Newin vitro fluorimetric microtitration assays for toxicological screening of drugs

Flow cytometry has been widely used to quantify fluorescent probes in cell culture. However, FCM is not adapted to toxicological screenings due to the cost, the length and the poor reproducibility of this technique. Moreover, several multicenter studies have preferred microtitration methodologies for drug screening. A new fluorimetric technology has been designed that is sensitive and adapted to direct screening in 96-well microplates. This fluorimeter uses cold light technology (CLF) with chemical and physical modifications of the lighting system (Rat et al., 1995). CLF allows reading of UV, visible and near infrared fluorescence by increasing light energy (from 1000 to 2300 lumens) and reducing the calorific part of light (IR>900 nm, Joule effect). It induces a decrease in background and a 500- to 1000-fold improvement of detection limit of probes in comparison with classical fluorimeters and permits detection of pg/ml to fg/ml. CLF allows easy evaluation of cell injury induced by physical agents (UVA) or chemical toxins (CCl₄). Four biological endpoints for cytotoxicity evaluation have been tested with several probes: proliferation (H33258); viability (fluorescent Neutral Red); cell-cell adhesion (calcein-AM); and mitochondrial metabolic effects (Rhodamine 123). Rh 123 assay appeared more sensitive than fluorimetric or photometric detection of Neutral Red assay. Cold light fluorimetry (CLF) permits direct detection of low concentrations of probes (pg/ml to fg/ml). CLF is shown to improve classical cytotoxicity assays and, owing to its adaptability to microtitration (in 6-, 12- or 96-well plates and in Petri dishes), it is thus a promising alternative to flow cytometry for drug cytotoxicity screening.Abbreviations CLF cold light fluorimetry - FCM flow cytometry - H33258 Hoechst 33258 - IR infrared - NIR near infrared - UV ultraviolet - MTT tetrazolium salt (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H tetrazolium bromide) - Rh123 Rhodamine 123     

Development of a dot-blot assay for screening monoclonal antibodies to low-molecular-mass drugs

Dot-blot is a versatile and simple analysis to perform. We adapted this method as a simple identity test for monoclonal antibodies to a number of small compounds: three transplant drugs, an anticonvulsant, a steroid, an anticancer drug, and an antibiotic. Immunology-based identity tests using low-molecular-mass organic compounds have historically been a challenge to develop. We modified the traditional dot-blot assay to serve as an identity test for monoclonal antibodies to carbamazepine, sirolimus, tacrolimus, cyclosporine, cortisol, methotrexate, and gentamicin. The primary obstacle was the immobilization of these organic compounds on nitrocellulose as nitrocellulose is also soluble in most of the organic solvents in which the compounds are soluble. We evaluated different membranes, solvents, and chemical forms of these organic compounds to overcome this challenge. A number of incubation and washing solutions were also investigated. By varying the chemical form, concentration, and incubation conditions, a set of effective and reproducible identity tests were developed for these monoclonal antibodies.     

A sensitive fluorimetric assay for pyruvate

A sensitive and specific fluorimetric assay for the determination of pyruvate is reported here. This assay is based on the oxidation of pyruvate in the presence of pyruvate oxidase. Hydrogen peroxide generated by pyruvate oxidase reacts with nonfluorescent Amplex Red at a 1:1 stoichiometry to form the fluorescent product, resorufin. The assay is optimized with respect to pH of reaction buffer, enzyme concentration, dye concentration, and the time course. The usefulness of the assay is demonstrated by the accurate measurement of intracellular and extracellular pyruvate concentrations. The limit of detection of the assay is 5 nM.     

A fluorimetric assay for guanine aminohydrolase

A rapid, sensitive, and versatile assay for guanine aminohydrolase is described. It is based on the difference in native fluorescence of guanine, the substrate, and xanthine, the reaction product when excitation and emission wavelengths are 285 nm and 345 nm, respectively.     

A new fluorimetric assay for streptothricins

In strongly acidic medium (70% HClO4) streptothricins form a fluorophore (lambda ex = 312 nm; lambda em = 381 nm) with unknown structure. A fluorimetric determination of pure or crude products and cultures, respectively, was worked out based on this reaction. Concentrations for fluorescence measurements were in the range of 10(-8) - 2 X 10(-7) moles. Interferences of the assay are discussed, a statistical evaluation of results and a comparison between microbiological and fluorimetric findings are given.     

Rapid fluorescent assay for screening drugs on Leishmania amastigotes

A rapid fluorescent viability assay employing alamarBlue was optimized for use with Leishmania axenic amastigotes, the stage of the parasite responsible for disease pathology. The activity of two protein kinase inhibitors, Staurosporine and H-89, as well as Amphotericin B, on promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania donovani and Leishmania tropica was compared. Both protein kinase inhibitors inhibited promastigote growth at lower concentrations than amastigotes, while the GI(50) for Amphotericin B on both stages was similar. This assay only requires a limited number of axenic amastigotes (50,000 cells/well) and can be used to rapidly screen large chemical or natural product libraries for activity against amastigotes.     

A fluorimetric assay for aminopeptidase W.

N-Methylformamide extracts of acid-treated precipitated VFe protein of the V-nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum are yellow-brown in colour and contain vanadium, iron and acid-labile sulphur in the approximate proportions 1:6:5. E.p.r. spectra of the extracts exhibit a weak signal with g values near 4.5, 3.6 and 2.0 characteristic of an S = 3/2 metal-containing centre. The N-methylformamide extracts activated the MoFe protein polypeptides from mutants of nitrogen-fixing bacteria unable to synthesize FeMoco, the active centre of Mo-nitrogenase. The active hybrid protein exhibited the characteristic substrate-reducing phenotype associated with the VFe protein except that it could not reduce N2 to NH3. The above data are interpreted as demonstrating the existence of an iron- and vanadium-containing cofactor, FeVaco, within the VFe protein. It is suggested that nitrogen fixation requires specific interactions between FeVaco or FeMoco and their respective polypeptides. The biosynthesis of these cofactors is discussed.     

A simple fluorimetric assay for guanosine nucleotides

It is comparatively easy to assay adenosine 5′-triphosphate either in the presence or absence of other nucleoside triphosphates (1). An assay for UTP has been reported (2) based on its incorporation into RNA using RNA polymerase and a poly(dA-dT) template in the presence of excess [³H]-ATP; this method could be adapted to assay for GTP and CTP. It is known that the fluorescence of Tb³⁺ increases on binding to nucleic acids (3–5), and this enhancement has been attributed both to complex formation between Tb³⁺ and guanine residues in the nucleic acid (3) and also to binding of Tb³⁺ to thiouracil (4).     

Isolation of drugs active against mammalian prions using a yeast-based screening assay

We have developed a rapid, yeast-based, two-step assay to screen for antiprion drugs. The method allowed us to identify several compounds effective against budding yeast prions responsible for the [PSI+] and [URE3] phenotypes. These inhibitors include the kastellpaolitines, a new class of compounds, and two previously known molecules, phenanthridine and 6-aminophenanthridine. Two potent promoters of mammalian prion clearance in vitro, quinacrine and chlorpromazine, which share structural similarities with the kastellpaolitines, were also active in the assay. The compounds isolated here were also active in promoting mammalian prion clearance. These results validate the present method as an efficient high-throughput screening approach to identify new prion inhibitors and furthermore suggest that biochemical pathways controlling prion formation and/or maintenance are conserved from yeast to humans.     

A fluorimetric assay for available lysine in proteins

A two-dimensional fingerprinting gel system that provides sensitive analyses with high resolution of T1-resistant oligonucleotides of large RNA molecules is described. Unique oligonucleotides less than 30 bases in length are recovered quantitatively while longer oligonucleotides are recovered in very large (～90%) yields by active transfer of the fingerprint to DEAE paper. After elution of the oligonucleotides from DEAE paper, secondary analysis is performed by digestion of oligonucleotides with pancreatic RNase and separation of the products by high-voltage electrophoresis on polyethyleneimine cellulose. The complete analysis of up to 40 oligonucleotides can be accomplished within 4 days.     

A sensitive fluorimetric assay for gamma-glutamyl transferase.

A rapid, sensitive single-step assay for γ-glutamyl transferase is presented using l-γ-glutamyl-7-amino-4-methyl-coumarin as the donor substrate. Kinetic parameters and the relative activities with different acceptors were determined using this substrate. The results are compared with those obtained with an alternative substrate, l-γ-glutamyl-2-naphthyl-amide.     

A continuous fluorimetric assay for ATPase activity.

A new continuous coupled fluorimetric assay is described for ATPases in general. Thus phosphate released from ATP hydrolysis is coupled to the nucleoside phosphorylase reaction using 7-methylguanosine as a fluorescent substrate for the nucleoside phosphorylase reaction. The hydrolysis of 7-methylguanosine leads to 7-methylguanine, which has lower quantum yield and hence can be used to monitor ATP hydrolysis continuously. The method has the potential to be extended to GTPase and nucleotidyltransferase assays.     

A fluorimetric assay for acyl-CoA synthetase activities.

In this paper we describe a fluorimetric assay for the measurement of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase activity in rat liver postnuclear supernatants. The method is based upon the use of acyl-CoA oxidase which catalyzes the dehydrogenation of acyl-CoA esters to yield enoyl-CoA esters and H2O2. H2O2 subsequently reacts with homovanillic acid in a horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed reaction to form a highly fluorescent dimer (see G. G. Guilbault, P. J. Brignac, and M. Zimmer (1968) Anal. Chem. 40, 190-196). The increase in fluorescence can be followed either continuously or discontinuously. The method described is able to detect acyl-CoA synthetase activities as low as 20 microU/ml which is almost as sensitive as the standard isotopic assay used in most laboratories. The method is applicable to measure the activation of a variety of fatty acids. Finally, the method provides a simple means of carrying out kinetic studies.     

A high-throughput fluorimetric assay for angiotensin I-converting enzyme

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) assays are commonly used for measuring enzymatic activity in clinical and biological samples. The fluorimetric procedure described is sensitive, rapid and involves unsophisticated procedures and inexpensive reagents. It uses the substrate hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine, and the fluorescent adduct of the enzyme-catalyzed product L-histidyl-L-leucine is quantified fluorimetrically. This assay has been adapted for a 96-well plate format that produces comparable data to previously described assays and has the advantage of greater efficiency with respect to both time and reagents. The protocol can be used for routine purposes or for more detailed kinetic analyses. The apparent Km and kcat values for purified testis ACE determined from a double reciprocal plot were 3.0 mM and 195.7 s(-1), respectively. The protocol can be completed within 4 h.     

A microplate fluorimetric assay for measuring dehalogenase activity

A fluorimetric assay was developed to measure halide release from halogenated compounds being degraded by microbes. The method relies on the property of halides to quench the fluorescence of 6-methoxy-N-(3-sulfopropyl)quinolinium (SPQ) by collision quenching. The assay shows a wide response to halide concentration (1-500 mM) and tolerates a wide pH range. Furthermore, it is simple to use, has the potential for automation and uses an inexpensive non-toxic reagent.     

A fluorimetric Morgan-Elson assay method for hyaluronidase activity

Despite their physiological importance, hyaluronidases (HAases) have long been "neglected enzymes," due, presumably, in part to the lack of rapid, sensitive assays. Currently, the colorimetric Morgan-Elson assay method, which is based upon the generation of a new reducing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine terminus with each cleavage reaction, is most widely employed but is yet insensitive. We, therefore, reinvestigated the colorimetric method and established the fluorimetric Morgan-Elson assay for HAase activity, with the optimized tetraborate reagent. The fluorimetric assay, requiring neither specialized reagents nor a long time to perform, provided high sensitivity, nearly comparable to that of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-like assays, with a detection limit of 5 x 10(-3)NFU/ml of bovine testicular HAase after 1-h incubation. The increased sensitivity permitted rapid measurement of low HAase activity in biological samples such as human and rabbit serum HAases, the latter of which has not been detected either by an ELISA-like assay or by zymography. Human serum HAase was easily characterized it along with its optimum pH and kinetic parameters.     

Validation of a fluorescent imaging plate reader membrane potential assay for high-throughput screening of glycine transporter modulators

A fluorescent imaging plate reader (FLIPR) membrane potential (V(m)) assay was evaluated for pharmacological characterization and high-throughput screening (HTS) of rat glycine transporter type 2 (rGlyT(2)) in a stable rGlyT(2)-HEK cell line. Data show that glycine activation of rGlyT(2) consistently results in a concentration-dependent V(m) response on the FLIPR that is blocked by the potent and selective GlyT(2) antagonist 4-benzyloxy-3,5-dimethoxy-N-[1-dimethylamino-cyclopentyl)methyl]-benz-amide (Org-25543). Agonist and antagonist pharmacologies match those reported using conventional [(3)H]glycine uptake assays and electrophysiology. The glycine response is dependent on buffer ionic composition consistent with GlyT(2) physiology. Assay signal-to-background and coefficient of variation meets sufficient statistical criteria to conduct HTS. The results of a screen of the chemical inventory demonstrate that the assay is able to successfully identify and confirm GlyT(2) inhibitors. The advantages of this assay are its homogeneity, compatibility with both 96- and 384-well formats, and lack of radioactivity usage. Thus, the authors conclude that a fluorescence-based V(m) assay on FLIPR is a viable approach for identification and pharmacological profiling of small molecule modulators of the electrogenic transporter rGlyT(2).     

Development of a modified MTT assay for screening antimonial resistant field isolates of Indian visceral leishmaniasis

The semi-automated MTT colorimetric assay has previously been applied on Leishmania promastigotes based on the ability of viable parasites to reduce the tetrazolium salt to an insoluble formazan product. As promastigotes are non-adherent, application of the MTT assay in its original form has a major drawback of a high and variable background absorbance due to incomplete removal of phenol red, a component of most media. We have accordingly optimised a modified MTT assay wherein the absorbance linearity was maintained for cells ranging from 1x10(4) to 1x10(7) being 0.04+/-0.003-2.38+/-0.04. In contrast, the original MTT assay had a narrower linearity range of 1x10(6)-1x10(7) cells, absorbances being 0.05+/-0.005-1.54+/-0.005. The modified MTT assay was effectively applied to study growth kinetics and identification of antimonial resistant field isolates. Considering the growing problem of antimonial unresponsiveness in the Indian subcontinent, this modified MTT assay is a useful tool for Leishmania research.     

A quantitative fluorimetric assay for the determination of oxidant production by polymorphonuclear leukocytes: its use in the simultaneous fluorimetric assay of cellular activation processes

A fluorimetric assay for the indirect determination of superoxide production during the respiratory burst of stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes was described. The method allowed the determination of submicromolar concentrations of superoxide, and was sufficiently sensitive that first-derivative kinetic analysis of the respiratory burst could be quickly analyzed. Conditions for the simultaneous fluorimetric analysis of superoxide production and intracellular calcium fluxes were described.