Interactions between autophagic and endo-lysosomal markers in endothelial cells.

Autophagic and endo-lysosomal degradative pathways are essential for cell homeostasis. Availability of reliable tools to interrogate these pathways is critical to unveil their involvement in physiology and pathophysiology. Although several probes have been recently developed to monitor autophagic or lysosomal compartments, their specificity has not been validated through co-localization studies with well-known markers. Here, we evaluate the selectivity and interactions between one lysosomal (Lyso-ID) and one autophagosomal (Cyto-ID) probe under conditions modulating autophagy and/or endo-lysosomal function in live cells. The probe for acidic compartments Lyso-ID was fully localized inside vesicles positive for markers of late endosome-lysosomes, including Lamp1-GFP and GFP-CINCCKVL. Induction of autophagy by amino acid deprivation in bovine aortic endothelial cells caused an early and potent increase in the fluorescence of the proposed autophagy dye Cyto-ID. Cyto-ID-positive compartments extensively co-localized with the autophagosomal fluorescent reporter RFP-LC3, although the time and/or threshold for organelle detection was different for each probe. Interestingly, use of Cyto-ID in combination with Lysotracker Red or Lyso-ID allowed the observation of structures labeled with either one or both probes, the extent of co-localization increasing upon treatment with protease inhibitors. Inhibition of the endo-lysosomal pathway with chloroquine or U18666A resulted in the formation of large Cyto-ID and Lyso-ID-positive compartments. These results constitute the first assessment of the selectivity of Cyto-ID and Lyso-ID as probes for the autophagic and lysosomal pathways, respectively. Our observations show that these probes can be used in combination with protein-based markers for monitoring the interactions of both pathways in live cells.

Phosphopeptide analysis by directly coupling two-dimensional planar electrochromatography/thin-layer chromatography with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A novel strategy is presented for the fractionation of complex peptide mixtures using two-dimensional planar electrochromatography/thin-layer chromatography (2D PEC/TLC). Phosphopeptides migrate more slowly in the first dimension, based upon their anionic phosphate residues, and certain predominantly acidic phosphopeptides even migrate in the opposite direction, relative to the bulk of the peptides. Phosphopeptides are further distinguished based upon hydrophilicity in the second dimension. This permits a restricted region of the plate to be directly interrogated for the presence of phosphopeptides by mass spectrometry (MS). Phosphopeptide analysis from the plates by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF)-MS and tandem MS enabled peptide sequencing and identification.

Rainbow's end: the quest for multiplexed fluorescence quantitative analysis in proteomics.

During the past two years, the performance of fluorescence-based protein detection methods has demonstrably eclipsed conventional technologies such as colloidal Coomassie Blue and silver staining with respect to detection sensitivity, quantitative accuracy and compatibility with modern protein identification and characterization procedures. At this point, fluorescence-based methods are poised to offer unprecedented new capabilities in proteomics investigations through the performance of multi-parameter quantitative measurements. The feasibility of such measurements has already been demonstrated through the specific detection of antibiotic-binding proteins, drug-metabolizing enzymes or post-translationally glycosylated proteins, along with the total protein expression profile from electrophoretically separated, complex biological specimens.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis; better than a poke in the ICAT?

To date, the most widely used technology for conducting proteomic studies has been two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DGE), but this approach does have drawbacks. Isotope-coded affinity tagging (ICAT) is starting to challenge 2DGE as a new proteomic tool for the analysis of proteins in complex biological specimens. An appraisal of these two methodologies reveals that neither ICAT nor 2DGE provide comprehensive coverage on a proteome-wide scale.

Development of fluorescence-based selective assays for serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphatases.

A number of aromatic substrates were evaluated for their ability to detect tyrosine phosphatase and serine/threonine phosphatase activity. Results demonstrated that the fluorinated coumarin DiFMUP is the most sensitive substrate for detecting LAR and PP-2A activity. Using this substrate, selective high-throughput screening assays for serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphatases were developed. Specific inhibitor cocktails were added to each assay to limit the activity of other phosphatases. LAR, CD-45, and PTP-1B all rapidly hydrolyze DiFMUP in the tyrosine phosphatase assay. The activity of non-tyrosine phosphatases is less than 6% of the LAR activity. PP-1 and PP-2A are highly active in the serine/threonine phosphatase assay. Inhibition of LAR and PP-2A in these assays is demonstrated using known inhibitors. Both of these assays are sensitive, robust, kinetic assays that can be used to quantify enzyme activity.

Strategies and solid-phase formats for the analysis of protein and peptide phosphorylation employing a novel fluorescent phosphorylation sensor dye.

Protein kinases represent one of the largest families of regulatory enzymes, with more than 2,000 of them being encoded for by the human genome. Many cellular processes are regulated by the reversible phosphorylation of proteins and upwards of 30% of the proteins comprising the eukaryotic proteome are likely to be phosphorylated at some point during their existence. In the past, analysis of global protein phosphorylation has been accomplished through radiolabelling of samples with inorganic (32P or [gamma-32)P] ATP. The approach is limited to specimens amenable to radiolabelling and poses certain safety and disposal problems. Alternatively, immunodetection with antibodies to the common phosphoamino acids may be employed, but the antibodies are relatively expensive and exhibit limited specificity and a certain degree of cross-reactivity. Pro-Q Diamond dye is a new fluorescent phosphosensor technology suitable for the detection of phosphoserine-, phosphothreonine- and phosphotyrosine-containing proteins directly in isoelectric focusing gels, SDS-polyacrylamide gels and two-dimensional gels. Additionally, the technology is appropriate for the detection of phosphoproteins or phosphopeptides arrayed on protein chips or affixed to beads. Dye-stained proteins and peptides can be excited with a laser-based light source of 532 or 543 nm or with a xenon-arc lamp-based system equipped with appropriate band pass filters. Alternatively, ultraviolet light of about 302 nm may be employed, providing that sufficiently long exposure times are used to collect the fluorescence signal. Pro-Q Diamond dye emits maximally at approximately 580 nm. The fluorescence-based detection technology is easy to conduct, cost effective and allows rapid large-scale screening of protein and peptide phosphorylation in a variety of solid-phase assay formats.

Detection technologies in proteome analysis.

Common strategies employed for general protein detection include organic dye, silver stain, radiolabeling, reverse stain, fluorescent stain, chemiluminescent stain and mass spectrometry-based approaches. Fluorescence-based protein detection methods have recently surpassed conventional technologies such as colloidal Coomassie blue and silver staining in terms of quantitative accuracy, detection sensitivity, and compatibility with modern downstream protein identification and characterization procedures, such as mass spectrometry. Additionally, specific detection methods suitable for revealing protein post-translational modifications have been devised over the years. These include methods for the detection of glycoproteins, phosphoproteins, proteolytic modifications, S-nitrosylation, arginine methylation and ADP-ribosylation. Methods for the detection of a range of reporter enzymes and epitope tags are now available as well, including those for visualizing beta-glucuronidase, beta-galactosidase, oligohistidine tags and green fluorescent protein. Fluorescence-based and mass spectrometry-based methodologies are just beginning to offer unparalleled new capabilities in the field of proteomics through the performance of multiplexed quantitative analysis. The primary objective of differential display proteomics is to increase the information content and throughput of proteomics studies through multiplexed analysis. Currently, three principal approaches to differential display proteomics are being actively pursued, difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE), multiplexed proteomics (MP) and isotope-coded affinity tagging (ICAT). New multiplexing capabilities should greatly enhance the applicability of the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis technique with respect to addressing fundamental questions related to proteome-wide changes in protein expression and post-translational modification.

Mapping glycosylation changes related to cancer using the Multiplexed Proteomics technology: a protein differential display approach.

The metastatic spread of tumor cells in malignant progression is known to be a major cause of cancer mortality. Protein glycosylation is increasingly being recognized as one of the most prominent biochemical alterations associated with malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. The Multiplexed Proteomics (MP) approach is a new technology that permits quantitative, multicolor fluorescence detection of proteins in two-dimensional (2-D) gels and on Western blots. This methodology allows the parallel determination of both altered glycosylation patterns and protein expression level changes within a single 2-D gel experiment. The linear responses of the fluorescent dyes utilized allow rigorous quantitation of changes in protein expression over a broad 3-log linear dynamic range. Global analysis of changes in protein glycosylation and total protein expression is followed by dichromatic, lectin-based profiling methods for rapidly categorizing glycan branching structures. The MP approach was applied to whole tissue extracts of normal and cancerous liver, so that altered glycosylation modification patterns and protein expression levels could be determined. One prominent glycoprotein determined to be up-regulated in the tumor tissue was haptoglobin, an acute-phase response protein. The detection methodologies associated with the MP technology radically increase the information content of 2-D gel experiments. This new information greatly enhances the applicability of these experiments in addressing fundamental questions associated with proteome-wide glycosylation changes related to cancer.

A novel image-based cytometry method for autophagy detection in living cells.

Autophagy is an important cellular catabolic process that plays a variety of important roles, including maintenance of the amino acid pool during starvation, recycling of damaged proteins and organelles, and clearance of intracellular microbes. Currently employed autophagy detection methods include fluorescence microscopy, biochemical measurement, SDS-PAGE and western blotting, but they are time consuming, labor intensive, and require much experience for accurate interpretation. More recently, development of novel fluorescent probes have allowed the investigation of autophagy via standard flow cytometry. However, flow cytometers remain relatively expensive and require a considerable amount of maintenance. Previously, image-based cytometry has been shown to perform automated fluorescence-based cellular analysis comparable to flow cytometry. In this study, we developed a novel method using the Cellometer image-based cytometer in combination with Cyto-ID(®) Green dye for autophagy detection in live cells. The method is compared with flow cytometry by measuring macroautophagy in nutrient-starved Jurkat cells. Results demonstrate similar trends of autophagic response, but different magnitude of fluorescence signal increases, which may arise from different analysis approaches characteristic of the two instrument platforms. The possibility of using this method for drug discovery applications is also demonstrated through the measurement of dose-response kinetics upon induction of autophagy with rapamycin and tamoxifen. The described image-based cytometry/fluorescent dye method should serve as a useful addition to the current arsenal of techniques available in support of autophagy-based drug discovery relating to various pathological disorders.

Sensitive and specific fluorescent probes for functional analysis of the three major types of mammalian ABC transporters.

An underlying mechanism for multi drug resistance (MDR) is up-regulation of the transmembrane ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter proteins. ABC transporters also determine the general fate and effect of pharmaceutical agents in the body. The three major types of ABC transporters are MDR1 (P-gp, P-glycoprotein, ABCB1), MRP1/2 (ABCC1/2) and BCRP/MXR (ABCG2) proteins. Flow cytometry (FCM) allows determination of the functional expression levels of ABC transporters in live cells, but most dyes used as indicators (rhodamine 123, DiOC(2)(3), calcein-AM) have limited applicability as they do not detect all three major types of ABC transporters. Dyes with broad coverage (such as doxorubicin, daunorubicin and mitoxantrone) lack sensitivity due to overall dimness and thus may yield a significant percentage of false negative results. We describe two novel fluorescent probes that are substrates for all three common types of ABC transporters and can serve as indicators of MDR in flow cytometry assays using live cells. The probes exhibit fast internalization, favorable uptake/efflux kinetics and high sensitivity of MDR detection, as established by multidrug resistance activity factor (MAF) values and Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistical analysis. Used in combination with general or specific inhibitors of ABC transporters, both dyes readily identify functional efflux and are capable of detecting small levels of efflux as well as defining the type of multidrug resistance. The assay can be applied to the screening of putative modulators of ABC transporters, facilitating rapid, reproducible, specific and relatively simple functional detection of ABC transporter activity, and ready implementation on widely available instruments.

Novel cell- and tissue-based assays for detecting misfolded and aggregated protein accumulation within aggresomes and inclusion bodies.

Aggresomes and related inclusion bodies appear to serve as storage depots for misfolded and aggregated proteins within cells, which can potentially be degraded by the autophagy pathway. A homogenous fluorescence-based assay was devised to detect aggregated proteins inside aggresomes and inclusion bodies within an authentic cellular context. The assay employs a novel red fluorescent molecular rotor dye, which is essentially nonfluorescent until it binds to structural features associated with the aggregated protein cargo. Aggresomes and related structures were generated within cultured cells using various potent, cell permeable, proteasome inhibitors: MG-132, lactacystin, epoxomicin and bortezomib, and then selectively detected with the fluorescent probe. Employing the probe in combination with various fluorescein-labeled primary antibodies facilitated co-localization of key components of the autophagy system (ubiquitin, p62, and LC3) with aggregated protein cargo by fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, cytoplasmic aggregates were highlighted in SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells incubated with exogenously supplied amyloid beta peptide 1-42. SMER28, a small molecule modulator of autophagy acting via an mTOR-independent mechanism, prevented the accumulation of amyloid beta peptide within these cells. The described assay allows assessment of the effects of protein aggregation directly in cells, without resorting to the use of non-physiological protein mutations or genetically engineered cell lines. With minor modification, the assay was also adapted to the analysis of frozen or formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections, with demonstration of co-localization of aggregated cargo with ß-amyloid and tau proteins in brain tissue sections from Alzheimer's disease patients.

A live-cell fluorescence microplate assay suitable for monitoring vacuolation arising from drug or toxic agent treatment.

Lysosomes are membrane-bound subcellular organelles involved in the degradation of macromolecules and pathogens in diverse processes, including endocytosis, phagocytosis, and autophagy. A red fluorescent probe was developed that is selectively sequestered in acidic organelles. U20S cells pretreated with 64 microM chloroquine for as little as 5 h show a dramatic increase in lysosome-like vesicle number and volume. The probe can be employed for highlighting lysosome-like organelles under conditions wherein cells produce vacuoles that contain most of the degradative enzymes of the lysosome but are not as acidic as the parent organelle. Using a conventional fluorescence microplate reader, the half-maximal effective concentration (EC(50)) of chloroquine was estimated. The high Z' score obtained using the assay demonstrated excellent signal-to-noise ratios. The fluorescence microplate assay was successfully employed to screen a small-molecule compound library for agents that increase lysosomal volume and number. One potential application of the new assay is in the toxicology portion of preclinical drug safety assessment (ADME-Tox) workflows, using in vitro cell culture models to aid in the drug development process.

A novel, high-throughput workflow for discovery and identification of serum carrier protein-bound peptide biomarker candidates in ovarian cancer samples.

BACKGROUND: Most cases of ovarian cancer are detected at later stages when the 5-year survival is approximately 15%, but 5-year survival approaches 90% when the cancer is detected early (stage I). To use mass spectrometry (MS) of serum proteins for early detection, a seamless workflow is needed that provides an opportunity for rapid profiling along with direct identification of the underpinning ions. METHODS: We used carrier protein-bound affinity enrichment of serum samples directly coupled with MALDI orthagonal TOF MS profiling to rapidly search for potential ion signatures that contained discriminatory power. These ions were subsequently directly subjected to tandem MS for sequence identification. RESULTS: We discovered several biomarker panels that enabled differentiation of stage I ovarian cancer from unaffected (age-matched) patients with no evidence of ovarian cancer, with positive results in >93% of samples from patients with disease-negative results and in 97% of disease-free controls. The carrier protein-based approach identified additional protein fragments, many from low-abundance proteins or proteins not previously seen in serum. CONCLUSIONS: This workflow system using a highly reproducible, high-resolution MALDI-TOF platform enables rapid enrichment and profiling of large numbers of clinical samples for discovery of ion signatures and integration of direct sequencing and identification of the ions without need for additional offline, time-consuming purification strategies.

Performance validation of an improved Xenon-arc lamp-based CCD camera system for multispectral imaging in proteomics.

Advances in gel-based nonradioactive protein expression and PTM detection using fluorophores has served as the impetus for developing analytical instrumentation with improved imaging capabilities. We describe a CCD camera-based imaging instrument, equipped with both a high-pressure Xenon arc lamp and a UV transilluminator, which provides broad-band wavelength coverage (380-700 nm and UV). With six-position filter wheels, both excitation and emission wavelengths may be selected, providing optimal measurement and quantitation of virtually any dye and allowing excellent spectral resolution among different fluorophores. While spatial resolution of conventional fixed CCD camera imaging systems is typically inferior to laser scanners, this problem is circumvented with the new instrument by mechanically scanning the CCD camera over the sample and collecting multiple images that are subsequently automatically reconstructed into a complete high-resolution image. By acquiring images in succession, as many as four different fluorophores may be evaluated from a gel. The imaging platform is suitable for analysis of the wide range of dyes and tags commonly encountered in proteomics investigations. The instrument is unique in its capabilities of scanning large areas at high resolution and providing accurate selectable illumination over the UV/visible spectral range, thus maximizing the efficiency of dye multiplexing protocols.

High-resolution serum proteomic profiling of Alzheimer disease samples reveals disease-specific, carrier-protein-bound mass signatures.

BACKGROUND: Researchers typically search for disease markers using a "targeted" approach in which a hypothesis about the disease mechanism is tested and experimental results either confirm or disprove the involvement of a particular gene or protein in the disease. Recently, there has been interest in developing disease diagnostics based on unbiased quantification of differences in global patterns of protein and peptide masses, typically in blood from individuals with and without disease. We combined a suite of methods and technologies, including novel sample preparation based on carrier-protein capture and biomarker enrichment, high-resolution mass spectrometry, a unique cohort of well-characterized persons with and without Alzheimer disease (AD), and powerful bioinformatic analysis, that add statistical and procedural robustness to biomarker discovery from blood. METHODS: Carrier-protein-bound peptides were isolated from serum samples by affinity chromatography, and peptide mass spectra were acquired by a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) orthogonal time-of-flight (O-TOF) mass spectrometer capable of collecting data over a broad mass range (100 to >300,000 Da) in a single acquisition. Discriminatory analysis of mass spectra was used to process and analyze the raw mass spectral data. RESULTS: Coupled with the biomarker enrichment protocol, the high-resolution MALDI O-TOF mass spectra provided informative, reproducible peptide signatures. The raw mass spectra were analyzed and used to build discriminant disease models that were challenged with blinded samples for classification. CONCLUSIONS: Carrier-protein enrichment of disease biomarkers coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry and discriminant pattern analysis is a powerful technology for diagnostics and population screening. The mass fingerprint model successfully classified blinded AD patient and control samples with high sensitivity and specificity.

Fluorescence detection of glycoproteins in gels and on electroblots.

Glycosylation of proteins is a dynamic post-translational modification commonly found in eukaryotes, changing with development, differentiation, and disease state. Identification of glycoproteins is important for completely characterizing the population of proteins found at a given point in time. This unit contains protocols for identifying glycoproteins in general using a fluorescence based periodate/Schiff base method and those containing specific carbohydrates using a lectin-based fluorescent method.

Combining microscale solution-phase isoelectric focusing with Multiplexed Proteomics dye staining to analyze protein post-translational modifications.

Previously, a strategy for rapidly identifying mitochondrial phosphoproteins was presented that involves prefractionating multisubunit complexes by sucrose gradient centrifugation, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and selective staining of phosphoproteins and total protein with fluorescent dyes [1]. Though suitable for evaluating the mitochondrial proteome, which consists of numerous multisubunit complexes, the strategy is not generally applicable to other complex proteomes. We determined that prefractionating samples by solution-phase isoelectric focusing is an effective alternative to sucrose-gradient fractionation that can be applied equally well to the analysis of mitochondrial and plasma proteins. Fluorescence-based multiplexing dye technologies greatly extend the capacity of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with respect to the investigation of proteome-wide changes in protein expression and post-translational modification, such as phosphorylation and glycosylation [2]. Overall, the prefractionation/Multiplexed Proteomics staining technology permits rapid, higher throughput screening of specimens for the identification of potentially interesting fractions that can subsequently be evaluated more thoroughly by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

An improved mechanically durable electrophoresis gel matrix that is fully compatible with fluorescence-based protein detection technologies.

Unfortunately, conventional large-format polyacrylamide gels are mechanically fragile, often tearing during the subsequent manipulations required for visualization of the proteins. This problem is compounded when large-format two-dimensional gels are subjected to multiple staining procedures in order to detect different classes of proteins, such as total protein, phosphoproteins, and glycoproteins. A mechanically durable liquid polyacrylamide-based matrix has been developed that, upon polymerization, facilitates the handling of one-dimensional and two-dimensional gels. The matrix, referred to as Rhinohide liquid acrylamide, is stable as a refrigerated solution for up to one year, and forms a polymer-reinforced polyacrylamide gel suitable for electrophoresis, upon addition of catalysts. The matrix is superior to previously reported durable gel matrices in that it does not cause distortion of high-molecular-weight bands and does not suffer from other spot morphology artifacts, such as doubling of protein spots in the molecular weight dimension. The matrix is particularly valuable for the analysis of proteins applying multiple applications of fluorescent dyes, as required with serial staining of proteins for phosphorylation, glycosylation, and total protein expression, using Pro-Q Diamond phosphoprotein stain, Pro-Q Emerald glycoprotein stain and SYPRO Ruby protein gel stain, respectively.

The utility of a two-color fluorescence electrophoretic mobility shift assay procedure for the analysis of DNA replication complexes.

Protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions play essential roles in many biologic processes such as transcription, replication, recombination, and DNA repair. One of the most popular approaches to investigate specific protein-nucleic acid interactions is the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). We have developed a new nonradioactive method to detect both nucleotides and protein in EMSA. Nucleic acids are detected with SYBR Green EMSA dye, while proteins are subsequently detected with SYPRO Ruby EMSA dye. All fluorescent staining steps are performed after the entire gel-shift experiment is completed, so there is no need to prelabel either the nucleic acids or the protein. The two-color fluorescence dye staining procedure is fast, simple, and allows independent quantitative determination of either free or bound nucleic acids and protein. The interactions between lac repressor-operator, and among the T4 primase-helicase, primase-DNA, helicase-DNA, and within T4 [ssDNA-primase-helicase6] primosome, were used to demonstrate the advantages of this two-color fluorescence detection EMSA method.