Design and Implementation of High Throughput Screening Assays

High throughput screening (HTS) is at the core of the drug discovery process, and so it is critical to design and implement HTS assays in a comprehensive fashion involving scientists from the disciplines of biology, chemistry, engineering, and informatics. This requires careful analysis of many variables, starting with the choice of assay target and ending with the discovery of lead compounds. At every step in this process, there are decisions to be made that can greatly impact the outcome of the HTS effort, to the point of making it a success or a failure. Although specific guidelines should be established to insure that the screening assay reaches an acceptable level of quality, many choices require pragmatism and the ability to compromise opposing forces.     

Time-Resolved Fluorescence Energy Transfer DNA Helicase Assays for High Throughput Screening

DNA helicases are responsible for the unwinding of double-stranded DNA, facilitated by the binding and hydrolysis of 5'-nucleoside triphosphates. These enzymes represent an important class of targets for the development of novel anti-infective agents particularly because opportunity exists for synergy with existing therapies targeted at other enzymes involved in DNA replication. Unwinding reactions are conventionally monitored by low throughput, gel-based radiochemical assays; to overcome the limitations of low throughput to achieve comprehensive characterization of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent unwinding by viral and bacterial helicases and the screening for unwinding inhibitors, we have developed and validated homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer (TRET) assays. Rapid characterization and screening of DNA helicase has been performed in 96- and 384-well plate densities, and the ability to assay in 1536-well format also demonstrated. We have successfully validated and are running full high throughput runs using 384-well TRET helicase assays, culminating in the identification of a range of chemically diverse inhibitors of viral and bacterial helicases. For screening in mixtures, we used a combination of quench correction routines and confirmatory scintillation proximity (SP) assays to eliminate false-positives due to the relatively high levels of compound quenching (unlike other Ln(3+)-based assays). This strategy was successful yet emphasised the need for further improvements in helicase assays.     

Homogeneous Cell- and Bead-Based Assays for High Throughput Screening Using Fluorometric Microvolume Assay Technology

High throughput drug screening has become a critical component of the drug discovery process. The screening of libraries containing hundreds of thousands of compounds has resulted in a requirement for assays and instrumentation that are amenable to nonradioactive formats and that can be miniaturized. Homogeneous assays that minimize upstream automation of the individual assays are also preferable. Fluorometric microvolume assay technology (FMAT) is a fluorescence-based platform for the development of nonradioactive cell- and bead-based assays for HTS. This technology is plate format-independent, and while it was designed specifically for homogeneous ligand binding and immunological assays, it is amenable to any assay utilizing a fluorescent cell or bead. The instrument fits on a standard laboratory bench and consists of a laser scanner that generates a 1 mm(2) digitized image of a 100-μmm deep section of the bottom of a microwell plate. The instrument is directly compatible with a Zymark Twistertrade mark (Zymark Corp., Hopkinton, MA) for robotic loading of the scanner and unattended operation in HTS mode. Fluorescent cells or beads at the bottom of the well are detected as localized areas of concentrated fluorescence using data processing. Unbound flurophore comprising the background signal is ignored, allowing for the development of a wide variety of homogeneous assays. The use of FMAT for peptide ligand binding assays, immunofluorescence, apoptosis and cytotoxicity, and bead-based immunocapture assays is described here, along with a general overview of the instrument and software.     

蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酶1B抑制剂高通量筛选模型建立和应用

本文以蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酶1B（protein tyrosine phosphatase,PTP1B）作为靶点,采用分子克隆GST融合蛋白的方法,重组表达获得PTP1B,结合自动化操作技术和比色分析,建立了一种PTP1B抑制剂的高通量筛选模型.经在96孔板优化各种反应条件并对17940个样品的筛选结果表明,靶向PTP1B建立的高通量筛选模型具有微量、快速、特异、灵敏等特点,平均日筛选量可达15000样次以上,为寻找新的抗糖尿病药物和先导化合物提供了一种先进的手段.     

A Simple Statistical Parameter for Use in Evaluation and Validation of High Throughput Screening Assays

The ability to identify active compounds (3hits2) from large chemical libraries accurately and rapidly has been the ultimate goal in developing high-throughput screening (HTS) assays. The ability to identify hits from a particular HTS assay depends largely on the suitability or quality of the assay used in the screening. The criteria or parameters for evaluating the 3suitability2 of an HTS assay for hit identification are not well defined and hence it still remains difficult to compare the quality of assays directly. In this report, a screening window coefficient, called 3Z-factor,2 is defined. This coefficient is reflective of both the assay signal dynamic range and the data variation associated with the signal measurements, and therefore is suitable for assay quality assessment. The Z-factor is a dimensionless, simple statistical characteristic for each HTS assay. The Z-factor provides a useful tool for comparison and evaluation of the quality of assays, and can be utilized in assay optimization and validation.     

New Instruments for High Throughput Receptor Binding Assays

Abstract

The TopCount^(R) Microplate Scintillation Counter and the Matrix 9600^(R) Direct Beta Counter are microplate compatible instruments developed to meet the needs of investigators using radioisotope assays adapted for very high throughput. This paper describes these instruments and their application to receptor binding assays. When combined with the appropriate sample handling equipment and filter media, use of these multi-detector instruments improves sample handling efficiency and shortens overall counting time. The assay protocols including filtration through glass fiber mats and membrane filters have been investigated. Results obtained from these new instruments are compared to standard techniques using conventional liquid scintillation and gamma counting.     

p53直接调控microRNA及其靶基因的高通量筛选

通过对676条人microRNA进行筛选,共得到了53条新的具有p53-DNA结合位点且调控p53上游转录因子和下游靶基因的microRNA．结合已有蛋白质互作关系与microRNA调控信息,构建了p53-microRNA相互作用网络图,其中FAS受多条microRNA调控,FAS是介导细胞凋亡的关键因子,因此,FAS-microRNA的相互作用可能在细胞凋亡途径中起着关键的作用．随后,提出了microRNA参与p53调控的假设机制,认为p53调控靶基因与microRNA的同时也受上游转录因子与microRNA的调控,从而形成了以p53为中心的一种平衡,当这种调控平衡一旦被打破则会引起信号通路的紊乱,从而可能引发相应的疾病．对这53条microRNA进行靶基因预测,共得到15 500个靶基因,对这些基因的出现频率进行聚类分析共得到27个簇,将出现频率大于10的基因进行功能注释分析,发现多数基因功能属于近来发现的p53靶基因新的功能分类——细胞粘连和细胞运动,目前研究认为,p53通过与这些具有细胞粘连和运动功能的靶基因结合来抑制肿瘤的迁移．通过对15 500个基因进行功能注释分析,得到了30条感兴趣的参与细胞周期调控、细胞凋亡和细胞增殖的microRNA,其中有9条microRNA于3种生物学进程均有参与,这9条microRNA分别是: hsa-mir-181a-1、hsa-mir-181b-1、hsa-mir-181c、hsa-mir-181d、hsa-mir-195、hsa-mir-497、hsa-mir-495、hsa-mir-543和hsa-mir-548c．这暗示着这9条microRNA在p53信号通路的调节中可能起着关键的作用,它们互相作用共同调节着多个p53信号环路．最后在36个物种的基因组中对这30条microRNA进行了同源性搜索与保守性分析,结果发现有10条高度保守的且为目前数据库所未收录的microRNA．这10条microRNA分别是：hsa-mir-497、hsa-mir-495、hsa-mir-543、hsa-mir-19a、hsa-mir-19b-1、hsa-mir-200b、hsa-mir-448、 hsa-mir-28、hsa-mir-455和hsa-mir-590．     

Comparison of Elisa-Based Tyrosine Kinase Assays for Screening EGFR Inhibitors

Abstract

Receptor tyrosine kinases (PTKs) play key roles in the pathogenesis of numerous human diseases, including cancer, and therefore PTK inhibitors are currently under intense investigation as potential drug candidates. PTK inhibitor screening data are, however, poorly comparable because of the different assay technologies used. Here we report a comparison of ELISA-based assays for screening epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitory compound libraries to study interassay variations. All assays were based on the same protocol, except for the source of EGFR-TK enzymes. In the first protocol, the enzyme was isolated from A431 cells without affinity purification. In the second protocol, commercial EGFR-TK (Sigma) isolated from A431 cells by affinity-purification was employed. In the third protocol, an enzyme preparation obtained from a recombinant (Baculovirus transfected Sf9 cells) expression system was used. All assays employed the synthetic peptide substrate poly-(Glu, Tyr)_1:4 and an ELISA-based system to detect phosphorylated tyrosine residues by a monoclonal antibody. We observed significant differences in both the activity of the enzymes and in the EGFR-TK inhibitory effect of our reference compound PD153035. The differences were significant in case of A431 cell lysate compared to affinity purified EGFR-TKs derived from either A431cells or Baculovirus transfected Sf9 cells, whereas the latter two showed comparable results. Our data suggest that differences in terms of interassay variation are not related to the source of the enzyme but to its purity; changes in the mode of detection can markedly influence the reproducibility of results. In conclusion, normalization of the EGFR activity used for inhibitor screening and standardization of detection methods enable safe comparison of data.     

Combined Rational Design and a High Throughput Screening Platform for Identifying Chemical Inhibitors of a Ras-activating Enzyme

The Ras family small GTPases regulate multiple cellular processes, including cell growth, survival, movement, and gene expression, and are intimately involved in cancer pathogenesis. Activation of these small GTPases is catalyzed by a special class of enzymes, termed guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Herein, we developed a small molecule screening platform for identifying lead hits targeting a Ras GEF enzyme, SOS1. We employed an ensemble structure-based virtual screening approach in combination with a multiple tier high throughput experimental screen utilizing two complementary fluorescent guanine nucleotide exchange assays to identify small molecule inhibitors of GEF catalytic activity toward Ras. From a library of 350,000 compounds, we selected a set of 418 candidate compounds predicted to disrupt the GEF-Ras interaction, of which dual wavelength GDP dissociation and GTP-loading experimental screening identified two chemically distinct small molecule inhibitors. Subsequent biochemical validations indicate that they are capable of dose-dependently inhibiting GEF catalytic activity, binding to SOS1 with micromolar affinity, and disrupting GEF-Ras interaction. Mutagenesis studies in conjunction with structure-activity relationship studies mapped both compounds to different sites in the catalytic pocket, and both inhibited Ras signaling in cells. The unique screening platform established here for targeting Ras GEF enzymes could be broadly useful for identifying lead inhibitors for a variety of small GTPase-activating GEF reactions.     

高通量筛选技术及其应用

主要介绍了高通量筛选技术(HTS,HighThroughputScreening)的原理,包括非细胞相筛选、细胞相筛选和生物表型筛选及其在生命科学和药学领域中的应用以及高通量筛选技术的发展趋势。     

酰胺酶高通量筛选方法研究进展

酰胺酶是一种合成手性羧酸和酰胺衍生物的重要工具酶,在不对称合成中具有巨大应用潜力.传统的色谱分析方法通过检测底物及相应的产物去测定酰胺酶活性及立体选择性,十分费时费力.根据显色法、荧光法、NMR等原理,较为全面地综述了近年来国内外发展起来的高通量酰胺酶筛选方法.为酰胺酶筛选中筛选效率低、可靠性差等难题提供借鉴,也可为其他水解酶筛选模型的建立提供思路.     

高通量筛选在抗病毒药物筛选中的应用

高通量筛选(high throughput screening, HTS)是以分子和细胞水平的实验方法为基础,在微孔板上以自动化操作系统执行实验过程,通过灵敏快速的检测仪器采集实验数据、运用计算机对实验数据进行实验结果的分析处理.因此HTS具有大量样品的快速筛选、分子和细胞水平的特异性作用靶点、检测系统的高灵敏度、自动化操作系统和数据采集传输处理系统等优点.     

Use of Activity-Based Probes to Develop High Throughput Screening Assays That Can Be Performed in Complex Cell Extracts

Background

High throughput screening (HTS) is one of the primary tools used to identify novel enzyme inhibitors. However, its applicability is generally restricted to targets that can either be expressed recombinantly or purified in large quantities.

Methodology and Principal Findings

Here, we described a method to use activity-based probes (ABPs) to identify substrates that are sufficiently selective to allow HTS in complex biological samples. Because ABPs label their target enzymes through the formation of a permanent covalent bond, we can correlate labeling of target enzymes in a complex mixture with inhibition of turnover of a substrate in that same mixture. Thus, substrate specificity can be determined and substrates with sufficiently high selectivity for HTS can be identified. In this study, we demonstrate this method by using an ABP for dipeptidyl aminopeptidases to identify (Pro-Arg)₂-Rhodamine as a specific substrate for DPAP1 in Plasmodium falciparum lysates and Cathepsin C in rat liver extracts. We then used this substrate to develop highly sensitive HTS assays (Z’>0.8) that are suitable for use in screening large collections of small molecules (i.e >300,000) for inhibitors of these proteases. Finally, we demonstrate that it is possible to use broad-spectrum ABPs to identify target-specific substrates.

Conclusions

We believe that this approach will have value for many enzymatic systems where access to large amounts of active enzyme is problematic.     

谷氨酸依赖型氨基转移酶的高通量筛选方法及其应用

目的:建立谷氨酸依赖型氨基转移酶-谷氨酸脱氢酶偶联反应的96孔板高通量筛选方法,并用于大肠杆菌氨基转移酶Wec E突变库的筛选。方法:通过优化偶联指示酶-谷氨酸脱氢酶、信号分子NADH浓度及双酶偶联反应时间,建立了光学法测定氨基转移酶活性的氨基转移酶-谷氨酸脱氢酶偶联反应方法;通过定点饱和突变技术构建了大肠杆菌氨基转移酶WecE的突变库;采用96孔板高通量初筛、摇瓶复筛获得了高活性的转氨酶突变体,并对纯化的突变体进行催化活力分析。结果:建立了谷氨酸依赖型氨基转移酶目标反应与0.5 U/ml L-谷氨酸脱氢酶和0.4 mmol/L NADH信号指示反应相偶联的筛选方法;构建了氨基转移酶WecE Tyr 321饱和突变库,通过96孔板高通量筛选,获得了催化活性比野生型提高3.4倍的突变体Y321F。结论:所建立高通量筛选方法背景干扰小,准确性高,为谷氨酸依赖型氨基转移酶分子进化提供了可行性方案。     

A Target-Specific Cellular Assay for Screening of Topoisomerase I Inhibitors

We have developed a cellular, target-specific high-throughput assay for the detection of topoisomerase I inhibitors. Topoisomerase I is a nonessential enzyme involved in controlling DNA topology. Topoisomerase I is the target of anticancer drugs such as camptothecin as well as a candidate target for new antifungal drugs. A wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain and its isogenic topoisomerase I deletion mutant (DeltatopI) were labeled with S65T and wild-type green fluorescent protein (GFP), respectively. We showed that the growth of such a pair of S. cerevisiae strains labeled with this GFP combination can be independently quantified after both strains were mixed. When growth of the mixture of wild-type and DeltatopI strain was monitored in the presence of compounds, only growth of the wild-type strain was inhibited by the topoisomerase I-specific drug camptothecin. In contrast, amphotericin B, a broad-spectrum antifungal drug, inhibited growth of both strains. The two strains were used to screen compound libraries. While 0.9% of all compounds inhibited growth of both strains, only 0.06% inhibited the wild-type but not the DeltatopI strain. Thus, by using a DeltatopI strain as internal control in the same assay mixture, the number of candidate topoisomerase I inhibitors to be retested could be reduced by more than 90%. Further applications of this type of S. cerevisiae-based cellular high-throughput assays will be discussed.     

High Throughput Screening of Gene Expression Signatures

This paper focuses on microarray image analysis and discusses a completely automated approach to image processing, which eliminates human intervention. A system for automated image processing is described, which is capable of processing image files in a batch-mode thus allowing high-throughput of microarray image analysis. Grid-placement and spot finding are achieved without operator's help. The software eliminates noise signals from the data analysis process and minimizes operator's involvement in the procedure.     

An Assay Suitable for High Throughput Screening of Anti-Influenza Drugs

We developed a novel drug screening system for anti-influenza A virus by targeting the M2 proton channel. In the SPP (Single Protein Production) system, E. coli cell growth occurs only in the presence of effective M2 channel inhibitors, and thus simple measurement of cell growth was used as readouts for drug screening. Two potential inhibitors for M2 (V27A) mutant were verified using this method, which inhibit both the mutant and wild-type M2 channels.