A high content imaging assay for identification of Botulinum neurotoxin inhibitors

J Vis Exp. 2014 Nov 14:(93):e51915. doi: 10.3791/51915.

Abstract

Synaptosomal-associated protein-25 (SNAP-25) is a component of the soluble NSF attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex that is essential for synaptic neurotransmitter release. Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) is a zinc metalloprotease that blocks exocytosis of neurotransmitter by cleaving the SNAP-25 component of the SNARE complex. Currently there are no licensed medicines to treat BoNT/A poisoning after internalization of the toxin by motor neurons. The development of effective therapeutic measures to counter BoNT/A intoxication has been limited, due in part to the lack of robust high-throughput assays for screening small molecule libraries. Here we describe a high content imaging (HCI) assay with utility for identification of BoNT/A inhibitors. Initial optimization efforts focused on improving the reproducibility of inter-plate results across multiple, independent experiments. Automation of immunostaining, image acquisition, and image analysis were found to increase assay consistency and minimize variability while enabling the multiparameter evaluation of experimental compounds in a murine motor neuron system.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique / methods
  • Mice
  • Motor Neurons / chemistry
  • Motor Neurons / metabolism
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25 / analysis*
  • Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25 / metabolism

Substances

  • Snap25 protein, mouse
  • Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A