Facile labeling of lipoglycans with quantum dots

Bacterial endotoxins or lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are among the most potent activators of the innate immune system, yet mechanisms of their action and in particular the role of glycans remain elusive. Efficient non-invasive labeling strategies are necessary for studying interactions of LPS glycans with biological systems. Here we report a new method for labeling LPS and other lipoglycans with luminescent quantum dots. The labeling is achieved by partitioning of hydrophobic quantum dots into the core of various LPS aggregates without disturbing the native LPS structure. The biofunctionality of the LPS-Qdot conjugates is demonstrated by the labeling of mouse monocytes. This simple method should find broad applicability in studies concerned with visualization of LPS biodistribution and identification of LPS binding agents.     

Testing oligothiophene fluorophores under physiological conditions. Preparation and optical characterization of the conjugates of bovine serum albumin with oligothiophene N-hydroxysuccinimidyl esters

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was reacted with linear and newly synthesized branched oligothiophene N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester fluorophores (TSEs) in moderately basic carbonate buffer solution. Optically stable BSA-TSE conjugates were obtained with a degree of labeling depending on experimental conditions. Conjugates with high fluorophore to BSA ratios (F/BSA = 8) displayed fluorescence quantum yields in the range of 10-30% in water at pH = 7.2, comparable to the quantum yield (25%) of the BSA-FITC conjugate prepared under the same conditions and with the same degree of labeling.     

Creating self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates

Semiconductor quantum dots are inorganic fluorescent nanocrystals that, because of their unique optical properties compared with those of organic fluorophores, have become popular as fluorescent imaging probes. Although external light excitation is typically required for imaging with quantum dots, a new type of quantum dot conjugate has been reported that can luminesce with no need for external excitation. These self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates can be prepared by coupling of commercially available carboxylate-presenting quantum dots to the light-emitting protein Renilla luciferase. When the conjugates are exposed to the luciferase's substrate coelenterazine, the energy released by substrate catabolism is transferred to the quantum dots through bioluminescence resonance energy transfer, leading to quantum dot light emission. This protocol describes step-by-step procedures for the preparation and characterization of these self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates. The preparation process is relatively simple and can be done in less than 2 hours. The availability of self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates will provide many new possibilities for in vivo imaging and detection, such as monitoring of in vivo cell trafficking, multiplex bioluminescence imaging and new quantum dot-based biosensors.     

Biodistribution of the chimeric monoclonal antibody U36 radioiodinated with a closo-dodecaborate-containing linker. Comparison with other radioiodination methods

We have evaluated the applicability of the [(4-isothiocyanatobenzylammonio)undecahydro-closo-dodecaborate (1-)] (DABI) linker molecule for antibody radiohalogenation and compared it to radiohalogenation using the linker N-succinimidyl 4-iodobenzoate (PIB) and to direct radiohalogenation using Chloramine T. These studies were performed to assess the potential of DABI conjugates and to optimize the biological properties of halogen-labeled cMAb U36. The three conjugates were evaluated in vitro for their specificity and affinity and in vivo for their biodistribution patterns in normal mice at 1.5, 6, 24, and 96 h pi. Labeling efficiencies of direct CAT labeling, indirect PIB labeling, and indirect DABI labeling were 90-95%, 60%, and 68%, respectively. This resulted in a PIB:cMAb U36 molar ratio of 1.8-2.5 and a DABI:cMAb U36 molar ratio of 4.1. The in vitro data demonstrated specific binding for all conjugates and similar affinities with values around 1 x 10(8) M(-)(1). However, the in vivo data revealed accumulation of the radioiodine uptake in thyroid for the directly labeled conjugate, with a value 10 times higher than the indirectly labeled conjugates 96 h pi. Both the (125)I-PIB-cMAb U36 and (125)I-DABI-cMAb U36 conjugates yielded a low thyroid uptake with no accumulation, indicating different catabolites for these conjugates. This may favor the use of the indirectly labeled conjugates for future studies. Apart from the specific results obtained, these findings also demonstrate how the right linker molecule will provide additional opportunities to further improve the properties of an antibody-radionuclide conjugate.     

Silicon nanoparticles as a luminescent label to DNA

We successfully conjugated 1-2 nm diameter silicon nanoparticles to a 5'-amino-modified oligonucleotide (60mer) that contains a C6 linker between amide and phosphate groups. The conjugation was implemented via two photoinduced reactions followed by a DNA labeling step through formation of a carboxamide bond. Photoluminescence of the conjugates is dominated by two blue bands (400 and 450 nm maximal) under 340 nm excitation. The quantum yield of oligonucleotide-conjugated nanoparticles was determined to be 0.08 as measured against quinine sulfate in 0.1 M HClO(4) as a reference standard. We report a conjugation process that allows labeling of Si nanoparticles to an oligonucleotide in aqueous solutions. Ways to further optimize the procedure in order to achieve narrower and brighter photoluminescence are discussed.     

Fluorescent nanoprobes based on quantum dots conjugated to Cramoll to assess surface carbohydrates of Aeromonas spp.

The association of quantum dots (QDs) to carbohydrate-binding proteins – lectins – has revealed novel biotechnological strategies for glycobiology studies. Herein, carboxyl-coated QDs were conjugated by adsorption to Cramoll, a glucose/mannose lectin obtained from Cratylia mollis seeds. Then, the conjugates were optically characterized and used to evaluate the surface carbohydrate profiles of four Aeromonas species isolated from the tambaqui fish (Colossoma macropomum). All the Aeromonas cells were labeled by the conjugate. Inhibition assays with methyl-α-D-mannopyranoside and mannan were performed to confirm the labeling specificity. Cramoll-QDs conjugates presented high brightness and showed similar absorption and emission profiles compared to bare QDs. According to the labeling pattern of Aeromonas spp. by the conjugate, results suggested that A. jandaei and A. dhakensis strains may harbor a higher content of more complex glucose/mannose surface glycans, with more available sites for Cramoll-QDs interaction, than A. hydrophila and A. caviae. Noteworthy, the Cramoll-QDs conjugates demonstrated to be potential tools for bacterial characterization based on superficial carbohydrate detection.     

Allophycocyanin 1 as a near-infrared fluorescent tracer: isolation, characterization, chemical modification, and use in a homogeneous fluorescence resonance energy transfer system

Allophycocyanin 1 (APC1), isolated from Mastigocladus laminosus, retains the same (alpha-beta)(3) trimeric structure as allophycocyanin (APC), but incorporates a peptide linker in its core leading to a 28% increase in its fluorescence quantum yield compared to APC. Moreover, APC1 exhibits an unexpectedly good stability at very low concentrations, at extreme pHs, or diluted in a low ionic strength medium whereas, under the same conditions, APC dissociates into an (alpha-beta) monomer, indicating that the peptide linker acts as a stabilizer of its trimeric structure. APC1 crosslinking experiments performed using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide gave a high reaction yield (95%) and showed a similar crosslinking process as previously described for APC. Fluorescence quantum yields of crosslinked APC1 or APC decrease by 20% after labeling on antibody or streptavidin. However, quantum yields of the crosslinked APC1 conjugates remain 25% higher than those of crosslinked APC conjugates. Associated with a europium trisbipyridine cryptate as donor, crosslinked APC1 was compared with crosslinked APC as acceptor in homogeneous time resolved fluorescence technology based on a fluorescence resonance energy transfer process. Using crosslinked APC1, assay performances were increased by 20%, showing that APC1 could be considered as a very promising near infrared fluorescent probe to replace APC in its biological applications.     

MULTIPLEX DETECTION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI AND SALMONELLA ENTERITIDIS BY USING QUANTUM DOT-LABELED ANTIBODIES

In this study, we demonstrated the simultaneous detection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis, by coupling immunomagnetic separation (IMS) with quantum dots (QDs) labeling. QDs having different emission wavelengths were conjugated with anti- E. coli and anti- Salmonella antibodies. QD–antibody conjugates were used to label immunomagnetically separated bacteria and the fluorescence intensities were measured for enumerations of both species. The concentrations of primary antibodies used in IMS, the ratio of QDs to antibodies during the conjugation and the concentration of QD–antibody conjugates used in labeling were optimized to enhance the sensitivity of the assay. After labeling bacteria with QDs, the quenching observed between bead–bacteria complex and QDs was eliminated by separating QDs from the complex using sodium dodecyl sulfate solution. The fluorescence intensities due to the capturing of different concentrations of bacteria were measured and the working ranges were found to be 5 × 10² to 5 × 10⁵ cfu/mL for E. coli and 4  ×  10² to 4  ×  10⁵ cfu/mL for S. enteritidis .

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

In this study, antibody-conjugated multicolor quantum dots (QDs) were used for simultaneous detection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis . The results of this study indicate that QD labels can be used in multiplex, rapid and selective detection of bacteria with detection limits comparable with those of many novel methods in cases where the assay conditions are optimized. Furthermore, the assay can be modified for the simultaneous detection of more than two species through using QD labels having different emission wavelengths.     

Fluorescence of quinacrine mustard conjugated to proteins.

Proteins are readily labeled by quinacrine mustard to yield conjugates whose spectral properties are well-suited for fluorescence studies. Data on these conjugates and on the parent compound, quinacrine, are presented including lifetimes, quantum yields, and corrected excitation and emission spectra. Polarization studies using the Perrin-Weber equation show that rotational relaxation times can be obtained with quinacrine mustard conjugates. Such conjugates had lifetimes ranging from 4 to 13 ns and quantum yields from about 0.1 to 0.3. Quinacrine mustard is a useful reporter group, as shown by the changes in fluorescence parameters of conjugates undergoing conformational changes induced by denaturants. An excited state $\text{p}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}{}^1$ of 4.9 was identified for quinacrine, but the protonation was suppressed in the mustard conjugate of serum albumin until the N-F transition took place. The properties of the mustard conjugates are discussed in terms of potential uses and compared with properties of other types of fluorescent conjugates.     

Biotin tethered homotryptamine derivatives: high affinity probes of the human serotonin transporter (hSERT)

Quantum dot conjugates of compounds capable of inhibiting the serotonin transporter (SERT) could form the basis of fluorescent probes for live cell imaging of membrane bound SERT. Additionally, quantum dot-SERT antagonist conjugates may be amenable to fluorescence-based, high-throughput assays for this transporter. This Letter describes the synthesis of SERT-selective ligands amenable to conjugation to quantum dots via a biotin-streptavidin binding interaction. SERT selectivity and affinity were incorporated into the ligand via a tetrahydropyridine or cyclohexylamine derivative and the affinity of these compounds for SERT was measured by their ability to produce SERT-dependent currents in Xenopus laveis oocytes.     

Quantitative comparison of long-wavelength Alexa Fluor dyes to Cy dyes: fluorescence of the dyes and their bioconjugates.

Amine-reactive N-hydroxysuccinimidyl esters of Alexa Fluor fluorescent dyes with principal absorption maxima at about 555 nm, 633 nm, 647 nm, 660 nm, 680 nm, 700 nm, and 750 nm were conjugated to antibodies and other selected proteins. These conjugates were compared with spectrally similar protein conjugates of the Cy3, Cy5, Cy5.5, Cy7, DY-630, DY-635, DY-680, and Atto 565 dyes. As N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester dyes, the Alexa Fluor 555 dye was similar to the Cy3 dye, and the Alexa Fluor 647 dye was similar to the Cy5 dye with respect to absorption maxima, emission maxima, Stokes shifts, and extinction coefficients. However, both Alexa Fluor dyes were significantly more resistant to photobleaching than were their Cy dye counterparts. Absorption spectra of protein conjugates prepared from these dyes showed prominent blue-shifted shoulder peaks for conjugates of the Cy dyes but only minor shoulder peaks for conjugates of the Alexa Fluor dyes. The anomalous peaks, previously observed for protein conjugates of the Cy5 dye, are presumably due to the formation of dye aggregates. Absorption of light by the dye aggregates does not result in fluorescence, thereby diminishing the fluorescence of the conjugates. The Alexa Fluor 555 and the Alexa Fluor 647 dyes in protein conjugates exhibited significantly less of this self-quenching, and therefore the protein conjugates of Alexa Fluor dyes were significantly more fluorescent than those of the Cy dyes, especially at high degrees of labeling. The results from our flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, and immunohistochemistry experiments demonstrate that protein-conjugated, long-wavelength Alexa Fluor dyes have advantages compared to the Cy dyes and other long-wavelength dyes in typical fluorescence-based cell labeling applications.     

Porphyrin, chlorin, and bacteriochlorin isothiocyanates: useful reagents for the synthesis of photoactive bioconjugates

A novel method for conjugating porphyrins and related molecules to proteins has been developed. The method, which involves synthesizing porphyrins, chlorins, and bacteriochlorins bearing a single amine-reactive isothiocyanate group represents a facile system for protein labeling with these photoactive species. Problems associated with the noncovalent binding of porphyrins to proteins are highlighted, and a method for purifying conjugates to yield exclusively covalently bound porphyrin protein species is demonstrated. Biological activity of porphyrin-bovine serum albumin conjugates formed and purified by these methods is demonstrated using laser scanning confocal microscopy.     

Self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates for in vivo imaging

Fluorescent semiconductor quantum dots hold great potential for molecular imaging in vivo. However, the utility of existing quantum dots for in vivo imaging is limited because they require excitation from external illumination sources to fluoresce, which results in a strong autofluorescence background and a paucity of excitation light at nonsuperficial locations. Here we present quantum dot conjugates that luminesce by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer in the absence of external excitation. The conjugates are prepared by coupling carboxylate-presenting quantum dots to a mutant of the bioluminescent protein Renilla reniformis luciferase. We show that the conjugates emit long-wavelength (from red to near-infrared) bioluminescent light in cells and in animals, even in deep tissues, and are suitable for multiplexed in vivo imaging. Compared with existing quantum dots, self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates have greatly enhanced sensitivity in small animal imaging, with an in vivo signal-to-background ratio of > 10(3) for 5 pmol of conjugate.     

Radiohalogenation of proteins: an overview of radionuclides, labeling methods, and reagents for conjugate labeling.

Direct labeling of proteins with radionuclides of iodine will continue to be the method of choice to answer questions addressed in many future studies. However, it seems likely that a increasing number of applications of radiohalogenated proteins will require, or benefit from, conjugate labeling. While many radiohalogen conjugates have been studied, a large proportion of them have only undergone preliminary studies to date, leaving a question of their overall utility. Phenolic conjugates give good radioiodination labeling yields, but mixtures of radiohalogenated products and problems with in vivo stability can be expected. This fact, along with the fact that phenolic compounds do not have a general application to radiohalogens, makes them less attractive than other alternatives. Radiohalogen labeling through the use of organometallic intermediates has proven to be facile, resulting in high yields of high specific activity labeled small-molecule conjugates. Although the choice of which organometallic intermediate to use may depend somewhat on the radionuclide employed, arylstannanes appear to have the most general applicability. Fluorine-18 labeling of small-molecule conjugates has been best accomplished by ipso aromatic nucleophilic substitution (exchange) reactions. Radiohalogenated small molecules have been prepared which can be conjugated with specific functional groups (e.g. amines, sulfhydryl groups, and carbohydrates) or conjugated nonspecifically with groups in the proximity of the conjugate when it is photolyzed. On the basis of previous studies, good conjugation yields (i.e. 60-90%) can be expected for reactions with specific groups, whereas low yields (i.e. 1-5%) can be expected for conjugations with reactive nitrenes and carbenes. However, recent developments in the chemistry of conjugates that produce nitrenes and carbenes will likely improve the radiolabeling yields. There have been too few comparative studies to readily assess which is the best approach to take when beginning a study involving radiohalogenation of a protein or peptide. However, it is clear that radiohalogenated conjugates of proteins can offer an advantage over direct labeling in that conjugates may be designed which provide some control over in vivo stability and secondary distribution of metabolites. Conjugates can be prepared which are designed to utilize in vivo biochemical processes to release a radiohalogenated small molecule from a tissue (i.e. kidney or liver) or retain the radioactivity at the target tissue (e.g. tumor). Aside from the designing of conjugates with linking molecules for desired biological effects, the ultimate future goal for the radiolabeling chemical should be to prepare protein conjugates which can be radiohalogenated in a single one-step procedure.     

Monofunctional derivatives of coproporphyrins for phosphorescent labeling of proteins and binding assays

p-Isothiocyanatophenyl derivatives of Pt(II)- and Pd(II)-coproporphyrin I are described as stable monofunctional reagents which enable simple covalent labeling of proteins and other biomolecules under mild conditions in aqueous solutions. Labeling procedure was optimized for antibodies, avidin, and neutravidin. Photophysical properties of resulting conjugates important for their use in binding assays based on time-resolved phosphorescence detection were studied. The functional activity and long-term storage stability of antibody conjugates were assessed in comparison with unmodified proteins. The new labels and their conjugates were evaluated in the solid-phase immunoassays using commercial time-resolved phosphorescence readers Victor(2) and Arcus-1230 (Wallac). Potential applications of these reagents in in vitro diagnostics are discussed.     

Suitable labels for molecular imaging--influence of dye structure and hydrophilicity on the spectroscopic properties of IgG conjugates

Aiming at the design of highly brilliant NIR emissive optical probes, e.g., for in vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIRF), we studied the absorption and fluorescence properties of the asymmetric cyanines Dy678, Dy681, Dy682, and Dy676 conjugated to the model antibody IgG. The ultimate goal was here to derive general structure-property relationships for suitable NIR fluorescent labels. These Dy dyes that spectrally match Cy5 and Cy5.5, respectively, were chosen to differ in chromophore structure, i.e., in the substitution pattern of the benzopyrylium end group and in the number of sulfonic acid groups. Spectroscopic studies of the free and IgG-bound fluorophores revealed a dependence of the obtained dye-to-protein ratios on dye hydrophilicity and control of the fluorescence quantum yields (Φ(f)) of the IgG conjugates by the interplay of different fluorescence reduction pathways like dye aggregation and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Based upon aggregation studies with these dyes, the amount of dye dimers in the IgG conjugates was determined pointing to dye hydrophilicity as major parameter controlling aggregation. To gain further insight into the exact mechanism of dye dimerization at the protein, labeling experiments at different reaction conditions but constant dye-to-protein ratios in the reaction solution were performed. With Dy682 that displays a Φ(f) of 0.20 in PBS and 0.10 for moderate dye-to-protein ratio of 2.5, a low aggregation tendency, and a superior reactivity in IgG labeling, we identified a promising diagnostic tool for the design of NIR fluorescent probes and protein conjugates.     

Self-assembled quantum dot-peptide bioconjugates for selective intracellular delivery

We demonstrate the use of self-assembled luminescent semiconductor quantum dot (QD)-peptide bioconjugates for the selective intracellular labeling of several eukaryotic cell lines. A bifunctional oligoarginine cell penetrating peptide (based on the HIV-1 Tat protein motif) bearing a terminal polyhistidine tract was synthesized and used to facilitate the transmembrane delivery of the QD bioconjugates. The polyhistidine sequence allows the peptide to self-assemble onto the QD surface via metal-affinity interactions while the oligoarginine sequence allows specific QD delivery across the cellular membrane and intracellular labeling as compared to nonconjugated QDs. This peptide-driven delivery is concentration-dependent and thus can be titrated. Upon internalization, QDs display a punctate-like staining pattern in which some, but not all, of the QD signal is colocalized within endosomes. The effects of constant versus limited exposure to QD-peptide conjugates on cellular viability are evaluated by a metabolic specific assay, and clear differences in cytotoxicity are observed. The efficacy of using peptides for selective intracellular delivery is highlighted by performing a multicolor QD labeling, where we found that the presence or absence of peptide on the QD surface controls cellular uptake.     

Capillary electrophoresis for the characterization of quantum dots after non-selective or selective bioconjugation with antibodies for immunoassay

Capillary electrophoresis coupled with laser-induced fluorescence was used for the characterization of quantum dots and their conjugates to biological molecules. The CE-LIF was laboratory-built and capable of injection (hydrodynamic and electrokinetic) from sample volumes as low as 4 μL via the use of a modified micro-fluidic chip platform. Commercially available quantum dots were bioconjugated to proteins and immunoglobulins through the use of established techniques (non-selective and selective). Non-selective techniques involved the use of EDCHCl/sulfo-NHS for the conjugation of BSA and myoglobin to carboxylic acid-functionalized quantum dots. Selective techniques involved 1) the use of heterobifunctional crosslinker, sulfo-SMCC, for the conjugation of partially reduced IgG to amine-functionalized quantum dots, and 2) the conjugation of periodate-oxidized IgGs to hydrazide-functionalized quantum dots. The migration times of these conjugates were determined in comparison to their non-conjugated QD relatives based upon their charge-to-size ratio values. The performance of capillary electrophoresis in characterizing immunoconjugates of quantum dot-labeled IgGs was also evaluated. Together, both QDs and CE-LIF can be applied as a sensitive technique for the detection of biological molecules. This work will contribute to the advancements in applying nanotechnology for molecular diagnosis in medical field.     

Preparation, 99mTc-labeling, and in vitro characterization of HYNIC and N3S modified RC-160 and [Tyr3]octreotide.

The synthesis of conjugates of two somatostatin analogues, RC-160 and [Tyr3]octreotide with different bifunctional chelators for labeling with Tc-99m, is described. Conjugates with hydrazinonicotinamide (HYNIC) and two N3S compounds (benzoyl MAG3 and a N3S adipate derivative) were prepared on a small scale with high purity allowing evaluation of different bifunctional chelators on the same peptide without extensive peptide synthesis. High in vitro stability and retained binding affinity was found for all conjugates except for the N3S adipate. Peptide conjugates could be labeled at high specific activities (>1 Ci/micromol) with 99mTc, and different coligands were explored for the HYNIC conjugates. The resulting radiolabeled complexes were highly stable and showed binding affinity to somatostatin receptors in the nanomolar range. Varying labeling yield, stability, lipophilicity, and isomerism were found for different coligands used for labeling HYNIC conjugates, with lower lipophilicity, higher stability, and fewer coordination isomers for EDDA and tricine/nicotinic acid as ternary coligand compared to tricine. In particular, HYNIC complexes showed promising results for further in vivo evaluation.     

Quantum dot-antibody and aptamer conjugates shift fluorescence upon binding bacteria

CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) exhibited fluorescence emission blue shifts when conjugated to antibodies or DNA aptamers that are bound to bacteria. The intensity of the shifted emission peak increased with the number of bound bacteria. Curiously, the emission was consistently shifted to approximately 440-460 nm, which is distinctly different from the major component of the natural fluorescence spectrum of these QDs. This minor emission peak can grow upon conjugation to antibodies or aptamers and subsequent binding to bacterial cell surfaces. We hypothesize that the wavelength shift is due to changes in the chemical environment of the QD conjugates when they encounter the bacterial surface and may be due to physical deformation of the QD that changes the quantum confinement state. Regardless of the mechanism, these remarkable emission wavelength shifts of greater than 140 nm in some cases strongly suggest new applications for QD-receptor conjugates.