Enhanced Gaussia luciferase blood assay for monitoring of in vivo biological processes

Anal Chem. 2012 Jan 17;84(2):1189-92. doi: 10.1021/ac202833r. Epub 2011 Dec 27.

Abstract

Secreted Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) has been shown to be a useful tool for ex vivo monitoring of in vivo biological processes. The Gluc level in the blood was used to detect tumor growth, metastasis and response to therapy, gene transfer, and circulating cells viability, as well as transcription factors activation, complementing in vivo bioluminescence imaging. The sensitivity of the Gluc blood assay is limited due to the absorption of blue light by pigmented molecules such as hemoglobin, resulting in quenching of the signal and therefore lower sensitivity. To overcome this problem, we designed an alternative microtiter well-based binding assay in which Gluc is captured first from blood using a specific antibody followed by the addition of coelenterazine and signal acquisition using a luminometer. This assay showed to be over 1 order of magnitude more sensitive in detecting Gluc in the blood as compared to the direct Gluc blood assay enhancing ex vivo monitoring of biological processes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Copepoda / enzymology*
  • Genes, Reporter*
  • Glioma / enzymology
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Imidazoles / chemistry
  • Imidazoles / metabolism*
  • Luciferases / blood*
  • Luciferases / genetics
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Pyrazines / chemistry
  • Pyrazines / metabolism*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Imidazoles
  • Pyrazines
  • coelenterazine
  • Luciferases