活体荧光成像对裸鼠肝癌细胞系MHCC97-H原位移植模型的动态量化分析

目的:利用生物自发光的裸鼠肝癌原位移植模型,以活体荧光成像技术对肝癌的生长和转移情况进行动态、量化分析.方法:将稳定转染了荧光素酶(luciferase)基因的人肝癌细胞株MHCC97-H-LUC细胞,移植至裸鼠肝脏包膜下,每周利用活体荧光成像系统对裸鼠体内移植瘤的生长部位和范围进行成像,测量肿瘤细胞生物发光量,动态观察肝癌细胞在裸鼠体内的肿瘤数量、生长速度和转移情况.结果:建立可稳定表达荧光素酶的人肝癌细胞株MHCC97-H-LUC并用于进行生物自发光的裸鼠原位移植模型;利用活体荧光成像系统对裸鼠体内的移植瘤成像,见发光部位由肝脏向腹腔扩散,发光量随时间呈指数级增长;病理学观察证实肿瘤细胞长.结论:利用活体荧光成像技术的动态量化分析可灵敏、准确地监测裸鼠肝癌原位移植模型中肿瘤细胞的生长及转移情况,为肿瘤发生、生长、转移机制及对抗肿瘤生长和转移的体内研究提供了科学的量化手段.     

基于双荧光系统的HepG2肝细胞癌原位移植裸鼠模型建立及活体荧光成像动态定量分析

目的:建立一种可以实时、定量、动态监测的肝细胞癌原位移植模型,并利用活体荧光成像系统对裸鼠体内原位肝细胞癌生长进行分析。方法:利用慢病毒包装系统包装pCDH-GFP-Luc质粒,将绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)和萤光素酶(Luc)基因通过病毒感染的方式整合到HepG2肝癌细胞染色体中,利用流式细胞术分选GFP+细胞,扩增培养后,将该细胞注射到裸鼠皮下进行成瘤,成瘤后分离肿瘤组织接种裸鼠肝脏,将造模成功的裸鼠分为对照组和治疗组,分别灌胃给与0.5%羧甲基纤维素钠(CMC-Na)和50 mg/kg索拉非尼,2/d,连续28 d,每7 d利用活体荧光成像系统观察肝癌细胞在对照组和治疗组裸鼠肝脏内的生长情况。实验结束后,分离裸鼠肝脏肿瘤,拍照称重。结果:建立了稳定表达双荧光的人肝癌细胞系HepG2-GFP-Luc,体外发光强度与表达萤光素酶的细胞数量呈正相关(R2=0.9945);建立了肝细胞癌原位移植活体荧光成像模型,对照组和治疗组肝脏内肿瘤细胞荧光强度随时间的延长逐渐增加,治疗组荧光强度明显低于对照组。定量分析结果显示,在第24、31和38 d,治疗组荧光总光子数值显著低于对照组;治疗组平均瘤重显著低于对照组。结论:建立了一种肝细胞癌原位移植荧光成像模型,可通过活体成像系统对肿瘤大小进行动态定量分析,为抗肝癌药物的药效学评价提供了实时定量分析动物模型。     

GFP标记的肿瘤生长和转移的整体荧光成像

Fugene 6脂质体介导pEGFP-C1转染人源肺癌细胞(SPC-A1),经G418抗性筛选和96孔板有限稀释获得稳定高表达GFP的单克隆细胞株SPC-A1-EGFP。裸鼠腹腔注射SPC-A1-EGFP细胞建立自发转移模型;裸鼠尾静脉注射SPC-A1-EGFP细胞建立实验转移模型。利用整体光学成像系统(wllole-body optical imaging system)对荷瘤鼠整体荧光成像。结果表明,整体光学成像系统可实时非侵入监测腹腔肿瘤生长和扩散过程,通过胸腔皮瓣窗chest—wall skin-flap window)可低侵入检测肺转移。该研究为在体监测原位移植瘤的自发转移和发现抗肿瘤新药物提供了良好实验平台。     

基于神经网络原理的荧光寿命成像研究

荧光寿命成像技术(fhlorescence lifetime imaging,FLIM)是一种新颖且功能强大的、能用于复杂生物组织和细胞结构与功能分析的生物组织成像技术。传统的时域荧光寿命成像数据分析方法,由于没有考虑荧光分子团之间以及他们与周围环境的相互作用,可能导致复杂的连续分布荧光寿命这一实际情况,因此对生物组织中自发荧光发光强度衰减过程的实验数据拟合效果欠佳。文章提出利用人工神经网络(artificial neural network,ANN)原理拟合算法来计算生物荧光分子团衰减动力过程,该方法能有效地建立生物荧光分子团衰减动力过程的非线性模型,并且具有处理非线性模型能力强、鲁棒性好、拟合精度高和所需计算时间少等优点。通过计算证明,相对于单参量指数与多参量指数衰减函数,这种数据拟合方法对于某些荧光分子团的多槽基面效价测定样品(multi-well plate assays)的数据有更好的一致性和更小的计算量。同时在文章中讨论了将该拟合算法应用于荧光寿命成像的前景。     

绿色荧光蛋白及其应用

随着对绿色荧光蛋白(green fluorescent protein,GFP)研究的不断深入,人们对其结构、荧光产生机理等已有较为全面的认识。近年来利用GFP及其它荧光蛋白(FPs)发展了诸如荧光互补技术(FC)、荧光共振能量转移技术(FRET)和超分辨成像(super-resolution imaging)等一系列新技术,极大地促进了生物学、医药科学的研究。主要介绍了荧光蛋白的结构,荧光产生的机理,不同类型的荧光蛋白和基于荧光蛋白产生的新技术等方面的最新研究进展。     

有机荧光探针辅助的近红外荧光成像技术在宫颈癌中的应用

荧光成像已被广泛应用于生物医学和临床诊断领域。近红外(Near-infrared,NIR,700–1 700nm)荧光成像在NIR波段对生物组织显影,与可见光波段(400–760 nm)的传统荧光成像相比,更有助于提高成像的信噪比和灵敏度。高质量的荧光成像需要借助良好的荧光探针,纳米技术的快速发展使具备良好荧光特性的有机染料不断涌现。与无机荧光探针相比,有机荧光探针具有安全性高、生物相容性好、光学稳定性强等优点。因此有机荧光探针辅助的NIR荧光成像可为研究者提供生物样品的结构和动态信息,是当前光学、化学、生物医学等多学科交叉研究领域的热点。文中结合近年来有机荧光探针在宫颈癌成像应用中的研究,概述了几种典型的有机荧光探针辅助NIR荧光成像在宫颈癌中的应用,如吲哚青绿、七甲川菁染料、罗丹明类荧光探针和聚合物荧光纳米颗粒,并对其发展前景和应用价值进行了展望。     

绿色荧光裸鼠的建立和验证

目的建立系统性表达绿色荧光蛋白的裸鼠,接种人源肺癌细胞验证该模型是否具有免疫缺陷性,并观察双色荧光的成像效果。方法利用系统性表达绿色荧光蛋白的C57BL/6J小鼠与BALB/C裸小鼠多代杂交和互交,建立稳定表达绿色荧光蛋白的裸鼠。大体解剖观察胸腺生长情况,整体和器官荧光成像验证绿色荧光蛋白的表达情况。以2×106/只的剂量对其皮下腋下接种表达红色荧光蛋白的人类A549肺癌细胞（RFP-A549）,通过观测肿瘤生长来验证模型的免疫缺陷性。同时,利用红色荧光标记的肿瘤和绿色宿主鼠,对双色的整体成像效果进行观测。结果构建出系统性表达绿色荧光蛋白的裸鼠,大体解剖可见胸腺缺失。在激发光的激发下,绿色荧光裸鼠全身发出清晰的绿色荧光,脑、心脏、肺脏、肝脏、肾脏,肠胃及胰腺等主要器官可见明显绿色荧光。接种RFP-A549细胞后,成瘤率达到100%,整体动物荧光成像表现出清晰的双色。结论本研究构建出的绿色荧光裸鼠,动物整体可以清晰地表达绿色荧光并具有免疫缺陷性     

三套荧光显微成像系统在光敏剂亚细胞定位研究中的应用比较

目的：对三套荧光显微成像系统在国产新型光敏剂HMME亚细胞定位研究中的应用特点及适用范围进行了比较与评价。方法：分别应用LSCM、CCD、ICCD荧光显微成像系统,选择特异性细胞器荧光探针Rhodamine-123、DIOC6(3)标记细胞内线粒体和内质网。采用细胞器-细胞荧光强度比值法,对HMME进行单细胞内分布的定性与定量研究。结果：LSCM和CCD成像系统能采集到浓度达到160μg／ml时的HMME的荧光图像,获得荧光探针图像信息显示所标记的细胞内线粒体和内质网平均荧光强度比值(J1/J2值)都明显高于细胞内J1/J2值。而ICCD成像系统只需HMME浓度为5μg/ml,荧光图像特点都呈胞浆中荧光强度较高且分布不均,细胞核区荧光较弱的中空现象。ICCD系统对细胞器探针荧光图像在空间分辨上不理想。结论：LSCM与CCD成像系统限于其探测灵敏度,对于弱荧光性光敏剂,适用于其高孵育浓度条件下的亚细胞定位研究。二者获得的结果相一致：孵育24h,HMME在鼠肺内皮细胞线粒体和内质网有分布而几乎不进入细胞核。ICCD成像系统可不受孵育浓度条件的限制,实现光敏剂极微弱荧光的有效探测,但空间分辨率较低。     

SW1990和Capan-2红色荧光标记胰腺癌移植肿瘤模型的建立和比较

目的建立稳定表达红色荧光蛋白基因的人胰腺癌细胞系,为体内监测肿瘤的早期生长及抗肿瘤药物的药效评价建立一种新的肿瘤动物模型。方法以Lipofectamine 2000介导chickenβ-actin-RFP-NEO转染人胰腺癌细胞SW1990和Capan-2,经梯度浓度G418筛选获得稳定表达红色荧光蛋白的细胞克隆并扩大培养。BALB/cA-nu裸鼠皮下接种1×106个发光细胞使其成瘤,活体荧光成像系统观察肿瘤的生长情况。结果获得了稳定表达RFP的两种不同的人胰腺癌细胞株,将其接种到裸鼠体内可成瘤,利用活体成像系统观察了肿瘤的生长动态过程,并且SW1990肿瘤细胞的生长速度较Capan-2细胞快。结论用红色荧光蛋白标记的人胰腺癌细胞建立的裸鼠肿瘤模型为胰腺癌的研究和相关药物筛选提供了可进行荧光影像活体、动态分析的动物模型。     

荧光蛋白研究进展

荧光蛋白在生物学众多研究领域中有着广泛的应用,基于荧光蛋白的分子探针和标记方法已成为活细胞或活体内动态成像研究生物大分子或细胞功能的重要工具。本文对现有荧光蛋白的种类和理化特性,及其在生物学研究中的应用进行了综述介绍。重点介绍了近年来荧光蛋白在亮度、Stokes位移、光谱改变等方面的研究进展,介绍了光转换与光活化荧光蛋白及其在超分辨荧光成像技术中的应用。最后对荧光蛋白未来的发展方向进行了展望。     

Comparison of noninvasive fluorescent and bioluminescent small animal optical imaging

Optical imaging is a modality that is cost-effective, rapid, easy to use, and can be readily applied to studying disease processes and biology in vivo. For this study, we used a green fluorescent protein (GFP)- and luciferase-expressing mouse tumor model to compare and contrast the quantitative and qualitative capabilities of a fluorescent reporter gene (GFP) and a bioluminescent reporter gene (luciferase). We describe the relationship between tumor volume, tumor mass, and bioluminescent/fluorescent intensity for both GFP and luciferase. Bioluminescent luciferase imaging was shown to be more sensitive than fluorescent GFP imaging. Luciferase-expressing tumors were detected as early as 1 day after tumor cell inoculation, whereas GFP-expressing tumors were not detected until 7 days later. Both bioluminescent and fluorescent intensity correlated significantly and linearly with tumor volume and tumor weight, as measured by caliper. Compared to bioluminescent imaging, fluorescent imaging does not require the injection of a substrate and may be appropriate for applications where sensitivity is not as critical. Knowing the relative strengths of each imaging modality will be important in guiding the decision to use fluorescence or bioluminescence.     

Evaluation of the reversal of multidrug resistance by MDR1 ribonucleic acid interference in a human colon cancer model using a Renilla luciferase reporter gene and coelenterazine

The reversal effect of multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene expression by adenoviral vector-mediated MDR1 ribonucleic acid interference was assessed in a human colon cancer animal model using bioluminescent imaging with Renilla luciferase (Rluc) gene and coelenterazine, a substrate for Rluc or MDR1 gene expression. A fluorescent microscopic examination demonstrated an increased green fluorescent protein signal in Ad-shMDR1- (recombinant adenovirus that coexpressed MDR1 small hairpin ribonucleic acid [shRNA] and green fluorescent protein) infected HCT-15/Rluc cells in a virus dose-dependent manner. Concurrently, with an increasing administered virus dose (0, 15, 30, 60, and 120 multiplicity of infection), Rluc activity was significantly increased in Ad-shMDR1-infected HCT-15/Rluc cells in a virus dose-dependent manner. In vivo bioluminescent imaging showed about 7.5-fold higher signal intensity in Ad-shMDR1-infected tumors than in control tumors (p < .05). Immunohistologic analysis demonstrated marked reduction of P-glycoprotein expression in infected tumor but not in control tumor. In conclusion, the reversal of MDR1 gene expression by MDR1 shRNA was successfully evaluated by bioluminescence imaging with Rluc activity using an in vivo animal model with a multidrug resistance cancer xenograft.     

Noninvasive fluorescent imaging reliably estimates biomass in vivo

Whole-body optical imaging of small animals has emerged as a powerful, user friendly, and high-throughput tool for assaying molecular and cellular processes as they occur in vivo. As with any imaging method, the utility of such technology relies on its ability to provide quantitative, biologically meaningful information about the physiologic or pathologic process of interest. Here we used an animal tumor model to evaluate the extent of correlation between noninvasively measured fluorescence and more traditional measurements of biomass (tumor volume and tumor weight). C57/BL6 mice were injected subcutaneously with murine colon adenocarcinoma cells that were engineered to express GFP. Serial measurements of fluorescence intensities were performed with a macroscopic in vivo fluorescence system. The progressive increases in intensity correlated strongly with growth in tumor volume, as determined by caliper measurements (R2 = 0.99). A more stringent correlation was found between fluorescence intensity and tumor weight (R2 = 0.97) than between volume and weight (R2 = 0.89). In a treatment experiment using tumor necrosis factor-alpha, fluorescence intensity (but not tumor volume) was able to differentiate between treated and control groups on day 1 post-treatment. These results validate the ability of noninvasive fluorescent imaging to quantify the number of viable, fluorescent cells in vivo.     

人宫颈癌细胞Hela移植模型肿瘤生长的荧光分析和卡尺测量的比较

目的建立稳定表达绿色荧光蛋白的人宫颈癌细胞系,建立移植瘤模型并比较移植模型肿瘤生长的荧光分析和卡尺测量的优缺点。方法以Lipofectamine 2000介导chickenβ-actin-GFP-NEO转染人宫颈癌细胞Hela,经梯度浓度G418筛选获得稳定表达绿色荧光蛋白的细胞克隆并扩大培养。BALB/cA-nu裸鼠皮下接种1×10^6个发光细胞使其成瘤,利用活体荧光成像系统和游标卡尺观察肿瘤的生长情况。结果获得了稳定表达GFP的人宫颈癌细胞株,将其接种到裸鼠体内可成瘤。活体荧光成像观察发现,1至3周随着肿瘤体积逐渐增大,平均荧光光子数逐渐增加;4周时随着肿瘤出现明显坏死,平均荧光光子数呈现下降趋势,而游标卡尺测量结果显示肿瘤在4至5周仍然不断的增大。结论绿色荧光蛋白能够在人宫颈癌细胞Hela中长期稳定表达,用绿色荧光蛋白标记的人宫颈癌细胞Hela建立的裸鼠肿瘤模型可以为人宫颈癌研究提供理想的实验材料,应用小动物活体成像系统能够客观定量评价活的肿瘤细胞在动物体内的生长情况,而不是肿瘤体积的变化。     

人胰腺癌裸鼠异种移植瘤模型的生物发光成像和超声成像比较

目的利用荧光素酶基因标记的人胰腺癌细胞株Capan-2建立胰腺癌裸鼠移植模型,评价生物发光和小动物超声成像在移植瘤模型建立中的作用。方法将表达荧光素酶基因的真核表达载体转入人胰腺癌细胞Capan-2,将1×106人胰腺癌细胞悬液分别接种于裸鼠胰腺和右后肢皮下,使其成瘤。生物发光成像和小动物超声成像系统观察肿瘤的生长情况。结果肿瘤细胞原位移植成功率为75%,皮下移植成功率为100%。生物发光成像系统在肿瘤细胞原位接种第7天,可以观察到肿瘤发光;小动物超声成像系统在肿瘤细胞皮下接种第7天,可以测量肿瘤的大小,但在肿瘤细胞原位接种的第7天不能测量肿瘤的大小。另外肿瘤细胞在裸鼠皮下生长的速度比原位生长速度快3倍左右。结论生物发光成像系统更适用于肿瘤早期监测,为深入研究胰腺癌的发生发展、侵袭转移机制提供理想工具。     

The ‘Gator’ Mouse Suit for early bioluminescent metastatic breast cancer detection and nanomaterial signal enhancement during live animal imaging

Optical imaging is a cornerstone of modern oncologic research. The aim of this study is to determine the value of a new tool to enhance bioluminescent and fluorescent sensitivity for facilitating very‐low‐level signal detection in vivo. Experimental: For bioluminescent imaging experiments, a luciferase expressing breast cancer cell line with metastatic phenotype was implanted orthotopically into the mammary fat pad of mice. For fluorescent imaging experiments, near‐infrared (NIR) nanoparticles were injected intratumorally and subcutaneously into mice. Images were compared in mice with and without application of the ‘Gator’ Mouse Suit (GMS). Results: The GMS was associated with early detection and quantification of metastatic bioluminescent very‐low‐level signal not possible with conventional imaging strategies. Similarly, NIR nanoparticles that were undetectable in locations beyond the primary injection site could be visualized and their very‐low‐level signal quantifiable with the aid of the GMS. Conclusion: The GMS is a device which has tremendous potential for facilitating the development of bioluminescent models and fluorescent nanomaterials for translational oncologic applications. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

在体生物发光成像技术在生物医学中的应用

在体生物发光成像技术采用萤光素酶基因标记细胞及DNA,利用灵敏的光学检测仪器,实时直观地监测活体小动物体内感染性疾病的发生发展、肿瘤的生长及转移及引发的免疫反应、特定基因的表达等诸多生物过程。通过对同一组实验对象在不同时间点进行记录,跟踪同一观察目标(标记细胞、病原微生物或基因)的移动及变化,与传统的动物实验方法相比,在体生物发光成像得到的数据具有更高的可信度。近年来因其灵敏度较高、不涉及放射性物质、所得结果直观等优势,该技术已普遍应用于生物医学、药物开发等研究领域。     

Near-infrared fluorescence-labeled anti-PD-L1-mAb for tumor imaging in human colorectal cancer xenografted mice

The expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in tumor has been used as a biomarker to predict the anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy response. To develop a noninvasive imaging technique to monitor the dynamic changes in PD-L1 expression in colorectal cancer (CRC), we labeled an anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody with near-infrared (NIR) dye and tested the ability of the NIR-PD-L1-mAb probe to monitor the PD-L1 expression in CRC-xenografted mice by performing optical imaging. Consistent with the expression levels of PD-L1 protein in three CRC cell lines in vitro by flow cytometry and Western blot analyses, our in vivo imaging showed the highest fluorescence signal of the xenografted tumors in mice bearing SW620 CRC cells, followed by tumors derived from SW480 and HCT8 cell lines. We detected the highest fluorescent intensity of the tumor at 120 hours after injection of NIR-PD-L1-mAb. The highest fluorescence intensity was seen in the tumor, followed by the spleen and the liver in SW620 xenografted mice. In SW480 and HCT8 xenografted mice, however, the highest fluorescent signals were detected in the spleen, followed by the liver and the tumor. Our findings indicate that SW620 cells express a higher level of PD-L1, and the NIR-PD-L1-mAb binding to PD-L1 on the surface of CRC cells was specific. The technique was safe and could provide valuable information on PD-L1 expression of the tumor for development of a therapeutic strategy of personized targeted immunotherapies as well as treatment response of patients with CRC.     

Luciferase-YFP fusion tag with enhanced emission for single-cell luminescence imaging

Taking advantage of the phenomenon of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), we developed a bioluminescent probe composed of EYFP and Renilla reniformis luciferase (RLuc)--BRET-based autoilluminated fluorescent protein on EYFP (BAF-Y)--for near-real-time single-cell imaging. We show that BAF-Y exhibits enhanced RLuc luminescence intensity and appropriate subcellular distribution when it was fused to targeting-signal peptides or histone H2AX, thus allowing high spatial and temporal resolution microscopy of living cells.     

A one-plasmid conditional color-switching transgenic system for multimodal bioimaging

We have developed a new construct to generate transgenic mice with one plasmid that offers: (1) Cre/loxP-mediated spatial and temporally-controlled tissue-specific transgene expression; (2) A color-switching mechanism that uses spectrum-complementary genetically-encoded red (mRFP) and green (eGFP) fluorescent markers to label the transgene-expressing cells; (3) A bioluminescent marker that turns-on in the transgene-expressing cells; (4) eGFP as a cell surface marker in the transgene-expressing cells that facilitates the isolation and targeting of these cells. This vector was tested in vitro by co-transfection of the transgenic plasmid and a plasmid containing Cre recombinase into cultured cells and by establishing a transgenic mouse line. We show that this method allows versatile transgene expression targeting and color-switching to facilitate fluorescent and bioluminescent imaging both in cultured cells and in vivo. Our strategy provides time-saving features in tissue-specific transgene expression, bioimaging and primary cell isolation and can be used for generation of gene-specific transgenic mice.