1
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Murad M, Chen Y, Iaria J, Fonseca Teixeira A, Zhu HJ. A Novel Method for the Early Detection of Single Circulating, Metastatic and Self-Seeding Cancer Cells in Orthotopic Breast Cancer Mouse Models. Cells 2024; 13:1166. [PMID: 39056749 PMCID: PMC11275056 DOI: 10.3390/cells13141166] [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: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastasis is the main cause of cancer-related deaths, but efficient targeted therapies against metastasis are still missing. Major gaps exist in our understanding of the metastatic cascade, as existing methods cannot combine sensitivity, robustness, and practicality to dissect cancer progression. Addressing this issue requires improved strategies to distinguish early metastatic colonization from metastatic outgrowth. METHODS Luciferase-labelled MDA-MB-231, MCF7, and 4T1 breast cancer cells were spiked into samples from tumour-naïve mice to establish the limit of detection for disseminated tumour cells. Luciferase-labelled breast cancer cells (±unlabelled cancer-associated fibroblasts; CAFs) were orthotopically implanted in immunocompromised mice. An ex vivo luciferase assay was used to quantify tumour cell dissemination. RESULTS In vitro luciferase assay confirmed a linear and positive correlation between cancer cell numbers and the bioluminescence detected at single cell level in blood, brain, lung, liver, and mammary fat pad samples. Remarkably, single luciferase-labelled cancer cells were detectable in all of these sites, as the bioluminescence quantified in the analysed samples was substantially higher than background levels. Ex vivo, circulating tumour cells, metastasis, and tumour self-seeding were detected in all samples from animals implanted with highly metastatic luciferase-labelled MDA-MB-231 cells. In turn, detection of poorly metastatic luciferase-labelled MCF7 cells was scarce but significantly enhanced upon co-implantation with CAFs as early as 20 days after the experiment was initiated. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the feasibility of using an ultrasensitive luciferase-based method to dissect the mechanisms of early metastatic colonization to improving the development of antimetastatic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Murad
- Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 5th Floor Clinical Sciences Building, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia; (M.M.); (Y.C.); (J.I.); (A.F.T.)
| | - Yanjiang Chen
- Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 5th Floor Clinical Sciences Building, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia; (M.M.); (Y.C.); (J.I.); (A.F.T.)
- Huagene Institute, Kecheng Science and Technology Park, Pukou District, Nanjing 211806, China
| | - Josephine Iaria
- Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 5th Floor Clinical Sciences Building, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia; (M.M.); (Y.C.); (J.I.); (A.F.T.)
- Huagene Institute, Kecheng Science and Technology Park, Pukou District, Nanjing 211806, China
| | - Adilson Fonseca Teixeira
- Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 5th Floor Clinical Sciences Building, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia; (M.M.); (Y.C.); (J.I.); (A.F.T.)
- Huagene Institute, Kecheng Science and Technology Park, Pukou District, Nanjing 211806, China
| | - Hong-Jian Zhu
- Department of Surgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, 5th Floor Clinical Sciences Building, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia; (M.M.); (Y.C.); (J.I.); (A.F.T.)
- Huagene Institute, Kecheng Science and Technology Park, Pukou District, Nanjing 211806, China
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2
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Kuchimaru T. Emerging Synthetic Bioluminescent Reactions for Non-Invasive Imaging of Freely Moving Animals. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7338. [PMID: 39000448 PMCID: PMC11242611 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is an indispensable technique for visualizing the dynamics of diverse biological processes in mammalian animal models, including cancer, viral infections, and immune responses. However, a critical scientific challenge remains: non-invasively visualizing homeostatic and disease mechanisms in freely moving animals to understand the molecular basis of exercises, social behavior, and other phenomena. Classical BLI relies on prolonged camera exposure to accumulate the limited number of photons that traveled from deep tissues in anesthetized or constrained animals. Recent advancements in synthetic bioluminescence reactions, utilizing artificial luciferin-luciferase pairs, have considerably increased the number of detectable photons from deep tissues, facilitating high-speed BLI to capture moving objects. In this review, I provide an overview of emerging synthetic bioluminescence reactions that enable the non-invasive imaging of freely moving animals. This approach holds the potential to uncover unique physiological processes that are inaccessible with current methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Kuchimaru
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
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3
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Munteanu RA, Tigu AB, Feder R, Tatar AS, Gulei D, Tomuleasa C, Boca S. In vivo imaging system (IVIS) therapeutic assessment of tyrosine kinase inhibitor-loaded gold nanocarriers for acute myeloid leukemia: a pilot study. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1382399. [PMID: 38799169 PMCID: PMC11116693 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1382399] [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: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignancy in the myeloid lineage that is characterized by symptoms like fatigue, bleeding, infections, or anemia, and it can be fatal if untreated. In AML, mutations in tyrosine kinases (TKs) lead to enhanced tumor cell survival. The most frequent mutations in TKs are reported in Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3), Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), and KIT (tyrosine-protein kinase KIT), making these TKs potential targets for TK inhibitor (TKI) therapies in AML. With 30% of the mutations in TKs, mutated FLT3 is associated with poor overall survival and an increased chance of resistance to therapy. FLT3 inhibitors are used in FLT3-mutant AML, and the combination with hypomethylating agents displayed promising results. Midostaurin (MDS) is the first targeted therapy in FLT3-mutant AML, and its combination with chemotherapy showed good results. However, chemotherapies induce several side effects, and an alternative to chemotherapy might be the use of nanoparticles for better drug delivery, improved bioavailability, reduced drug resistance and induced toxicity. The herein study presents MDS-loaded gold nanoparticles and compares its efficacy with MDS alone, on both in vitro and in vivo models, using the FLT3-ITD-mutated AML cell line MV-4-11 Luc2 transfected to express luciferin. Our preclinical study suggests that MDS-loaded nanoparticles have a better tumor inhibitory effect than free drugs on in vivo models by controlling tumor growth in the first half of the treatment, while in the second part of the therapy, the tumor size was comparable to the cohort that was treatment-free.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca-Andrada Munteanu
- Medfuture Research Center for Advanced Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Adrian Bogdan Tigu
- Medfuture Research Center for Advanced Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Richard Feder
- Medfuture Research Center for Advanced Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andra-Sorina Tatar
- Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Molecular and Biomolecular Physics Department, National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Diana Gulei
- Medfuture Research Center for Advanced Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ciprian Tomuleasa
- Medfuture Research Center for Advanced Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Hematology, Ion Chiricuta Oncology Institute, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Sanda Boca
- Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Molecular and Biomolecular Physics Department, National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Haider MT, Freytag V, Krause L, Spethmann T, Gosau T, Beine MC, Knies C, Schröder-Schwarz J, Horn M, Riecken K, Lange T. Comparison of ex vivo bioluminescence imaging, Alu-qPCR and histology for the quantification of spontaneous lung and bone metastases in subcutaneous xenograft mouse models. Clin Exp Metastasis 2024; 41:103-115. [PMID: 38353934 PMCID: PMC10972982 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-024-10268-4] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a non-invasive state-of-the-art-method for longitudinal tracking of tumor cells in mice. The technique is commonly used to determine bone metastatic burden in vivo and also suitable ex vivo to detect even smallest bone micro-metastases in spontaneous metastasis xenograft models. However, it is unclear to which extent ex vivo BLI correlates with alternative methods for metastasis quantification. Here, we compared ex vivo BLI, human DNA-based Alu-qPCR, and histology for the quantification of bone vs. lung metastases, which are amongst the most common sites of metastasis in prostate cancer (PCa) patients and spontaneous PCa xenograft models. Data from 93 immunodeficient mice were considered, each of which were subcutaneously injected with luciferase/RGB-labeled human PCa PC-3 cells. The primary tumors were resected at ~ 0.75 cm³ and mice were sacrificed ~ 3 weeks after surgery and immediately examined by ex vivo BLI. Afterwards, the right lungs and hind limbs with the higher BLI signal (BLIHi bone) were processed for histology, whereas the left lung lobes and hind limbs with the lower BLI signal (BLILo bone) were prepared for Alu-qPCR. Our data demonstrate remarkable differences in the correlation coefficients of the different methods for lung metastasis detection (r ~ 0.8) vs. bone metastasis detection (r ~ 0.4). However, the BLI values of the BLIHi and BLILo bones correlated very strongly (r ~ 0.9), indicating that the method per se was reliable under identical limitations; the overall level of metastasis to contralateral bones was astonishingly similar. Instead, the level of lung metastasis only weakly to moderately correlated with the level of bone metastasis formation. Summarized, we observed a considerable discrepancy between ex vivo BLI and histology/Alu-qPCR in the quantification of bone metastases, which was not observed in the case of lung metastases. Future studies using ex vivo BLI for bone metastasis quantification should combine multiple methods to accurately determine metastatic load in bone samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Therese Haider
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Vera Freytag
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Linda Krause
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Spethmann
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Tobias Gosau
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Mia C Beine
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Christine Knies
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Jennifer Schröder-Schwarz
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
| | - Michael Horn
- Core Facility In Vivo Optical Imaging, University Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Cancer Career Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kristoffer Riecken
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Lange
- Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, 20246, Germany.
- Institute of Anatomy I, University Hospital Jena, Teichgraben 7, Jena, 07743, Germany.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), Ulm, Germany.
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5
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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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6
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Ito A, Matsuda N, Ukita Y, Okumura M, Chihara T. Akaluc/AkaLumine bioluminescence system enables highly sensitive, non-invasive and temporal monitoring of gene expression in Drosophila. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1270. [PMID: 38097812 PMCID: PMC10721803 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05628-x] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence generated by luciferase and luciferin has been extensively used in biological research. However, detecting signals from deep tissues in vivo poses a challenge to traditional methods. To overcome this, the Akaluc and AkaLumine bioluminescent systems were developed, resulting in improved signal detection. We evaluate the potential of Akaluc/AkaLumine in Drosophila melanogaster to establish a highly sensitive, non-invasive, and temporal detection method for gene expression. Our results show that oral administration of AkaLumine to flies expressing Akaluc provided a higher luminescence signal than Luc/D-luciferin, with no observed harmful effects on flies. The Akaluc/AkaLumine system allows for monitoring of dynamic temporal changes in gene expression. Additionally, using the Akaluc fusion gene allows for mRNA splicing monitoring. Our findings indicate that the Akaluc/AkaLumine system is a powerful bioluminescence tool for analyzing gene expression in deep tissues and small numbers of cells in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Ito
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Nagisa Matsuda
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yumiko Ukita
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Misako Okumura
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
- Program of Basic Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takahiro Chihara
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan.
- Program of Basic Biology, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan.
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7
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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: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [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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8
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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: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [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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9
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Vysotski ES. Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Proteins: Molecular Mechanisms and Modern Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010281. [PMID: 36613724 PMCID: PMC9820413 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Light emission by living organisms in the visible spectrum range is called bioluminescence [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene S Vysotski
- Photobiology Laboratory, Institute of Biophysics SB RAS, Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS", Krasnoyarsk 660036, Russia
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10
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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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11
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Fukuchi M, Mitazaki S, Saito-Moriya R, Kitada N, Maki SA, Izumi H, Mori H. Bioluminescence imaging using d-luciferin and its analogs for visualizing Bdnf expression in living mice; different patterns of bioluminescence signals using distinct luciferase substrates. J Biochem 2022; 172:321-327. [PMID: 36047849 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvac070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in numerous brain functions, including memory consolidation. Previously, we generated a Bdnf-Luciferase transgenic (Bdnf-Luc) mouse strain to visualize changes in Bdnf expression using in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI). We successfully visualized activity-dependent Bdnf induction in living mouse brains using a d-luciferin analog, TokeOni, which distributes to the brain and produces near-infrared bioluminescence. In this study, we compared the patterns of bioluminescence signals within the whole body of the Bdnf-Luc mice produced by d-luciferin, TokeOni, and seMpai, another d-luciferin analog that produces a near-infrared light. As recently reported, hepatic background signals were observed in wild-type mice when using TokeOni. Bioluminescence signals were strongly observed from the region containing the liver when using d-luciferin and TokeOni. Additionally, we detected signals from the brain when using TokeOni. Compared with d-luciferin and TokeOni, signals were widely detected in the whole body of Bdnf-Luc mice by seMpai. The signals produced by seMpai were strong in the regions containing skeletal muscles in particular. Taken together, the patterns of bioluminescence signals in Bdnf-Luc mice vary when using different luciferase substrates. Therefore, the expression of Bdnf in tissues and organs of interest could be visualized by selecting an appropriate substrate.
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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
| | - Satoru Mitazaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, 60 Nakaorui-machi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0033, Japan
| | - Ryohei Saito-Moriya
- 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.,Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Japan Women's University, 2-8-1 Mejirodai, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8681, Japan
| | - Nobuo Kitada
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan.,Coordinated Center for UEC Research Facilities, The University of Electro-Communications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8585, Japan
| | - Shojiro A 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
| | - Hironori Izumi
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Hisashi Mori
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.,Research Center for Idling Brain Science (RCIBS), University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.,Research Center for Pre-Disease Science (RCPDS), University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
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Bettano K, Zielstorff M, Sevilla R, Yang R, Zhou H, Rosahl T, Zhang-Hoover J, Moy LY, Zhang W. A bioluminescence reporter mouse model for visualizing and quantifying CD8+ T cells in vivo. Neoplasia 2022; 27:100781. [PMID: 35381456 PMCID: PMC8980487 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2022.100781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are the primary effector cells mediating anti-tumor responses. In vivo monitoring of CD8+ T cells has broad implications for the development of novel cancer therapies. Here we describe the development of a genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) in which CD8+ T cells are labeled with an optical reporter, enabling in vivo, longitudinal monitoring using bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Firefly luciferase (Luc2), human diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR), and enhanced green fluorescence protein (eGFP) cDNAs are engineered under the CD8α promoter to generate a transgenic mouse line. Luciferase mRNA and CD8α mRNA were generally correlated in various tissues from these mice. Sorted splenic CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells and CD3- non-T cells verified that the luciferase signal is specific to CD8+ T cells. In vivo imaging showed that luciferase signal was detected in various immune organs, such as lymph nodes, thymus, and spleen, and the detection was confirmed by ex vivo examination. Administration of diphtheria toxin markedly reduced luciferase signal systemically, confirming the function of the DTR. In the MC38 mouse syngeneic model, we observed significant increases in CD8+ T cells with mDX400 treatment, an anti PD-1 mouse monoclonal antibody that correlated with tumor growth inhibition. This novel reporter GEMM is a valuable drug discovery tool for profiling compounds and understanding mechanisms of action in immunotherapy of cancer.
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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: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
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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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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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Concilio SC, Russell SJ, Peng KW. A brief review of reporter gene imaging in oncolytic virotherapy and gene therapy. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 21:98-109. [PMID: 33981826 PMCID: PMC8065251 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Reporter gene imaging (RGI) can accelerate development timelines for gene and viral therapies by facilitating rapid and noninvasive in vivo studies to determine the biodistribution, magnitude, and durability of viral gene expression and/or virus infection. Functional molecular imaging systems used for this purpose can be divided broadly into deep-tissue and optical modalities. Deep-tissue modalities, which can be used in animals of any size as well as in human subjects, encompass single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional/molecular magnetic resonance imaging (f/mMRI). Optical modalities encompass fluorescence, bioluminescence, Cerenkov luminescence, and photoacoustic imaging and are suitable only for small animal imaging. Here we discuss the mechanisms of action and relative merits of currently available reporter gene systems, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of deep tissue versus optical imaging systems and the hardware/reagents that are used for data capture and processing. In light of recent technological advances, falling costs of imaging instruments, better availability of novel radioactive and optical tracers, and a growing realization that RGI can give invaluable insights across the entire in vivo translational spectrum, the approach is becoming increasingly essential to facilitate the competitive development of new virus- and gene-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kah-Whye Peng
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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16
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Liu L, O’Kelly D, Schuetze R, Carlson G, Zhou H, Trawick ML, Pinney KG, Mason RP. Non-Invasive Evaluation of Acute Effects of Tubulin Binding Agents: A Review of Imaging Vascular Disruption in Tumors. Molecules 2021; 26:2551. [PMID: 33925707 PMCID: PMC8125421 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26092551] [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: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor vasculature proliferates rapidly, generally lacks pericyte coverage, and is uniquely fragile making it an attractive therapeutic target. A subset of small-molecule tubulin binding agents cause disaggregation of the endothelial cytoskeleton leading to enhanced vascular permeability generating increased interstitial pressure. The resulting vascular collapse and ischemia cause downstream hypoxia, ultimately leading to cell death and necrosis. Thus, local damage generates massive amplification and tumor destruction. The tumor vasculature is readily accessed and potentially a common target irrespective of disease site in the body. Development of a therapeutic approach and particularly next generation agents benefits from effective non-invasive assays. Imaging technologies offer varying degrees of sophistication and ease of implementation. This review considers technological strengths and weaknesses with examples from our own laboratory. Methods reveal vascular extent and patency, as well as insights into tissue viability, proliferation and necrosis. Spatiotemporal resolution ranges from cellular microscopy to single slice tomography and full three-dimensional views of whole tumors and measurements can be sufficiently rapid to reveal acute changes or long-term outcomes. Since imaging is non-invasive, each tumor may serve as its own control making investigations particularly efficient and rigorous. The concept of tumor vascular disruption was proposed over 30 years ago and it remains an active area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Liu
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.L.); (D.O.); (R.S.); (H.Z.)
| | - Devin O’Kelly
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.L.); (D.O.); (R.S.); (H.Z.)
| | - Regan Schuetze
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.L.); (D.O.); (R.S.); (H.Z.)
| | - Graham Carlson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA; (G.C.); (M.L.T.); (K.G.P.)
| | - Heling Zhou
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.L.); (D.O.); (R.S.); (H.Z.)
| | - Mary Lynn Trawick
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA; (G.C.); (M.L.T.); (K.G.P.)
| | - Kevin G. Pinney
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA; (G.C.); (M.L.T.); (K.G.P.)
| | - Ralph P. Mason
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.L.); (D.O.); (R.S.); (H.Z.)
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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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