Towards the miniaturization of GPCR-based live-cell screening assays

Sofia A M Martins; João R C Trabuco; Gabriel A Monteiro; Virginia Chu; João P Conde; D Miguel F Prazeres

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2012.07.004

Towards the miniaturization of GPCR-based live-cell screening assays

Trends Biotechnol. 2012 Nov;30(11):566-74. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2012.07.004. Epub 2012 Aug 23.

Authors

Sofia A M Martins¹, João R C Trabuco, Gabriel A Monteiro, Virginia Chu, João P Conde, D Miguel F Prazeres

Affiliation

¹ IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centre for Biological and Chemical Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal.

PMID: 22921755
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2012.07.004

Abstract

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a key role in many physiological or disease-related processes and for this reason are favorite targets of the pharmaceutical industry. Although ~30% of marketed drugs target GPCRs, their potential remains largely untapped. The discovery of new leads calls for the screening of thousands of compounds with high-throughput cell-based assays. Although microtiter plate-based high-throughput screening platforms are well established, microarray and microfluidic technologies hold potential for miniaturization, automation, and biosensor integration that may well redefine the format of GPCR screening assays. This paper reviews the latest research efforts directed to bringing microarray and microfluidic technologies into the realm of GPCR-based, live-cell screening assays.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Automation / methods
Biosensing Techniques / methods*
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods*
High-Throughput Screening Assays / methods
Microarray Analysis / methods
Microfluidics / methods
Miniaturization / methods*
Receptors, Opioid / metabolism*

Substances

G protein-coupled receptor C3
Receptors, Opioid