Cell cycle dependence of apoptosis photo-triggered using peptide-photosensitizer conjugate

Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 5;10(1):19087. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-76100-7.

Abstract

Investigation of the relevance between cell cycle status and the bioactivity of exogenously delivered biomacromolecules is hindered by their time-consuming cell internalization and the cytotoxicity of transfection methods. In this study, we addressed these problems by utilizing the photochemical internalization (PCI) method using a peptide/protein-photosensitizer conjugate, which enables immediate cytoplasmic internalization of the bioactive peptides/proteins in a light-dependent manner with low cytotoxicity. To identify the cell-cycle dependent apoptosis, a TatBim peptide-photosensitizer conjugate (TatBim-PS) with apoptotic activity was photo-dependently internalized into HeLa cells expressing a fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci2). Upon irradiation, cytoplasmic TatBim-PS internalization exceeded 95% for all cells classified in the G1, S, and G2/M cell cycle phases with no significant differences between groups. TatBim-PS-mediated apoptosis was more efficiently triggered by photoirradiation in the G1/S transition than in the G1 and S/G2/M phases, suggesting high sensitivity of the former phase to Bim-induced apoptosis. Thus, the cell cycle dependence of Bim peptide-induced apoptosis was successfully investigated using Fucci2 indicator and the PCI method. Since PCI-mediated cytoplasmic internalization of peptides is rapid and does not span multiple cell cycle phases, the Fucci-PCI method constitutes a promising tool for analyzing the cell cycle dependence of peptides/protein functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Bcl-2-Like Protein 11 / chemistry
  • Bcl-2-Like Protein 11 / pharmacokinetics
  • Bcl-2-Like Protein 11 / pharmacology
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects*
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacokinetics
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Thymidine / pharmacology

Substances

  • Bcl-2-Like Protein 11
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Peptides
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Thymidine