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Kourentzi K, Brosamer K, Vu B, Willson RC. Accelerated Development of a COVID-19 Lateral Flow Test in an Academic Setting: Lessons Learned. Acc Chem Res 2024; 57:1372-1383. [PMID: 38590049 PMCID: PMC11080997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusThe COVID-19 pandemic further demonstrated the need for usable, reliable, and cost-effective point-of-care diagnostics that can be broadly deployed, ideally for self-testing at home. Antigen tests using more-detectable reporter labels (usually at the cost of reader complexity) achieve better diagnostic sensitivity, supporting the value of higher-analytical-sensitivity reporter technologies in lateral flow.We developed a new approach to simple, inexpensive lateral flow assays (LFAs) of great sensitivity, based on the glow stick peroxyoxalate chemistry widely used in emergency settings and in children's toys. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had the opportunity to participate in the pandemic-driven NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative aiming to develop a deployable lateral flow diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein based on our novel glow stick-inspired light-emitting reporter technology. During this project, we screened more than 250 antibody pairs for analytical sensitivity and specificity directly in LFA format, using recombinant nucleoprotein and then gamma-irradiated virions spiked into negative nasal swab extracts. Membranes and other LFA materials and swabs and extraction reagent components also were screened and selected. Optimization of conjugate preparation and spraying as well as pretreatment/conditioning of the sample pad led to the final optimized LFA strip. Technology development also included optimization of excitation liquid enclosed in disposable droppers, design of a custom cartridge and smartphone-based reader, and app development, even a prototype reader usable with any mobile phone. Excellent preclinical performance was first demonstrated with contrived samples and then with leftover clinical samples. Moving beyond traditional academic focus areas, we were able to establish a quality management system (QMS), produce large numbers of customized LFA cassettes by contract injection molding, build in-house facilities to assemble and store thousands of complete tests for verification and validation and usability studies, and source kitting/packaging services and quality standard reagents and build partnerships for clinical translation, regulatory guidance, scale up, and market deployment. We were not able to bring this early stage technology to the point of commercialization within the limited time and resources available, but we did achieve strong proof-of-concept and advance translational aspects of the platform including initial high-performance LFAs, reading by the iPhone app using only a $2 plastic dark box with no lens, and convenient, usable excitation liquid packaging in droppers manufacturable in very large numbers.In this Account, we aim to provide a concise overview of our 18-month sprint toward the practical development of a deployable antigen lateral flow assay under pandemic conditions and the challenges and successes experienced by our team. We highlight what it takes to coach a technically savvy but commercially inexperienced academic team through the accelerated translation of an early stage technology into a useful product. Finally, we provide a guided tutorial and workflow to empower others interested in the rapid development of translatable LFAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Kourentzi
- William
A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
| | - Kristen Brosamer
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, University of
Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
| | - Binh Vu
- William
A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
| | - Richard C. Willson
- William
A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, University of
Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
- Department
of Biology and Biochemistry, University
of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004, United States
- Escuela
de Medicina y Ciencias de Salud, Tecnológico
de Monterrey, 64849 Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
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Ran C, Pu K. Molecularly generated light and its biomedical applications. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202314468. [PMID: 37955419 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202314468] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Molecularly generated light, referred to here as "molecular light", mainly includes bioluminescence, chemiluminescence, and Cerenkov luminescence. Molecular light possesses unique dual features of being both a molecule and a source of light. Its molecular nature enables it to be delivered as molecules to regions deep within the body, overcoming the limitations of natural sunlight and physically generated light sources like lasers and LEDs. Simultaneously, its light properties make it valuable for applications such as imaging, photodynamic therapy, photo-oxidative therapy, and photobiomodulation. In this review article, we provide an updated overview of the diverse applications of molecular light and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of molecular light across various domains. Lastly, we present forward-looking perspectives on the potential of molecular light in the realms of molecular imaging, photobiological mechanisms, therapeutic applications, and photobiomodulation. While some of these perspectives may be considered bold and contentious, our intent is to inspire further innovations in the field of molecular light applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongzhao Ran
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Kanyi Pu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 308232, Singapore, Singapore
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Brosamer K, Kourentzi K, Willson RC, Vu BV. Glowstick-inspired smartphone-readable reporters for sensitive, multiplexed lateral flow immunoassays. COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING 2023; 2:31. [PMID: 38586601 PMCID: PMC10955955 DOI: 10.1038/s44172-023-00075-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for point-of-care (POC) screening tests such as lateral flow assays (LFAs) and highlighted the need for sensitive and cost-effective POC diagnostic platforms. Here, we demonstrate an LFA platform using standard fluorescent nanoparticle reporters in which optical excitation is replaced by chemical excitation using the peroxyoxalate-based chemistry of inexpensive, shelf-stable glowsticks. The one-step chemi-excitation of fluorescent particles produces visible light readable by an unmodified smartphone, enhancing sensitivity while preserving simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Our Glow LFA detected the common model analyte human chorionic gonadotropin with a limit of detection (LoD) of 39 pg/mL-over ten times more sensitive than standard gold nanoparticles using the same antibodies. We also demonstrate its application to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein at 100 pg/mL in nasal swab extract. Multiple fluorescent dyes can be chemi-excited by a single reagent, allowing for color multiplexing on a single LFA strip with a smartphone camera. The detection of three analytes on a single LFA test line was demonstrated using red, green, and blue fluorescent reporter particles, making glow LFA a promising platform for multiplexed detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Brosamer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Katerina Kourentzi
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Richard C. Willson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
- Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de Salud, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León 64710, Mexico
| | - Binh V. Vu
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
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Teranishi K. Non-invasive and accurate readout of superoxide anion in biological systems by near-infrared light. Anal Chim Acta 2021; 1179:338827. [PMID: 34535266 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.338827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Infectious and inflammatory diseases involve superoxide anion (O2•-) production. Real-time and non-invasive evaluation of O2•- in intact biological systems has been a significant challenge in biology and medicine. Here, I report that an advanced near-infrared chemiluminescent probe, MCLA-800, enables reliable non-invasive optical readout of O2•-ex vivo and in vivo. MCLA-800 allowed highly selective and sensitive monitoring of O2•- in undiluted human whole blood ex vivo. For the first time, the use of MCLA-800 revealed two reproducible types of O2•- production in response to stimulation by unopsonized zymosan particles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, that is, slow response (S-type) and fast response (F-type), specific to each individual. O2•- production was synchronized with myeloperoxidase (MPO) activation in the former type but not in the latter. Moreover, as new findings, MCLA-800 chemiluminescence demonstrated that the chemiluminescence intensity-time properties of formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)- or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced O2•- production and MPO activity were independent of S- and F-type zymosan-induced MCLA-800 chemiluminescence whole blood and that PMA-induced MPO activation synchronized with PMA-induced O2•- production in S- and F-type zymosan-induced MCLA-800 chemiluminescence whole blood, but fMLP-induced MPO activation did not synchronize with fMLP-induced O2•- production in both of S- and F-type blood. Furthermore, MCLA-800 spatiotemporally allowed non-invasive and clear in vivo imaging of O2•- in animal models of acute dermatitis and focal arthritis. Therefore, MCLA-800 could be possibly applied in various advanced diagnostic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsunori Teranishi
- Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan.
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Cao J, Campbell J, Liu L, Mason RP, Lippert AR. In Vivo Chemiluminescent Imaging Agents for Nitroreductase and Tissue Oxygenation. Anal Chem 2016; 88:4995-5002. [PMID: 27054463 PMCID: PMC5033617 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b01096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Tissue oxygenation is a driving parameter of the tumor microenvironment, and hypoxia can be a prognostic indicator of aggressiveness, metastasis, and poor response to therapy. Here, we report a chemiluminescence imaging (CLI) agent based on the oxygen-dependent reduction of a nitroaromatic spiroadamantane 1,2-dioxetane scaffold. Hypoxia ChemiLuminescent Probe 2 (HyCL-2) responds to nitroreductase with ∼170-fold increase in luminescence intensity and high selectivity for enzymatic reductase versus other small molecule reductants. HyCL-2 can image exogenous nitroreductase in vitro and in vivo in living mice, and total luminescent intensity is increased by ∼5-fold under low oxygen conditions. HyCL-2 is demonstrated to report on tumor oxygenation during an oxygen challenge in H1299 lung tumor xenografts grown in a murine model as independently confirmed using multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) imaging of hemoglobin oxygenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Cao
- Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275-0314
- Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275-0314
| | - James Campbell
- Prognostic Imaging Research Laboratory (PIRL), Pre-clinical Imaging Section, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9058, USA
| | - Li Liu
- Prognostic Imaging Research Laboratory (PIRL), Pre-clinical Imaging Section, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9058, USA
| | - Ralph P. Mason
- Prognostic Imaging Research Laboratory (PIRL), Pre-clinical Imaging Section, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9058, USA
| | - Alexander R. Lippert
- Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275-0314
- Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275-0314
- Center for Global Health Impact (CGHI), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 75275-0314
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Bag S, Tseng JC, Rochford J. A BODIPY-luminol chemiluminescent resonance energy-transfer (CRET) cassette for imaging of cellular superoxide. Org Biomol Chem 2015; 13:1763-7. [PMID: 25500943 DOI: 10.1039/c4ob02413c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Spectroscopic and in cellulo studies are here reported on the very first BODIPY-luminol chemiluminescent resonance energy-transfer (CRET) cassette where the luminol CL agent is covalently linked to the BODIPY energy-transfer acceptor in a molecular dyad. The efficiency of intramolecular CRET investigated for the BODIPY-luminol dyad was found to be 64% resulting in a dual emissive response. Successful in cellulo biochemiluminescence via CRET was achieved in PMA activated splenocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bag
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125, USA.
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Tseng JC, Kung AL. In vivo imaging of endogenous enzyme activities using luminescent 1,2-dioxetane compounds. J Biomed Sci 2015; 22:45. [PMID: 26100615 PMCID: PMC4477311 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-015-0155-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Here we present a non-invasive imaging method for visualizing endogenous enzyme activities in living animals. This optical imaging method is based on an energy transfer principle termed chemically initiated electron exchange luminescence (CIEEL). The light energy is provided by enzymatic activation of metastable 1,2-dioxetane substrates, whose protective groups are removed by hydrolytic enzymes such as β-galactosidase and alkaline phosphatase. In the presence of a nearby fluorescent recipient, the chemical energy within the activated substrate is then transferred via formation of a charge-transfer complex with the fluorophore, a mechanism closely related to glow stick chemistry. Results Efficient CIEEL energy transfer requires close proximity between the trigger enzyme and the fluorescent recipient. Using cells stained with fluorescent dialkylcarbocyanines as the energy recipients, we demonstrated CIEEL imaging of cellular β-galactosidase or alkaline phosphatase activity. In living animals, we used a similar approach to non-invasively image alkaline phosphatase activity in the peritoneal cavity. Conclusions In this report, we provide proof-of-concept for CIEEL imaging of in vivo enzymatic activity. In addition, we demonstrate the use of CIEEL energy transfer for visualizing elevated alkaline phosphatase activity associated with tissue inflammation in living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Chieh Tseng
- Lurie Family Imaging Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Current address: PerkinElmer Inc, 68 Elm Street, Hopkinton, MA, 01748, USA.
| | - Andrew L Kung
- Columbia University Medical Center, 3959 Broadway, New York, NY, 10032, USA
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