Protocol for vision transformer-based evaluation of drug potency using images processed by an optimized Sobel operator.

Conventional approaches for screening anticancer drugs rely on chemical reactions, which are time consuming, labor intensive, and costly. Here, we present a protocol for label-free and high-throughput assessment of drug efficacy using a vision transformer and a Conv2D. We describe the steps for cell culture, drug treatment, data collection, and preprocessing. We then detail the building of deep learning models and their use to predict drug potency. This protocol can be adapted for screening chemicals that affect the density or morphological features of cells. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wang et al.1.

SIC50: Determining drug inhibitory concentrations using a vision transformer and an optimized Sobel operator.

As a measure of cytotoxic potency, half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) is the concentration at which a drug exerts half of its maximal inhibitory effect against target cells. It can be determined by various methods that require applying additional reagents or lysing the cells. Here, we describe a label-free Sobel-edge-based method, which we name SIC50, for the evaluation of IC50. SIC50 classifies preprocessed phase-contrast images with a state-of-the-art vision transformer and allows for the continuous assessment of IC50 in a faster and more cost-efficient manner. We have validated this method using four drugs and 1,536-well plates and also built a web application. We anticipate that this method will assist in the high-throughput screening of chemical libraries (e.g., small-molecule drugs, small interfering RNA [siRNA], and microRNA and drug discovery).