Interference from anti-drug antibodies on the quantification of insulin: a comparison of an LC-MS/MS assay and immunoassays.

Aim: This study aims to compare the anti-drug antibody (ADA) interference in four pharmacokinetic (PK) assays across different platforms (AlphaLISA, Gyrolab, LC-MS/MS) and to devise a strategy for ADA interference mitigation to improve the accuracy of measured drug in total PK assays.Materials & methods: Spiked test samples, created to achieve different ADA concentrations in human serum also containing an insulin analogue, were analyzed alongside pooled clinical samples using four assays.Results & conclusion: Interference was observed in all platforms. A novel approach using the Gyrolab mixing CD, including acid dissociation in the PK assay, significantly reduced interference and thereby improved relative error from >99% to ≤20% yielding measurements well within the acceptance criteria. Clinical sample results reinforced findings from the test samples.

[Box: see text].

AlphaLISA-Based Immunoassay for Detection of Troponin T in Serum of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Survival and prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are highly dependent on rapid and accurate diagnosis of myocardial damage. Troponin T is the primary diagnostic biomarker and is widely used in clinical practice. Amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay (AlphaLISA) may provide a solution to rapidly detect a small amount of analyte through molecular interactions between special luminescent donor beads and acceptor bead. Here, a double-antibody sandwich assay was introduced into AlphaLISA for rapid detection for early diagnosis of AMI and disease staging evaluation. The performance of the assay was evaluated. The study found that the cTnT assay has a linear range of 48.66 to 20,000 ng/L with a limit of detection of 48.66 ng/L. In addition, the assay showed no cross-reactivity with other classic biomarkers of myocardial infarction and was highly reproducible with intra- and inter-batch coefficients of variation of less than 10%, notably, only 3 min was taken, which is particularly suitable for clinical diagnosis. These results suggest that our method can be conveniently applied in the clinic to determine the severity of the patient's condition.

Performance of a Differentiation of Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) Serum and Oral Fluid Erns Antibody AlphaLISA Assay.

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is an OIE-listed disease that requires effective surveillance tools for its detection and control. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the diagnostic performance of a novel CSFV Erns IgG AlphaLISA for both serum and oral fluid specimens that would likewise be compatible with the use of CSFV E2 DIVA vaccines. Test performance was evaluated using a panel of well-characterized serum (n = 760) and individual (n = 528) or pen-based (n = 30) oral fluid samples from four groups of animals: (1) negative controls (n = 60 pigs); (2) inoculated with ALD strain wild-type CSFV (n = 30 pigs); (3) vaccinated with LOM strain live CSFV vaccine (n = 30 pigs); and (4) vaccinated with live CSFV marker vaccine on commercial farms (n = 120 pigs). At a cutoff of S/P ≥ 0.7, the aggregate estimated diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of the assay were, respectively, 97.4% (95% CI 95.9%, 98.3%) and 100% for serum and 95.4% (95% CI 92.9%, 97.0%) and 100% for oral fluid. The Erns IgG antibody AlphaLISA combined DIVA capability with solid diagnostic performance, rapid turnaround, ease of use, and compatibility with both serum and oral fluid specimens.

Combinational antibody detection approach increases the clinical validity of colorectal cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: At different stages of the disease, biomarkers can help to determine disease progression and recurrence and provide a personalized indicator of therapeutic effectiveness. The serological identification of antigens by recombinant cDNA expression cloning (SEREX) has identified five SEREX antigens. RESULTS: Compared with healthy donors, anti-FIRΔexon2 and anti-SOHLH antibodies (Abs) in the sera of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) were markedly higher. Furthermore, no correlation was noted between five SEREX antigens and the three tumor markers (CEA, CA19-9, and anti-p53 Abs), indicating that anti-FIRΔexon2 Abs are an independent candidate marker for patients with CRC. Generally, the levels of anti-FIRΔexon2 Abs combined with clinically available tumor markers were determined to be significantly higher compared with CEA, CA19-9. Moreover, in early-stage CRC, the levels of anti-FIRΔexon2 Abs combined with existing tumor markers were higher than those of CEA, CA19-9. CONCLUSION: Due to the highly heterogeneous nature of CRC, a single tumor marker is unlikely to become a standalone diagnostic test due to its commonly insufficient sensitivity and/or specificity. Using a combination antibody detection approach of tumor markers for CRC diagnosis has the potential to be an effective approach. Therefore, the use of serum protein biomarker candidates holds promise for the development of inexpensive, noninvasive, and inexpensive tests for the detection of CRC.

Diagnosis of septic shock by serum measurement of human neutrophil lipocalin by a rapid homogeneous assay.

BACKGROUND: Human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL) is a marker of neutrophil activation and has a high efficacy in diagnosing bacterial infections. In this study, we applied the AlphaLISA technique to measure the serum level of HNL, evaluate HNL's efficacy in diagnosing septic shock, and identify any association between HNL level and septic patients' prognosis. METHODS: We collected 146 serum samples from the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital. HNL was measured by AlphaLISA and results were compared with commercial ELISA kits. We studied 78 patients admitted to the ICU with sepsis and data on their clinical and physiological characteristics were recorded. Blood levels of HNL, procalcitonin (PCT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and lactate were measured. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the performance of each marker. RESULTS: The AlphaLISA assay for serum HNL had a detection range from 1.5 ng/mL to 1000 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 1 ng/mL and a detection time of approximately 25 min. The AlphaLISA assay's results were in high agreement with ELISA results (R2 = 0.9413). HNL levels were analyzed in sepsis patients, and HNL was significantly higher in sepsis patients with shock compared to sepsis patients without shock (median 356.47 ng/mL vs 158.93 ng/mL, P < 0.0001) and in the 28-day non-survivor group compared to the 28-day survivor group (median 331.83 ng/mL vs 175.17 ng/mL, P < 0.0001). ROC curve analysis was performed for the biomarkers. In differentiating the diagnosis of septic shock from sepsis patients, HNL was the most effective marker (AUC = 0.857), followed by PCT (AUC = 0.754) and hs-CRP (AUC = 0.627). In predicting the prognosis of septic patients, lactate had the best effect (AUC = 0.805), followed by HNL (AUC = 0.784), PCT (AUC = 0.721), and hs-CRP (AUC = 0.583). CONCLUSIONS: As an assessment tool, we found that our AlphaLISA had good consistency with an ELISA and had several other advantages, including requiring a shorter processing time and detecting a wider range of serum HNL concentrations. Monitoring serum HNL levels of patients admitted to the ICU might be useful in distinguishing sepsis patients who have septic shock from other sepsis patients, indicating its value in the prediction of sepsis patient prognosis.

Development of an AlphaLISA assay for sensitive and accurate detection of influenza B virus.

Objective: Influenza B virus (IBV) is highly contagious, spreads rapidly, and causes seasonal epidemic respiratory disease in the human population, especially in immunocompromised people and young children. Clinical manifestations in this high-risk population are often more severe than in immunocompetent hosts and sometimes atypical. Therefore, rapid, and accurate detection of IBV is important. Methods: An amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay linked immunosorbent assay (AlphaLISA) was developed for detection of IBV by optimizing the ratio of IBV antibody-labeled receptor beads, streptavidin-conjugated donor beads and biotinylated IBV antibody, as well as the optimal temperature and time conditions for incubation. Assay sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility were evaluated. A total of 228 throat swab samples and inactivated influenza B virus were tested by AlphaLISA and lateral flow colloidal gold-based immunoassay (LFIA). Results: AlphaLISA produced the best results for detection of inactivated influenza B virus when IBV antibody-labeled acceptor beads were 50 µg/ mL, streptavidin-conjugated donor beads were 40 µg/mL, and biotinylated IBV antibody was 0.5 µg/mL at 37°C for 15-10 min. Under these conditions, AlphaLISA had a limit of detection of 0.24 ng/mL for the detection of influenza B nucleoprotein, did not cross react with other common respiratory viruses, and showed good reproducibility with inter-assay coefficient of variation (CV) and intra-assay CV < 5%. The results of 228 clinical throat swab samples showed good agreement between AlphaLISA and LFIA (Kappa = 0.982), and AlphaLISA showed better sensitivity than LFIA for detecting inactivated influenza B virus. Conclusion: AlphaLISA showed higher sensitivity and throughput in the detection of IBV and can be used for IBV diagnosis and epidemic control.

Bis(benzonitrile) dichloroplatinum (II) interrupts PD-1/PD-L1 interaction by binding to PD-1.

Checkpoint inhibitors such as PD-1/PD-L1 antibody therapeutics are a promising option for the treatment of multiple cancers. Due to the inherent limitations of antibodies, great efforts have been devoted to developing small-molecule PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway inhibitors. In this study we established a high-throughput AlphaLISA assay to discover small molecules with new skeletons that could block PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. We screened a small-molecule library of 4169 compounds including natural products, FDA approved drugs and other synthetic compounds. Among the 8 potential hits, we found that cisplatin, a first-line chemotherapeutic drug, reduced AlphaLISA signal with an EC50 of 8.3 ± 2.2 µM. Furthermore, we showed that cisplatin-DMSO adduct, but not semplice cisplatin, inhibited PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. Thus, we assessed several commercial platinum (II) compounds, and found that bis(benzonitrile) dichloroplatinum (II) disturbed PD-1/PD-L1 interaction (EC50 = 13.2 ± 3.5 µM). Its inhibitory activity on PD-1/PD-L1 interaction was confirmed in co-immunoprecipitation and PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway blockade bioassays. Surface plasmon resonance assay revealed that bis(benzonitrile) dichloroplatinum (II) bound to PD-1 (KD = 2.08 µM) but not PD-L1. In immune-competent wild-type mice but not in immunodeficient nude mice, bis(benzonitrile) dichloroplatinum (II) (7.5 mg/kg, i.p., every 3 days) significantly suppressed the growth of MC38 colorectal cancer xenografts with increasing tumor-infiltrating T cells. These data highlight that platinum compounds are potential immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cancers.

A Causal Treatment for X-Linked Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia: Long-Term Results of Short-Term Perinatal Ectodysplasin A1 Replacement.

X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLHED), caused by a genetic deficiency of ectodysplasin A1 (EDA1), is a rare developmental disorder of ectodermal derivatives such as hair, sweat glands, and teeth. The absence of sweat glands and perspiration can evoke life-threatening hyperthermia. As molecular genetic findings are not always conclusive, the concentrations of circulating EDA1 may help to distinguish between total and partial EDA1 deficiencies. We previously treated nine male patients with obvious signs of XLHED with a recombinant EDA1 replacement protein, Fc-EDA, either shortly after birth (n = 3) or by prenatal administration in gestational week 26 and beyond (n = 6). Here, we present the long-term follow-up for up to six years. In patients who had received Fc-EDA after birth, neither sweat glands nor sweating ability were detected at the age of 12-60 months. In contrast, prenatal EDA1 replacement resulted in ample sweat gland development and pilocarpine-inducible sweating in all treated subjects, who also attained more permanent teeth than their untreated affected relatives. Normal perspiration has persisted for six years in the two oldest boys treated repeatedly with Fc-EDA in utero. When they had a sauna, adequate thermoregulation was evidenced. Lower sweat production after single prenatal dosing may indicate a dose-response relationship. The absence of circulating EDA1 in five prenatally treated subjects proved that these children would have been unable to perspire if they had been left untreated. The sixth infant was shown to produce an EDA1 molecule that, albeit interacting with its cognate receptor, cannot activate EDA1 signaling. In conclusion, a causal treatment of XLHED before birth is feasible.

Monitoring hormone and small molecule secretion dynamics from islets-on-chip.

Tissue functions such as hormone secretion involve the interplay of multiple chemical signals and metabolic processes over time. Measuring the different components involved is useful in unraveling the interactions, but often requires use of multiple analytical techniques. The challenge of measuring the necessary components with temporal resolution is greater when tissue samples are limited. Here, an accessible microfluidic platform compatible with multiple measurement techniques to monitor cell secretions has been developed. The platform is applied to islets of Langerhans, micro-organs involved in glucose homeostasis and diabetes. The device houses 1 to 8 islets and the perfusion fluid can be controlled to change conditions, e.g., glucose concentration, in seconds. Samples are collected in fractions and split for offline analysis. The device is paired with a scaled-down immunoassay, AlphaLISA, for hormone quantification and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for small molecule quantification to study secretion dynamics. The combined system allows the first simultaneous measurement of insulin, glucagon, biogenic amines, and amino acids from islet secretions. The combined measurements revealed correlation in secretion events and differences in timing of release between hormones and biogenic amines and amino acids. These efforts decreased the number of islets required compared to standard approaches, thus decreasing necessary animal use, reagent use, and cost, while increasing information content achievable from one sample. The microfluidic device is a suitable platform for in-depth characterization of secretion from small tissue samples.

Identification of antibody against wingless­type MMTV integration site family member 7B as a biliary cancer tumor marker.

Biliary cancer has a poor prognosis due to a lack of specific biomarkers and difficulty in diagnosis. The present study aimed to identify serum tumor markers for the diagnosis of biliary cancer via serological identification of antigens by recombinant cDNA expression cloning. Wingless­type MMTV integration site family, member 7 (WNT7B) was identified as a target antigen, suggesting the presence of serum antibodies against this antigen. Deletion mutants were then prepared to evaluate the response to serum antibodies. When serum antibody levels against WNT7B deletion mutants (WNT7B-92­2, -92­260, 2-260 and 184-260) were examined using amplified luminescence proximity homogeneous assay­linked immunosorbent assay, the levels of the antibody against WNT7B with amino acids 184­260 were higher in patients with biliary cancer than in healthy donors. Therefore, the region covering residues 184­260 of WNT7B was decomposed to generate seven peptides, and the levels of antibodies against these peptides were measured. Among them, the levels of antibodies against WNT7B234­253 and WNT7B244­260 were higher in patients with biliary cancers than in healthy donors (WNT7B234­253, P=0.0009; WNT7B244­260, P=0.0005). The levels of the antibody against the former were specifically high in patients with biliary cancer but not in those with esophageal, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, or breast cancer. Furthermore, analysis by the cutoff value of WNT7B234­253 defined by ROC showed a high sensitivity of 70% in patients with biliary cancer. Therefore, the serum levels of the antibody against WNT7B234­253 may be useful as a marker for biliary cancer diagnosis.

Rapid and sensitive detection of botulinum toxin type A in complex sample matrices by AlphaLISA.

Botulinum toxin A(BoNT/A) is a neurotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which can cause serious food poisoning and is recognized as a potential biological warfare agent. BoNT/A is does not degrade easily and can remain in the complex matrix for a long time. Meanwhile, the poisonous dose of botulinum toxin exceptionally low and intravenous human lethal doses estimated at 1-3 ng/kg. Therefore, sensitive and accurate detection methods suitable for testing a wide range of complex samples are urgently needed. To this end, the "amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay linked immunosorbent assay" (AlphaLISA) was established for the detection of BoNT/A and its detection efficacy in plasma, beverage, food, and other complex samples was evaluated. The results showed that this method can very effectively resist matrix interference. The detection time is rapid, reaching a detection limit for all samples of up to 0.1 ng/mL in only 30 min. BoNT/A can also be accurately detected in vomit samples of patients with clinical food poisoning. This study demonstrates that AlphaLISA is an effective tool for the detection of BoNT/A in complex samples and can potentially be developed for commercial use in the future.

Measurement of α-Synuclein Dynamics In Vivo Using Microdialysis with a Novel Homogeneous Immunoassay.

Understanding the regulation of α-synuclein release could be important in better understanding Parkinson's disease development, progression, and treatment. Advances in such studies are hindered by technical challenges that limit the ability to monitor α-synuclein concentration in vivo. We developed a novel α-synuclein microdialysis method coupled with a specific and sensitive immunoassay that requires a small sample volume (1 µL). Using this method, basal α-synuclein level was estimated at 254 ± 78 pM in the striatum of freely moving mice. Additionally, we observed that potassium (75 mM) and nicotine (0.5 mg/kg) administration significantly increased α-synuclein in dialysates. These results provide evidence that the methods we report here can be useful to investigate the physiological roles of α-synuclein and support the idea that α-synuclein is secreted to the extracellular space in a neuronal activity-dependent manner.

Development of a rapid homogeneous immunoassay for detection of rotavirus in stool samples.

Rotavirus is the main pathogen causing acute viral gastroenteritis. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of rotavirus infection is important to determine appropriate treatment, prevention of unnecessary antibiotics use and control of infection spread. In this study, we established a rapid, accurate, and sensitive amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay linked immunosorbent assay (AlphaLISA) for detecting rotavirus and evaluated its efficacy in human stool samples. Our results demonstrated that the sensitivity of AlphaLISA (5-8) significantly exceeded that of the immunochromatographic assay (ICA, 5-4) for rotavirus antigen detection. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 2.99-3.85% and 5.27-6.51%, respectively. Furthermore, AlphaLISA was specific for rotavirus and did not cross-react with other common diarrhea viruses. AlphaLISA and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR, which is considered a gold standard for detecting diarrhea viruses) tests showed consistent results on 235 stool samples, with an overall consistency rate of 97.87% and a kappa value of 0.894 (P < 0.001). The overall consistency rate of ICA compared with RT-qPCR was 95.74%. AlphaLISA showed better consistency with RT-qPCR than the routinely used ICA for rotavirus detection in stool samples. The AlphaLISA method can be used in clinical practice for the rapid, accurate, and sensitive detection of rotavirus infection.

Structure-Activity relationship of 1-(Furan-2ylmethyl)Pyrrolidine-Based Stimulation-2 (ST2) inhibitors for treating graft versus host disease.

An elevated plasma level of soluble ST2 (sST2) is a risk biomarker for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and death in patients receiving hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). sST2 functions as a trap for IL-33 and amplifies the pro-inflammatory type 1 and 17 response while suppressing the tolerogenic type 2 and regulatory T cells activation during GVHD development. We previously identified small-molecule ST2 inhibitors particularly iST2-1 that reduces plasma sST2 levels and improved survival in two animal models. Here, we reported the structure-activity relationship of the furanylmethylpyrrolidine-based ST2 inhibitors based on iST2-1. Based on the biochemical AlphaLISA assay, we improved the activity of iST2-1 by 6-fold (∼6 µM in IC50 values) in the inhibition of ST2/IL-33 and confirmed the activities of the compounds in a cellular reporter assay. To determine the inhibition of the alloreactivity in vitro, we used the mixed lymphocyte reaction assay to demonstrate that our ST2 inhibitors decreased CD4+ and CD8+ T cells proliferation and increased Treg population. The data presented in this work are critical to the development of ST2 inhibitors in future.

Adjuvant Discovery via a High Throughput Screen using Human Primary Mononuclear Cells.

Motivation: Vaccines are a key biomedical intervention to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, but their efficacy can be limited by insufficient immunogenicity and nonuniform reactogenic profiles. Adjuvants are molecules that potentiate vaccine responses by inducing innate immune activation. However, there are a limited number of adjuvants in approved vaccines, and current approaches for preclinical adjuvant discovery and development are inefficient. To enhance adjuvant identification, we developed a protocol based on in vitro screening of human primary leukocytes. Summary: We describe a methodology utilizing high-throughput and high-content screening for novel adjuvant candidates that was used to screen a library of ~2,500 small molecules via a 384-well quantitative combined cytokine and flow cytometry immunoassay in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 4 healthy adult study participants. Hits were identified based on their induction of soluble cytokine (TNF, IFNg and IL-10) secretion and PBMC maturation (CD 80/86, Ox40, and HLA-DR) in at least two of the four donors screened. From an initial set of 197 compounds identified using these biomarkers-an 8.6% hit rate-we downselected to five scaffolds that demonstrated robust efficacy and potency in vitro and evaluated the top hit, vinblastine sulfate, for adjuvanticity in vivo. Vinblastine sulfate significantly enhanced murine humoral responses to recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, including a four-fold enhancement of IgG titer production when compared to treatment with the spike antigen alone. Overall, we outline a methodology for discovering immunomodulators with adjuvant potential via high-throughput screening of PBMCs in vitro that yielded a lead compound with in vivo adjuvanticity.

Measurement of anti SARS-CoV-2 RBD IgG in saliva: validation of a highly sensitive assay and effects of the sampling collection method and correction by protein.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and evaluate a new highly sensitive assay to detect IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 RBD in saliva samples. METHODS: A two-step sandwich type immunoassay based on the amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous technology was developed and an analytical validation was performed. As a part of this validation, the influence of factors, such as different sampling conditions (stimulated saliva and passive drool) and the correction of values by total protein content, in the ability of saliva to detect increases in antibodies after an immune stimulus and be an alternative to serum, was evaluated. For this purpose, paired samples of saliva and serum at different times after vaccination were used. RESULTS: Saliva concentrations were lower than serum, but both fluids showed similar kinetics, with higher correlations when saliva was obtained by passive flow and the results were not corrected by protein. CONCLUSIONS: The developed method showed a good analytical performance and can properly measure antibody concentrations in saliva of vaccinated individuals. However, saliva could have a lower sensitivity compared to serum at initial stages of the immune response and also when the antibody response decreased after a stimulus.

A novel process driving Alzheimer's disease validated in a mouse model: Therapeutic potential.

Introduction: The neuronal mechanism driving Alzheimer's disease (AD) is incompletely understood. Methods: Immunohistochemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavioral testing are employed in two pathological contexts-AD and a transgenic mouse model-to investigate T14, a 14mer peptide, as a key signaling molecule in the neuropathology. Results: T14 increases in AD brains as the disease progresses and is conspicuous in 5XFAD mice, where its immunoreactivity corresponds to that seen in AD: neurons immunoreactive for T14 in proximity to T14-immunoreactive plaques. NBP14 is a cyclized version of T14, which dose-dependently displaces binding of its linear counterpart to alpha-7 nicotinic receptors in AD brains. In 5XFAD mice, intranasal NBP14 for 14 weeks decreases brain amyloid and restores novel object recognition to that in wild-types. Discussion: These findings indicate that the T14 system, for which the signaling pathway is described here, contributes to the neuropathological process and that NBP14 warrants consideration for its therapeutic potential.

Enabling high throughput drug discovery in 3D cell cultures through a novel bioprinting workflow.

Advanced three dimensional cell culture techniques have been adopted in many laboratories to better model in vivo tissue by recapitulating multi-cellular architecture and the presence of extracellular matrix features. We describe here a 3D cell culture platform in a small molecule screening workflow that uses traditional biomarker and intracellular kinase end point assay readouts. By combining the high throughput bioprinter RASTRUM with the high throughput screening assay AlphaLISA, we demonstrate the utility of the protocol in 3D synthetic hydrogel cultures with breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and fibroblast cells. To establish and validate the workflow, we treated the breast cancer cultures with doxorubicin, while fibroblast cultures were stimulated with the pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide. 3D and 2D MDA-MB-231 cultures were equally susceptible to doxorubicin treatment, while showing opposite ERK phosphorylation changes. Doxorubicin readily entered embedded MCF-7 spheroids and markedly reduced intracellular GSK3ß phosphorylation. Furthermore, quantifying extracellular interleukin 6 levels showed a very similar activation profile for fibroblasts in 2D and 3D cultures, with 3D fibroblast networks being more resistant against the immune challenge. Through these validation experiments we demonstrate the full compatibility of the bioprinted 3D cell cultures with several widely-used 2D culture assays. The efficiency of the workflow, minimal culture handling, and applicability of traditional screening assays, demonstrates that advanced encapsulated 3D cell cultures can be used in 2D cell culture screening workflows, while providing a more holistic view on cell biology to increase the predictability to in vivo drug response.

Development of an amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay for the detection of sulfonamides in animal-derived products.

In this study, we carried out an amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay (AlphaLISA) to detect sulfonamides (SAs) antibiotic residues in plasma, milk, pork, chicken, and fish. The SAs AlphaLISA method can detect 13 SAs with half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) 2.11-29.77 ng/ml. The detection level of those SAs was 0.3-41.12 ng/ml in matrices, which satisfied the maximum residue limit (MRL) of the European Union, United States, and China. Our recoveries are in the range of 88% to 116.8% with a coefficient of variation less than 9.3% for different spiked food samples. We observed a good correlation between the AlphaLISA and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with blood samples from injected rabbits. The established AlphaLISA method provided a no-washing, rapid, high-throughput screening tool for SAs in food quality control, which is suitable for small-volume samples.

Targeting the Integrated Stress Response Kinase GCN2 to Modulate Retroviral Integration.

Multiple viral targets are now available in the clinic to fight HIV infection. Even if this targeted therapy is highly effective at suppressing viral replication, caregivers are facing growing therapeutic failures in patients due to resistance, with or without treatment-adherence glitches. Accordingly, it is important to better understand how HIV and other retroviruses replicate in order to propose alternative antiviral strategies. Recent studies have shown that multiple cellular factors are implicated during the integration step and, more specifically, that integrase can be regulated through post-translational modifications. We have shown that integrase is phosphorylated by GCN2, a cellular protein kinase of the integrated stress response, leading to a restriction of HIV replication. In addition, we found that this mechanism is conserved among other retroviruses. Accordingly, we developed an in vitro interaction assay, based on the AlphaLISA technology, to monitor the integrase-GCN2 interaction. From an initial library of 133 FDA-approved molecules, we identified nine compounds that either inhibited or stimulated the interaction between GCN2 and HIV integrase. In vitro characterization of these nine hits validated this pilot screen and demonstrated that the GCN2-integrase interaction could be a viable solution for targeting integrase out of its active site.