Imaging in real-time with FRET the redox response of tumorigenic cells to glutathione perturbations in a microscale flow

Integr Biol (Camb). 2011 Mar;3(3):208-17. doi: 10.1039/c0ib00071j. Epub 2010 Dec 23.

Abstract

Despite the potential benefits of selective redox-modulating strategies for cancer therapy, an efficacious methodology for testing therapies remains elusive because of the difficulty in measuring intracellular redox potentials over time. In this report, we have incorporated a new FRET-based biosensor to follow in real time redox-sensitive processes in cells transformed to be tumorigenic and cultured in a microfluidic channel. A microfluidic network was used to control micro-scale flow near the cells and at the same time deliver drugs exogenously. Subsequently, the response of a redox homeostasis circuit was tested, namely reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione(GSSG), to diamide, a thiol oxidant, and two drugs used for cancer therapies: BSO (L-buthionine-[SR]-sulfoximine) and BCNU (carmustine). The main outcome from these experiments is a comparison of the temporal depletion and recovery of GSH in single living cells in real-time. These data demonstrate that mammalian cells are capable of restoring a reduced intracellular redox environment in minutes after an acute oxidative insult is removed. This recovery is significantly delayed by (i) the inhibition of GSH biosynthesis by BSO; (ii) the inactivation of glutathione reductase by BCNU; and (iii) in tumorigenic cells relative to an isogenic non-tumorigenic control cell line.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Buthionine Sulfoximine / pharmacology
  • CHO Cells
  • Carmustine / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Transformed
  • Cell Tracking / methods*
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Diamide / metabolism
  • Diamide / pharmacology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / methods*
  • Glutathione / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Glutathione / metabolism*
  • Glutathione Disulfide / metabolism
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / chemistry
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Kinetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / chemistry
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / physiology
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Swine
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • enhanced cyan fluorescent protein
  • yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
  • Diamide
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Buthionine Sulfoximine
  • Glutathione
  • Carmustine
  • Glutathione Disulfide