Deep-Learning-Assisted Assessment of DNA Damage Based on Foci Images and Its Application in High-Content Screening of Lead Compounds

Anal Chem. 2020 Oct 20;92(20):14267-14277. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03741. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

Abstract

DNA damage is one of major culprits in many complex diseases; thus, there is great interest in the discovery of novel lead compounds regulating DNA damage. However, there remain plenty of challenges to evaluate DNA damage through counting the amount of intranuclear foci. Herein, a deep-learning-based open-source pipeline, FociNet, was developed to automatically segment full-field fluorescent images and dissect DNA damage of each cell. We annotated 6000 single-nucleus images to train the classification ability of the proposed computational pipeline. Results showed that FociNet achieved satisfying performance in classifying a single cell into a normal, damaged, or nonsignaling (no fusion-protein expression) state and exhibited excellent compatibility in the assessment of DNA damage based on fluorescent foci images from various imaging platforms. Furthermore, FociNet was employed to analyze a data set of over 5000 foci images from a high-content screening of 315 natural compounds from traditional Chinese medicine. It was successfully applied to identify several novel active compounds including evodiamine, isoliquiritigenin, and herbacetin, which were found to reduce 53BP1 foci for the first time. Among them, isoliquiritigenin from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. exerts a significant effect on attenuating double strand breaks as indicated by the comet assay. In conclusion, this work provides an artificial intelligence tool to evaluate DNA damage on the basis of microscopy images as well as a potential strategy for high-content screening of active compounds.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Products / chemistry*
  • Biological Products / pharmacology
  • Chalcones / chemistry
  • Chalcones / pharmacology
  • DNA Damage / drug effects*
  • Deep Learning
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Flavonoids / chemistry
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Optical Imaging
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Quinazolines / chemistry
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry*
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology
  • Tumor Suppressor p53-Binding Protein 1 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor p53-Binding Protein 1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Biological Products
  • Chalcones
  • Flavonoids
  • Plant Extracts
  • Quinazolines
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • TP53BP1 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor p53-Binding Protein 1
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • herbacetin
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • isoliquiritigenin
  • evodiamine