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Anttila MM, Vickerman BM, Wang Q, Lawrence DS, Allbritton NL. Photoactivatable Reporter to Perform Multiplexed and Temporally Controlled Measurements of Kinase and Protease Activity in Single Cells. Anal Chem 2021; 93:16664-16672. [PMID: 34865468 PMCID: PMC8753264 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Peptide bioreporters were developed to perform multiplexed measurements of the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor kinase (EGFR), Akt kinase (Akt/protein kinase B), and proteases/peptidases in single cells. The performance characteristics of the three reporters were assessed by measuring the reporter's proteolytic stability, kinetic constants for EGFR and Akt, and dephosphorylation rate. The reporter displaying optimal performance was composed of 6-carboxyfluorescein (6-FAM) on the peptide N-terminus, an Akt substrate sequence employing a threonine phosphorylation site for Akt, followed by a tri-D arginine linker, and finally an EGFR substrate sequence bearing a phosphatase-resistant 7-(S)-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (L-htc) residue as the EGFR phosphorylation site. Importantly, use of a single electrophoretic condition separated the mono- and diphosphorylated products as well as proteolytic forms permitting the quantitation of multiple enzyme activities simultaneously using a single reporter. Because the Akt and EGFR substrates were linked, a known ratio (EGFR/Akt) of the reporter was loaded into cells. A photoactivatable version of the reporter was synthesized by adding two 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl (DMNB) moieties to mask the EGFR and Akt phosphorylation sites. The DMNB moieties were readily photocleaved following exposure to 360 nm light, unmasking the phosphorylation sites on the reporter. The new photoactivatable reporter permitted multiplexed measurements of kinase signaling and proteolytic degradation in single cells in a temporally controlled manner. This work will facilitate the development of a new generation of multiplexed activity-based reporters capable of light-initiated measurement of enzymatic activity in single cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M. Anttila
- Department of Chemistry, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98125
| | - Brianna M. Vickerman
- Department of Chemistry, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Qunzhao Wang
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - David S. Lawrence
- Department of Chemistry, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Nancy L. Allbritton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98125
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Marvin CM, Ding S, White RE, Orlova N, Wang Q, Zywot EM, Vickerman BM, Harr L, Tarrant TK, Dayton PA, Lawrence DS. On Command Drug Delivery via Cell-Conveyed Phototherapeutics. Small 2019; 15:e1901442. [PMID: 31353802 PMCID: PMC6739139 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201901442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Herein, the use of red blood cells (RBCs) as carriers of cytoplasmically interned phototherapeutic agents is described. Photolysis promotes drug release from the RBC carrier thereby providing the means to target specific diseased sites. This strategy is realized with a vitamin B12-taxane conjugate (B12-TAX), in which the drug is linked to the vitamin via a photolabile CoC bond. The conjugate is introduced into mouse RBCs (mRBCs) via a pore-forming/pore-resealing procedure and is cytoplasmically retained due to the membrane impermeability of B12. Photolysis separates the taxane from the B12 cytoplasmic anchor, enabling the drug to exit the RBC carrier. A covalently appended Cy5 antenna sensitizes the conjugate (Cy5-B12-TAX) to far red light, thereby circumventing the intense light absorbing properties of hemoglobin (350-600 nm). Microscopy and imaging flow cytometry reveal that Cy5-B12-TAX-loaded mRBCs act as drug carriers. Furthermore, intravital imaging of mice furnish a real time assessment of circulating phototherapeutic-loaded mRBCs as well as evidence of the targeted photorelease of the taxane upon photolysis. Histopathology confirms that drug release occurs in a well resolved spatiotemporal fashion. Finally, acoustic angiography is employed to assess the consequences of taxane release at the tumor site in Nu/Nu-tumor-bearing mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Marvin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Song Ding
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Rachel E White
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Natalia Orlova
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Qunzhao Wang
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Emilia M Zywot
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Brianna M Vickerman
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Lauren Harr
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Teresa K Tarrant
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Paul A Dayton
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - David S Lawrence
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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O'Banion CP, Vickerman BM, Haar L, Lawrence DS. Compartmentalized cAMP Generation by Engineered Photoactivated Adenylyl Cyclases. Cell Chem Biol 2019; 26:1393-1406.e7. [PMID: 31353320 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2019.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Because small-molecule activators of adenylyl cyclases (AC) affect ACs cell-wide, it is challenging to explore the signaling consequences of AC activity emanating from specific intracellular compartments. We explored this issue using a series of engineered, optogenetic, spatially restricted, photoactivable adenylyl cyclases (PACs) positioned at the plasma membrane (PM), the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM), and the nucleus (Nu). The biochemical consequences of brief photostimulation of PAC is primarily limited to the intracellular site occupied by the PAC. By contrast, sustained photostimulation results in distal cAMP signaling. Prolonged cAMP generation at the OMM profoundly stimulates nuclear protein kinase (PKA) activity. We have found that phosphodiesterases 3 (OMM and PM) and 4 (PM) modulate proximal (local) cAMP-triggered activity, whereas phosphodiesterase 4 regulates distal cAMP activity as well as the migration of PKA's catalytic subunit into the nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin P O'Banion
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Brianna M Vickerman
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lauren Haar
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - David S Lawrence
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Abstract
The bulk cell population response to a stimulus, be it a growth factor or a cytotoxic agent, neglects the cell-to-cell variability that can serve as a friend or as a foe in human biology. Biochemical variations among closely related cells furnish the basis for the adaptability of the immune system but also act as the root cause of resistance to chemotherapy by tumors. Consequently, the ability to probe for the presence of key biochemical variables at the single-cell level is now recognized to be of significant biological and biomedical impact. Chemical cytometry has emerged as an ultrasensitive single-cell platform with the flexibility to measure an array of cellular components, ranging from metabolite concentrations to enzyme activities. We briefly review the various chemical cytometry strategies, including recent advances in reporter design, probe and metabolite separation, and detection instrumentation. We also describe strategies for improving intracellular delivery, biochemical specificity, metabolic stability, and detection sensitivity of probes. Recent applications of these strategies to small molecules, lipids, proteins, and other analytes are discussed. Finally, we assess the current scope and limitations of chemical cytometry and discuss areas for future development to meet the needs of single-cell research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna M. Vickerman
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Matthew M. Anttila
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Brae V. Petersen
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Nancy L. Allbritton
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, and North Carolina State University,
Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - David S. Lawrence
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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