In this work, we investigate the changes of microviscosity in cancer cells exposed to chemotherapy with cisplatin and oxaliplatin. We analyzed the plasma membrane viscosity using fluorescent molecular rotor and fluorescence lifetime imaging. Our results in vitro show a significant increase in viscosity after treatment, which correlated with membrane lipid composition. The obtained data indicate the involvement of plasma membrane in the mechanisms of the platinum drug action.
KEYWORDS: Fluorescence lifetime imaging, Oxygen, 3D modeling, Luminescence, Biological research, 3D displays, Tissues, Stem cells, Microscopy, Medical research
3D models based on cells differentiated from patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are widely used to identify disease phenotypes, to accurately analyze dysfunctions at the level of human tissues and organs, to screen new drugs, which makes them more promising tool for biomedical research tasks than monolayer cultures, which is associated with their proximity to in vivo. The metabolic activity with oxygenation level of cells, assessed by optical imaging methods, can be used as markers of cell viability, proliferative activity and the degree of differentiation in 3D culture conditions. In this paper we used fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopies (FLIM and PLIM) to study the metabolic status and the oxygenation level of derived from iPSCs neural stem cells (NSC) cultured in 3D condition. An analysis of the fluorescence intensities and FLIM data showed that NSCs in monolayer and at the periphery of large spheroids have more glycolytic phenotypes, NSCs in the center of large spheroids and NSCs grouped into small spheroids have more oxidative state. For determination of the relative oxygen level in spheroids PLIM of BPTDM stained neurospheres was carried out. As it was supposed, oxygen transport in the spheroid depended on it size. In neurospheres with an average size 600 μm O2 distribution is radial, with the lowest concentration in the center. Thus, the metabolic status and oxygenation level of the NSC in the spheroid composition was assessed in a life-time and noninvasive manner.
The aim of our work was to investigate energy metabolism of patient’s tumor ex vivo using fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM). Tumor metabolism was examined by detecting the fluorescence lifetime of metabolic cofactor NAD(P)H. In glioma tumor samples was shown a different energy metabolism with white matter. Colorectal tumors displayed marked intertumor heterogeneity and shift towards oxidative energy metabolism. Thereby, the possibility of assessing the energy metabolism in postoperative tumor samples of patients was shown.
Successful gastrointestinal surgery is based on the precise knowledge of the morphological, functional and metabolic state of the bowel wall at a specific time point. Current trends include the development of real-time, minimally invasive, label-free and rapid techniques for tissue assessment in combination with algorithms of data processing. The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of trans-serous multimodal optical coherence tomography (MM OCT) and FLIM macro-imaging in detecting changes in microstructure, blood circulation and metabolism of intestinal wall caused by acute arterial ischemia in experiment. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 19-75-10096.
Significance: Despite the importance of the cell membrane in regulation of drug activity, the influence of drug treatments on its physical properties is still poorly understood. The combination of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) with specific viscosity-sensitive fluorescent molecular rotors allows the quantification of membrane viscosity with high spatiotemporal resolution, down to the individual cell organelles.
Aim: The aim of our work was to analyze microviscosity of the plasma membrane of living cancer cells during chemotherapy with cisplatin using FLIM and correlate the observed changes with lipid composition and cell’s response to treatment.
Approach: FLIM together with viscosity-sensitive boron dipyrromethene-based fluorescent molecular rotor was used to map the fluidity of the cell’s membrane. Chemical analysis of membrane lipid composition was performed with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS).
Results: We detected a significant steady increase in membrane viscosity in viable cancer cells, both in cell monolayers and tumor spheroids, upon prolonged treatment with cisplatin, as well as in cisplatin-adapted cell line. ToF-SIMS revealed correlative changes in lipid profile of cisplatin-treated cells.
Conclusions: These results suggest an involvement of membrane viscosity in the cell adaptation to the drug and in the acquisition of drug resistance.
Genetically encoded photosensitizers are a unique instrument for investigation of cellular mechanisms of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Fluorescent flavoprotein miniSOG (mini Singlet Oxygen Generator) generates singlet oxygen with a high yield and demonstrates strong phototoxic properties in vitro in cancer cells. However, the effective approaches for PDT with miniSOG have not been developed so far. The purpose of the study is to investigate phototoxic effects of miniSOG induced by continuous wave (CW) or pulsed laser irradiation in tumor spheroids. We found that maximum photobleaching of miniSOG without temperature effects was achieved at 120 mW/cm2 in CW mode or pulse periodic mode. PDT in pulse periodic mode provided more pronounced increase in the number of dead cells in comparison with CW mode and, moreover, induced apoptosis more efficiently. Therefore, we report for the first time on an effective regimen for PDT with miniSOG in a tumor spheroid model using pulsed periodic laser irradiation.
Non-invasive optical techniques on the basis of quenching of phosphorescence by molecular oxygen represent a powerful tool to perform mapping of oxygen content in biological systems. The development of phosphorescent oxygensensitive probes suitable for biological applications, especially in vivo, remains a challenging task. In this paper we applied for biological investigations one novel and one previously published Ir(III)-based complexes. This complexes demonstrate low cytotoxicity at the concentrations ≤70 μM and good uptake by cultured cancer cells. Both compounds were primarily located within the cytoplasm. Using TCSPC-based phosphorescence lifetime macro-imaging in vivo, we found that IR-2 complex shows detectable phosphorescence in tumor tissue in mice upon local injection. These results illustrate the high potential of organometallic complexes under study for mapping of oxygen level in cells and tissues.
The objective of the research was a multifaceted study of strangulated small intestine to reveal the optical, morphofunctional and biochemical signs of small bowel ischemia. The study was carried out in vivo using an artificially induced strangulation model of the small intestine (together with its mesentery and blood vessels) in 12 Wistar rats. Over a period of 120 minutes following the bowel ligation, changes in the density of the intramural vasculature and intestinal wall microstructure were detected using multimodal optical coherence tomography (MM OCT). Fluorescence lifetime changes of endogenous fluorophores were also measured using macro-FLIM of the strangulated loop and the adjacent segments of the intestine. At the end of the experiment, a morphometric study of the thickness of the layers and the prevalence of necrosis in the intestinal wall was carried out. A comprehensive analysis of the results of the OCT, FLIM and morphometry of the ischemic wall of the small intestine made it possible to determine the correlating morphofunctional and biochemical manifestations that are specific to this model of mesenteric blood flow disturbance.
Recent studies suggest that cancer cell response to cisplatin can not be fully described in terms of only interaction of the drug with DNA, but can include effects associated with other cellular targets. The study of effects of chemotherapeutic drugs on the viscosity of plasma membrane is important for better understanding the mechanisms of the drug action and evaluating the effectiveness of therapy. The aim of this work was to analyze microviscosity of plasma membrane of cancer cells during chemotherapy with cisplatin. For imaging viscosity at the microscopic level fluorescent molecular rotor BODIPY2 and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) were used. We detected a significant increase in membrane viscosity in viable human cervical cancer cells HeLa, both in cell monolayer and tumor spheroids after cisplatin treatment. Measuring viscosity in cisplatin-resistant cell line showed that viscosity increases when cells acquire chemoresistance. These results suggest that microviscosity of membrane plays a role in the cytotoxicity of cisplatin and its mapping may provide a powerful tool for investigation of tumor responses to chemotherapy and mechanisms of drug resistance.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed and poorly responding to chemotherapy types of cancer, which emphasizes the importance of personalized approach to treatment selection. Short-term primary cell cultures established from patients’ tumors represent a valuable model for testing drug response. In this study, we developed protocols for generation of the short-term primary cell cultures from colorectal cancer tissue and assessment their chemosensitivity using MTT test. Additionally, we showed the possibility of metabolic analysis of patient-derived cancer cells using fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of autofluorescent cofactor NAD(P)H. Since FLIM of NAD(P)H demonstrates the potential to detect early responses to cancer treatment, we assume that this method, alone or in combination with MTT assay, can be used for choosing the optimal chemotherapy for patients.
This paper presents ex-vivo investigation of the brain tumors, namely glioblastoma and anaplastic astrocytoma, by macroscopic fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of endogenous metabolic cofactor nicotine amide dinucleotide (phosphate), NAD(P)H. The results of the study on the rat models indicate that the metabolism in brain tumors differs between tumor types and differs from normal brain tissue. It was also found that the brain tumors have specific optical metabolic signatures that differ them from most solid tumors, underling the complexity of glioma metabolism. The approach used in the experiments shows prospects to determine the surgical margins of gliomas and to investigate metabolic heterogeneity of the tumors on a macroscale. However, one has to be careful in the interpretation of the data obtained by FLIM.
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the key determinants in the malignant progression of cancer. The subject of this research was metabolic reorganization of CAFs and their participation in collagen cross-linking process. The metabolic differences between normal fibroblasts and CAFs were elucidated using two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Collagen structure in 3D model was assessed using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. We show increased metabolic activity of fibroblasts derived from patient’s colon tumor with a shift to more oxidative metabolism compare to dermal fibroblasts. The results of the study of collagen suggest that CAFs may contribute to the tumor progression through the facilitation of collagen alignment. In general, our findings support the idea of the strong association between cancer cells and fibroblasts and extensive involvement of CAFs in modulation of tumor microenvironment.
Nonlinear optical microscopy combined with fluorescence lifetime imaging is a non-invasive imaging technique, based on the study of fluorescence decay times of naturally occurring fluorescent molecules, enabling a noninvasive investigation of the biological tissue with subcellular resolution. Cancer exhibits altered cellular metabolism, which affects the autofluorescence of metabolic cofactors NAD(P)H and FAD. In this study features of tumor metabolism in different systems of organization (from cell culture to patient lesion) was showed. The observed differences in the relative contributions of free NAD(P)H and FAD testify to an increased a glycolytic metabolism in cancer cells compare to fibroblasts. In 3D spheroids, the cells of the proliferating zone had greater a1 and lower tm values than the cells of the quiescent zone, which likely is a consequence of their higher glycolytic rate. During the growth of colorectal cancer in the experimental mouse model, the contribution of the free component of NAD(P)H was increased. Dysplastic nevus and melanoma is characterized by raised contribution of free NADH compare to healthy skin. Therefore, melanoma cells had very short value of τ1.
Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) is a promising non-invasive highly sensitive technique for probing multiple physiological and physicochemical parameters in living cells and tissues. The present study is focused on the investigation of bioenergetics and microscopic viscosity of cultured cancer cells and animal tumors using FLIM during natural growth and chemotherapy. Fluorescence lifetime measurements of the metabolic cofactor NAD(P)H revealed a decrease of the relative amplitude of free NAD(P)H after cisplatin treatment, indicating a change towards a more oxidative metabolic state. Microviscosity mapping performed with the use of fluorescent molecular rotor BODIPY-2 showed a pronounced increase in the plasma membrane viscosity in cancer cells exposed to cisplatin. Although biochemical mechanisms underlying the metabolic and viscosity alterations during chemotherapy have yet to be clarified, our data suggest that the cisplatin-induced changes in cellular metabolism and membrane viscosity play a role in the cytotoxicity of the drug. The results of the study contribute to an understanding of mechanisms of cisplatin action and will be useful for development new approach for assessing response to a therapy.
The study of metabolic and oxygen states of cells in a tumor in vivo is crucial for understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the tumor development and provides background for the relevant tumor’s treatment. Here, we show that a specially designed implantable fiber-optical probe provides a promising tool for optical interrogation of metabolic and oxygen states of a tumor in vivo. In our experiments, the excitation light from a ps diode laser source is delivered to the sample through an exchangeable tip via a multimode fiber, and the emission light is transferred to the detector by another multimode fiber. Fluorescence lifetime of nicotinamid adenine dinucleotide (NAD(P)H) and phosphorescence lifetime of an oxygen sensor based on iridium (III) complex of enzothienylpyridine (BTPDM1) are explored both in model experiment in solutions, and in living mice. The luminescence spectroscopy data is substantiated with immunohistochemistry experiments. To the best of our knowledge, the measurements of both metabolic status and oxygenation of tumor in vivo by fluorescence/phosphorescence lifetime spectroscopy with a fiber-optic probe are done for the first time.
The aim of the study was to estimate energy metabolism in human cervical cancer cells HeLa Kyoto after chemotherapy in vitro and in vivo using two-photon fluorescence lifetime microscopy (FLIM). Cellular metabolism was examined by monitoring of the fluorescence intensities and lifetimes of metabolic cofactors NAD(P)H and FAD. Cancer metabolism was analyzed in dynamics after treatment with cisplatin. Two-photon fluorescence and second harmonic generation microscopies as well as standard histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin were used to characterize cancer tissue structure. We showed an increase of the optical redox ratio FAD/NAD(P)H in cancer cells in vitro and decrease of the relative contribution of free NAD(P)H (ɑ1) in vitro and in vivo, which presumably indicate a shift to more oxidative metabolism after chemotherapy. These data demonstrate the possibility to detect response of cancer cells to chemotherapy using optical metabolic imaging.
Early response of cancer cells to chemical compounds and chemotherapeutic drugs were studied using novel fluorescence tools and microscopy techniques. We applied confocal microscopy, two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and super-resolution localization-based microscopy to assess structural and functional changes in cancer cells in vitro. The dynamics of energy metabolism, intracellular pH, caspase-3 activation during staurosporine-induced apoptosis as well as actin cytoskeleton rearrangements under chemotherapy were evaluated. We have showed that new genetically encoded sensors and advanced fluorescence microscopy methods provide an efficient way for multiparameter analysis of cell activities
The aim of the present work was to study energy metabolism in human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells in vitro and in vivo using two-photon FLIM. Cellular metabolism was examined by monitoring of the fluorescence lifetimes of free and protein-bound forms of NAD(P)H and FAD and their relative contributions. Two-photon fluorescence and second harmonic generation microscopy as well as standard histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin were used to characterize tissue structure. Cellular metabolism was analyzed in cancer cells co-cultured with human fibroblasts and in tumor xenografts transplanted to nude mice. In the HeLa-huFB co-culture we observed a metabolic shift from OXPHOS toward glycolysis in cancer cells, and from glycolysis to OXPHOS in fibroblasts, starting from Day 2 of co-culturing. In the tumor tissue we detected metabolic heterogeneity with more glycolytic metabolism of cancer cells in the stroma-rich zones. The results of the study are of a great importance for understanding metabolic behavior of tumors and for development of anticancer drugs targeted to metabolic pathways.
This work is aimed at the development of new approach to register intracellular pH with genetically encoded ratiometric sensor. Intracellular pH of cancer cells was studied in vitro and in vivo. Changes of intracellular pH under conditions of co-culturing with fibroblast were investigated.
Despite of the success of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in cancer treatment, the problems of low selective accumulation of a photosensitizer in a tumor and skin phototoxicity have not resolved yet. The idea of encoding of a photosensitizer in genome of cancer cells is attractive, particularly because it can provide highly selective light induced cell killing. This work is aimed at the development of new approach to PDT of cancer, namely to using genetically encoded photosensitizers. A phototoxicity of red fluorescent GFP-like protein KillerRed and FMN-binding protein miniSOG was investigated on HeLa tumor xenografts in nude mice. The tumors were generated by subcutaneous injection of HeLa cells stably expressing the phototoxic proteins. The tumors were irradiated with 594 nm or 473 nm laser at 150 mW/cm2 for 20 or 30 min, repeatedly. Fluorescence intensity of the tumors was measured in vivo before and after each treatment procedure. Detailed pathomorphological analysis was performed 24 h after the therapy. On the epi-fluorescence images in vivo photobleaching of both proteins was observed indicating photodynamic reaction. Substantial pathomorphological abnormalities were found in the treated KillerRed-expressing tumor tissue, such as vacuolization of cytoplasm, cellular and nuclear membrane destruction, activation of apoptosis. In contrast, miniSOG-expressing tumors displayed no reaction to PDT, presumably due to the lack of FMN cofactor needed for fluorescence recovery of the flavoprotein. The results are of interest for photodynamic therapy as a proof of possibility to induce photodamages in cancer cells in vivo using genetically encoded photosensitizers.
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