Enhanced Imaging of Specific Cell-Surface Glycosylation Based on Multi-FRET

Anal Chem. 2018 May 15;90(10):6131-6137. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00424. Epub 2018 May 2.

Abstract

Cell-surface glycosylation contains abundant biological information that reflects cell physiological state, and it is of great value to image cell-surface glycosylation to elucidate its functions. Here we present a hybridization chain reaction (HCR)-based multifluorescence resonance energy transfer (multi-FRET) method for specific imaging of cell-surface glycosylation. By installing donors through metabolic glycan labeling and acceptors through aptamer-tethered nanoassemblies on the same glycoconjugate, intramolecular multi-FRET occurs due to near donor-acceptor distance. Benefiting from amplified effect and spatial flexibility of the HCR nanoassemblies, enhanced multi-FRET imaging of specific cell-surface glycosylation can be obtained. With this HCR-based multi-FRET method, we achieved obvious contrast in imaging of protein-specific GalNAcylation on 7211 cell surfaces. In addition, we demonstrated the general applicability of this method by visualizing the protein-specific sialylation on CEM cell surfaces. Furthermore, the expression changes of CEM cell-surface protein-specific sialylation under drug treatment was accurately monitored. This developed imaging method may provide a powerful tool in researching glycosylation functions, discovering biomarkers, and screening drugs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer*
  • Glycoconjugates / chemistry
  • Glycosylation
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Optical Imaging*
  • Polysaccharides / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • Glycoconjugates
  • Polysaccharides