Application of Micro Arrayed Compound Screening (microARCS) to identify inhibitors of caspase-3

J Biomol Screen. 2002 Aug;7(4):317-23. doi: 10.1177/108705710200700403.

Abstract

Micro Arrayed Compound Screening (microARCS) is a miniaturized ultra-high-throughput screening platform developed at Abbott Laboratories. In this format, 8,640 discrete compounds are spotted and dried onto a polystyrene sheet, which has the same footprint as a 96-well plate. A homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence assay format (LANCE) was applied to identify the inhibitors of caspase-3 using a peptide substrate labeled with a fluorescent europium chelate and a dabcyl quencher. The caspase-3 enzyme was cast into a thin agarose gel, which was placed on a sheet containing test compounds. A second gel containing caspase substrate was then laid above the enzyme gel to initiate the reaction. Caspase-3 cleaves the substrate and separates the europium from the quencher, giving rise to a time-resolved fluorescent signal, which was detected using a ViewLux charge-coupled device imaging system. Potential inhibitors of caspase-3 appeared as dark spots on a bright fluorescent background. Results from the microARCS assay format were compared to those from a conventional 96-well plate-screening format.

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspase Inhibitors*
  • Caspases / analysis
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods*
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Europium / metabolism
  • Fluorescence
  • Humans
  • Miniaturization / instrumentation
  • Miniaturization / methods

Substances

  • Caspase Inhibitors
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Europium
  • CASP3 protein, human
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases