Detection of cell carcinogenic transformation by a quadruplex DNA binding fluorescent probe

Tsung-Lin Yang; Lin Lin; Pei-Jen Lou; Ta-Chau Chang; Tai-Horng Young

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0086143

Detection of cell carcinogenic transformation by a quadruplex DNA binding fluorescent probe

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 28;9(1):e86143. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086143. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Tsung-Lin Yang¹, Lin Lin², Pei-Jen Lou³, Ta-Chau Chang⁴, Tai-Horng Young²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan ; Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.

Abstract

Cancer can be easily treated when found early. A probe capable of detecting cell transformation may increase the success rate of early diagnosis of cancer. In this report we have tested the ability of a fluorescent, quadruplex DNA binding probe, 3,6-bis(1-methyl-4- vinylpyridinium) carbazole diiodide (BMVC), to detect cell transformation in vitro. BMVC was applied to living cells in several different models of cell transformation, and the fluorescence signals of BMVC were measured. The degrees of cell transformation in these models were characterized by alterations in cellular morphological phenotype and subcellular organization. When BMVC probes were applied, the number of BMVC-positive cells increased in accordance with the degree of transformation. BMVC was capable of significantly detecting formation of foci, increased cellular motility, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, anchorage-independent growth, and increased invasiveness of transformed cells. These results demonstrate the ability of BMVC probes to detect cell transformation and indicate that BMVC is of promise for use as a probe in early cancer detection.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Line
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism*
Flow Cytometry
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
G-Quadruplexes*
Humans
Mice
Spectrometry, Fluorescence

Substances

Fluorescent Dyes

Grants and funding

The authors thank National Science Council of the Republic of China (98-2218-E-001-002-), National Taiwan University Hospital (HCH101-18), and National Health Research Institutes (NHRI, NHRI-EX99-9912EI) for their financial support of this research. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.