-C₁₂ significantly decreased the number of intracellular amastigotes (TPP⁺-C₁₀: 24.3%, TPP⁺-C₁₂: 19.0% of control measurements, as measured by DAPI staining) and the parasite’s DNA load (C₁₀: 10%, C₁₂: 13% of control measurements, as measured by qPCR). Based on the previous mode of action described for these compounds in cancer cells, we explored their mitochondrial effects in isolated trypomastigotes. TPP⁺-C₁₀ and TPP⁺-C₁₂ were the most potent compounds, significantly altering mitochondrial membrane potential at 1 μM (measured by JC-1 fluorescence) and inducing mitochondrial transition pore opening at 5 μM. Taken together, these results indicate that the TPP⁺-C₁₀ and TPP⁺-C₁₂ derivatives of gallic acid are promising trypanocidal agents with mitochondrial activity.

Non-invasive detection of early retinal neuronal degeneration by ultrahigh resolution optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has revolutionises the diagnosis of retinal disease based on the detection of microscopic rather than subcellular changes in retinal anatomy. However, currently the technique is limited to the detection of microscopic rather than subcellular changes in retinal anatomy. However, coherence based imaging is extremely sensitive to both changes in optical contrast and cellular events at the micrometer scale, and can generate subtle changes in the spectral content of the OCT image. Here we test the hypothesis that OCT image speckle (image texture) contains information regarding otherwise unresolvable features such as organelle changes arising in the early stages of neuronal degeneration. Using ultrahigh resolution (UHR) OCT imaging at 800 nm (spectral width 140 nm) we developed a robust method of OCT image analyses, based on spatial wavelet and texture-based parameterisation of the image speckle pattern. For the first time we show that this approach allows the non-invasive detection and quantification of early apoptotic changes in neurons within 30 min of neuronal trauma sufficient to result in apoptosis. We show a positive correlation between immunofluorescent labelling of mitochondria (a potential source of changes in cellular optical contrast) with changes in the texture of the OCT images of cultured neurons. Moreover, similar changes in optical contrast were also seen in the retinal ganglion cell- inner plexiform layer in retinal explants following optic nerve transection. The optical clarity of the explants was maintained throughout in the absence of histologically detectable change. Our data suggest that UHR OCT can be used for the non-invasive quantitative assessment of neuronal health, with a particular application to the assessment of early retinal disease.

Antiproliferative and uncoupling effects of delocalized, lipophilic, cationic gallic acid derivatives on cancer cell lines. Validation in vivo in singenic mice

Tumor cells principally exhibit increased mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨ(m)) and altered metabolic pathways. The therapeutic targeting and delivery of anticancer drugs to the mitochondria might improve treatment efficacy. Gallic acid exhibits a variety of biological activities, and its ester derivatives can induce mitochondrial dysfunction. Four alkyl gallate triphenylphosphonium lipophilic cations were synthesized, each differing in the size of the linker chain at the cationic moiety. These derivatives were selectively cytotoxic toward tumor cells. The better compound (TPP(+)C10) contained 10 carbon atoms within the linker chain and exhibited an IC50 value of approximately 0.4-1.6 μM for tumor cells and a selectivity index of approximately 17-fold for tumor compared with normal cells. Consequently, its antiproliferative effect was also assessed in vivo. The oxygen consumption rate and NAD(P)H oxidation levels increased in the tumor cell lines (uncoupling effect), resulting in a ΔΨ(m) decrease and a consequent decrease in intracellular ATP levels. Moreover, TPP(+)C10 significantly inhibited the growth of TA3/Ha tumors in mice. According to these results, the antineoplastic activity and safety of TPP(+)C10 warrant further comprehensive evaluation.

Ultrasensitive label-free photothermal imaging, spectral identification, and quantification of cytochrome c in mitochondria, live cells, and solutions

Light-absorbing endogenous cellular proteins, in particular cytochrome c, are used as intrinsic biomarkers for studies of cell biology and environment impacts. To sense cytochrome c against real biological backgrounds, we combined photothermal (PT) thermal-lens single-channel schematic in a back-synchronized measurement mode and a multiplex thermal-lens schematic in a transient high resolution (ca. 350 nm) imaging mode. These multifunctional PT techniques using continuous-wave (cw) Ar+ laser and a nanosecond pulsed optical parametric oscillator in the visible range demonstrated the capability for label-free spectral identification and quantification of trace amounts of cytochrome c in a single mitochondrion alone or within a single live cell. PT imaging data were verified in parallel by molecular targeting and fluorescent imaging of cellular cytochrome c. The detection limit of cytochrome c in a cw mode was 5 x 10(-9) mol/L (80 attomols in the signal-generation zone); that is ca. 10³ lower than conventional absorption spectroscopy. Pulsed fast PT microscopy provided the detection limit for cytochrome c at the level of 13 zmol (13 x 10(-21) mol) in the ultrasmall irradiated volumes limited by optical diffraction effects. For the first time, we demonstrate a combination of high resolution PT imaging with PT spectral identification and ultrasensitive quantitative PT characterization of cytochrome c within individual mitochondria in single live cells. A potential of far-field PT microscopy to sub-zeptomol detection thresholds, resolution beyond diffraction limit, PT Raman spectroscopy, and 3D imaging are further highlighted.

Light scattering and morphology of the lymphocyte as applied to flow cytometry for distinguishing healthy and infected individuals

A simple optical model of single lymphocytes with smooth and nonsmooth surfaces has been developed for healthy and infected individuals. The model can be used for rapid (in the real-time scale) solution of the inverse light-scattering problem on the basis of optical data measured by label-free flow cytometry. Light scattering patterns have been calculated for the model developed. It has been shown that the smooth and nonsmooth cells can be resolved using the intensities of the sideward- and backward-scattered light. We have found by calculations and validated by the flow cytometer experiments that intensity distributions for the cells of lymphocyte populations can be used as a preliminary signatures of some virus infections. Potential biomedical applications of the findings for label-free flow cytometry detection of individuals infected with viruses of hepatitis B or C and some others viruses are presented.

In vivo multispectral, multiparameter, photoacoustic lymph flow cytometry with natural cell focusing, label-free detection and multicolor nanoparticle probes

Compared with blood tests, cell assessment in lymphatics is not well-established. The goal of this work was to develop in vivo lymph tests using the principles of flow cytometry. Cells in living animals were counted by laser (420-2,300 nm) generation of photoacoustic (PA) signals in individual cells hydrodynamically focused by lymph valves into a single file flow, and using endogenous absorption as intrinsic cell-specific markers, or gold nanorods, nanoshells, and carbon nanotubes as multicolor probes. PA data were verified by high-speed transmission, photothermal, and fluorescent imaging. Counting of melanoma and immune-related cells in normal, apoptotic, and necrotic states in lymphatics in vivo was demonstrated to have the unprecedented sensitivity as one metastatic cell among millions of white blood cells. The time-resolved PA spectral identification of flowing cells was achieved using multicolor labels and laser pulses of different wavelengths and time delays. Multiparameter, noninvasive, portable flow cytometer can be used for preclinical studies on animals with the potential of translation to humans for in vivo PA mapping of colorless lymph vessels and sentinel nodes with simultaneous single cell detection and metastasis assessment without labeling or use of contrast dyes and/or novel low-toxic multicolor probes with different absorption spectra.

The in-depth evaluation of suspected mitochondrial disease

Mitochondrial disease confirmation and establishment of a specific molecular diagnosis requires extensive clinical and laboratory evaluation. Dual genome origins of mitochondrial disease, multi-organ system manifestations, and an ever increasing spectrum of recognized phenotypes represent the main diagnostic challenges. To overcome these obstacles, compiling information from a variety of diagnostic laboratory modalities can often provide sufficient evidence to establish an etiology. These include blood and tissue histochemical and analyte measurements, neuroimaging, provocative testing, enzymatic assays of tissue samples and cultured cells, as well as DNA analysis. As interpretation of results from these multifaceted investigations can become quite complex, the Diagnostic Committee of the Mitochondrial Medicine Society developed this review to provide an overview of currently available and emerging methodologies for the diagnosis of primary mitochondrial disease, with a focus on disorders characterized by impairment of oxidative phosphorylation. The aim of this work is to facilitate the diagnosis of mitochondrial disease by geneticists, neurologists, and other metabolic specialists who face the challenge of evaluating patients of all ages with suspected mitochondrial disease.

Applications of Nanobiotechnology in Clinical Diagnostics

Background: Nanobiotechnologies are being applied to molecular diagnostics and several technologies are in development.

Methods: This review describes nanobiotechnologies that are already incorporated in molecular diagnostics or have potential applications in clinical diagnosis. Selected promising technologies from published literature as well as some technologies that are in commercial development but have not been reported are included.

Results: Nanotechnologies enable diagnosis at the single-cell and molecule levels, and some can be incorporated in current molecular diagnostic methods, such as biochips. Nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles and quantum dots, are the most widely used, but various other nanotechnological devices for manipulation at the nanoscale as well as nanobiosensors are also promising for potential clinical applications.

Conclusions: Nanotechnologies will extend the limits of current molecular diagnostics and enable point-of-care diagnostics, integration of diagnostics with therapeutics, and development of personalized medicine. Although the potential diagnostic applications are unlimited, the most important current applications are foreseen in the areas of biomarker discovery, cancer diagnosis, and detection of infectious microorganisms. Safety studies are needed for in vivo use. Because of its close interrelationships with other technologies, nanobiotechnology in clinical diagnosis will play an important role in the development of nanomedicine in the future.

Reactive biomolecular divergence in genetically altered yeast cells and isolated mitochondria as measured by biocavity laser spectroscopy: rapid diagnostic method for studying cellular responses to stress and disease

We report an analysis of four strains of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) using biocavity laser spectroscopy. The four strains are grouped in two pairs (wild type and altered), in which one strain differs genetically at a single locus, affecting mitochondrial function. In one pair, the wild-type rho+ and a rho0 strain differ by complete removal of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In the second pair, the wild-type rho+ and a rho- strain differ by knock-out of the nuclear gene encoding Cox4, an essential subunit of cytochrome c oxidase. The biocavity laser is used to measure the biophysical optic parameter Deltalambda, a laser wavelength shift relating to the optical density of cell or mitochondria that uniquely reflects its size and biomolecular composition. As such, Deltalambda is a powerful parameter that rapidly interrogates the biomolecular state of single cells and mitochondria. Wild-type cells and mitochondria produce Gaussian-like distributions with a single peak. In contrast, mutant cells and mitochondria produce leptokurtotic distributions that are asymmetric and highly skewed to the right. These distribution changes could be self-consistently modeled with a single, log-normal distribution undergoing a thousand-fold increase in variance of biomolecular composition. These features reflect a new state of stressed or diseased cells that we call a reactive biomolecular divergence (RBD) that reflects the vital interdependence of mitochondria and the nucleus.

New technology and clinical applications of nanomedicine

Nanomedicine is the use of nanotechnology to achieve innovative medical breakthroughs. Nanomedicine, with its broad range of ideas, hypotheses, concepts, and undeveloped clinical devices, is still in its early stage. This article outlines present developments and future prospects for the use of nanotechnology techniques in experimental in vivo and in vitro studies and in engineering nanodevices and biosensors for clinical and investigative use n diagnosis and therapy in the fields of genetics, oncology, cardiology, and dermatology. Toxicologic considerations also are discussed.

Investigation of morphometric parameters for granulocytes and lymphocytes as applied to a solution of direct and inverse light-scattering problems

Quantitative data on cell structure, shape, and size distribution are obtained by optical measurement of normal peripheral blood granulocytes and lymphocytes in a cell suspension. The cell nuclei are measured in situ. The distribution laws of the cell and nuclei sizes are estimated. The data gained are synthesized to construct morphometric models of a segmented neutrophilic granulocyte and a lymphocyte. Models of interrelation between the cell and nucleus metric characteristics for granulocyte and lymphocyte are obtained. The discovered interrelation decreases the amount of cell-nucleus size combinations that have to be considered under simulation of cell scattering patterns. It allows faster analysis of light scattering to discriminate cells in a real-time scale. Our morphometric data meet the requirements of scanning flow cytometry dealing with the high rate analysis of cells in suspension. Our findings can be used as input parameters for the solution of the direct and inverse light-scattering problems in scanning flow cytometry, dispensing with a costly and time-consuming immunophenotyping of the cells, as well as in turbidimetry and nephelometry. The cell models developed can ensure better interpretations of scattering patterns for an improvement of discriminating capabilities of immunophenotyping-free scanning flow cytometry.

Photothermal flow cytometry in vitro for detection and imaging of individual moving cells

BACKGROUND

Photothermal (PT) cytometry has recently demonstrated great potential for the label-free detection of nonfluorescent cells under static conditions. The goal of our investigation was to expand this technique to the detection of flowing cells in vitro.

METHODS

Cells in flow were irradiated with short, tunable laser pulses (420-2,300 nm, 8 ns), and the absorbed energy was detected by monitoring of the temperature-dependent variations in the refractive index in the cells with a second, collinear probe beam in two modes: (a) PT imaging of single cells with a pulsed probe beam (639 nm, 13 ns) and (b) thermolens monitoring of the integral PT responses from individual cells as whole with a continuous-wave probe beam (633 nm, 2 mW).

RESULTS

PT flow cytometry at the current speed of analysis of 10 cell/s, with the capability to image selected cells of interest flowing at velocities up to 2 m/s, demonstrated the capability for (a) label-free detection of flowing single cells (e.g., blood and cancer cells) on the basis of the differences in their endogenous absorption properties, (b) identification of cells labeled with gold nanoparticles, (c) rapid cell viability testing, (d) aggregation immunoassay, and (e) optimization of selective nanophotothermolysis.

CONCLUSIONS

PT cytometry can be extended to the study of cells in flow. This new technique increases the speed of cell analysis approximately 10(2) times over that of conventional PT technique, with the potential to achieve a rate of 10(4)-10(5) cells/s in specific PT applications, which has previously been realized only with cells under static conditions.

Advances in small animal mesentery models for in vivo flow cytometry, dynamic microscopy, and drug screening

Using animal mesentery with intravital optical microscopy is a well-established experimental model for studying blood and lymph microcirculation in vivo. Recent advances in cell biology and optical techniques provide the basis for extending this model for new applications, which should generate significantly improved experimental data. This review summarizes the achievements in this specific area, including in vivo label-free blood and lymph photothermal flow cytometry, super-sensitive fluorescence image cytometry, light scattering and speckle flow cytometry, microvessel dynamic microscopy, infrared (IR) angiography, and high-speed imaging of individual cells in fast flow. The capabilities of these techniques, using the rat mesentery model, were demonstrated in various studies; e.g., real-time quantitative detection of circulating and migrating individual blood and cancer cells, studies on vascular dynamics with a focus on lymphatics under normal conditions and under different interventions (e.g. lasers, drugs, nicotine), assessment of lymphatic disturbances from experimental lymphedema, monitoring cell traffic between blood and lymph systems, and high-speed imaging of cell transient deformability in flow. In particular, the obtained results demonstrated that individual cell transportation in living organisms depends on cell type (e.g., normal blood or leukemic cells), the cell’s functional state (e.g., live, apoptotic, or necrotic), and the functional status of the organism. Possible future applications, including in vivo early diagnosis and prevention of disease, monitoring immune response and apoptosis, chemo- and radio-sensitivity tests, and drug screening, are also discussed.

Comparative cytotoxicity of alkyl gallates on mouse tumor cell lines and isolated rat hepatocytes

Alkyl esters of gallic acid inhibited the respiration rate of mouse sarcoma 786A and mouse mammary adenocarcinoma TA3 cell lines and its multiresistant variant TA3-MTX-R more effectively than gallic acid, both in the absence and in the presence of the uncoupler CCCP. The order of inhibition of the respiration rate by gallates in intact cells was n-octyl- approximately iso-amyl- approximately n-amyl- approximately iso-butyl->n-butyl->iso-propyl->n-propyl-gallate>>gallic acid. Sarcoma 786A was significantly more susceptible to all seven esters than the TA3 cell line. Respiration rates of the TA3-MTX-R cell line showed almost the same sensitivity to these esters as the TA3 cell line. However, hepatocytes were significantly less sensitive than all tumor cells tested. These alkyl gallates blocked mitochondrial electron flow, mainly at the NADH-CoQ segment, preventing ATP synthesis, which would lead to cellular death. These esters also inhibited, in the same order of potencies as respiration, the growth of 786A, TA3 and TA3-MTX-R cells in culture. In mice carrying TA3 or TA3-MTX-R tumor cells, an important decrease of the tumor growth rate and an increase of survival were observed when mice were treated with iso-butyl gallate alone or in combination with doxorubicin. These results indicate that alkyl gallates are selectively cytotoxic to tumor cells, which may be due to the mitochondrial dysfunctions of these cells.