High-content imaging of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected macrophages: an in vitro model for tuberculosis drug discovery

Future Med Chem. 2010 Aug;2(8):1283-93. doi: 10.4155/fmc.10.223.

Abstract

Macrophages are reservoirs for replicating mycobacterium during tuberculosis (TB) infections. In this study, small molecules to be developed as anti-tubercular treatments were investigated for their ability to kill intracellular bacteria in in vitro macrophage models. High-content imaging technologies offer a high-throughput method to quantify a drug's ability to inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis intracellular invasion and multiplication in host cells. Dedicated image analysis enables the automated quantification of infected macrophages, and compounds that inhibit mycobacteria proliferation can be tested using this method. Furthermore, the implementation of the assay in 384-well microtiter plates combined with automated image acquisition and analysis allows large-scale screening of compound libraries in M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages. Here we describe a high-throughput and high-content workflow and detail its utility for the development of new TB drugs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Macrophages / microbiology*
  • Macrophages / ultrastructure*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology
  • Tuberculosis / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Small Molecule Libraries