Characterizing Modulators of Protease-Activated Receptors with a Calcium Mobilization Assay Using a Plate Reader

Summary

An improved protocol for a calcium mobilization assay with endothelial cells, used to identify ligands of protease-activated receptors (PARs), has been developed. The new protocol reduces total assay time by 90-120 min and yields reproducible concentration-response curves.

Abstract

Changes in calcium concentration in cells are rapidly monitored in a high-throughput fashion with the use of intracellular, fluorescent, calcium-binding dyes and imaging instruments that can measure fluorescent emissions from up to 1,536 wells simultaneously. However, these instruments are much more expensive and can be challenging to maintain relative to widely available plate readers that scan wells individually. Described here is an optimized plate reader assay for use with an endothelial cell line (EA.hy926) to measure the protease-activated receptor (PAR)-driven activation of G_αq signaling and subsequent calcium mobilization using the calcium-binding dye Fluo-4. This assay has been used to characterize a range of PAR ligands, including the allosteric PAR1-targeting anti-inflammatory "parmodulin" ligands identified in the Dockendorff lab. This protocol obviates the need for an automated liquid handler and permits the medium-throughput screening of PAR ligands in 96-well plates and should be applicable to the study of other receptors that initiate calcium mobilization.

Introduction

Protease-activated receptors (PARs)^1,2,3 are a subfamily of class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are expressed in a variety of cell types, including platelets and endothelial cells^4,5,6,7. Unlike the majority of GPCRs, PARs have a unique intramolecular mode of activation. Most GPCRs are activated by soluble ligands interacting with a distinct binding pocket, but PARs are activated by the proteolytic cleavage of the N-terminus, w....

Protocol

All media exchanges/additions made in steps 1 and 2 of the following protocol are performed in a sterile hood. Unless otherwise noted, all plasticware used in the sterile hood must be purchased sterilized and sealed or sterilized appropriately via autoclave.

1. Initiation of EA.hy926 cell line

1. Acquire EA.hy926 cells.
2. Store vial(s) of cells in the vapor phase of a liquid nitrogen tank.
3. Prepare DMEM complete medium by first warming DMEM, FBS, and .......

Discussion

While the previously reported protocol⁷² was generally reliable and allowed us to identify a new lead parmodulin, NRD-21,⁶² a more efficient protocol was desired. The assay was further compromised during the supply shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Acquiring tips for the automated liquid handler became difficult, and attempting to wash, sterilize, and reuse the tips produced CRCs with significant variance. This facilitated an urgent series of experiments designed to.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Cell Culture Reagents
Adherent EA.hy926 cells	ATCC	CRL-2922
CellStripper cell dissociation reagent	Corning	25-056-CI	Trypsin can optionally be used, but should definitely be avoided with PAR2 assays.
Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) w/phenol red	Corning	10-013-CV
Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)	Avantor	97068-091
Gelatin from porcine skin	MilliporeSigma	G2500	Use to make an aqueous 0.4% (w/v) solution with deionized water. Autoclave before use to sterilize.
Pen/Strep (100X)	Corning	30-002-CI
Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)	Corning	21-040-CV
Trypan Blue (0.4% w/v)	Corning	25-900-CI
Calcium Mobilization Reagents
4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)	Thermo	172571000
Bovine serum albumin (BSA)	Avantor	97061-420
Calcium chloride dihydrate	Thermo	42352-0250
Dimethyl sulfoxide	Thermo	J66650-AD
Fluo-4/AM	Invitrogen	F14201
Hank's balanced salt solution (Ca/Mg/phenol-red free)	Corning	21-022-CV
Magnesium chloride hexahydrate	MilliporeSigma	M2393
Pluronic F-127 (Poloxamer 407)	Spectrum Chemical	P1166
Probenecid	TCI America	P1975
Sodium hydroxide	VWR International	BDH9292
TFLLRN-NH2 (TFA salt)			Prepared by Trudy Holyst at the Versiti Blood Research Institute
Materials
96-well culture-treated, black-walled, clear bottom assay plate	Corning	3603	with transparent lids
Centrifuge tube, 15 mL	Avantor	89039-664
Centrifuge tube, 50 mL	Avantor	89039-656
Culture flask, T-75	Corning	353136	tissue culture treated
Disposable reagent reservoir, 50 mL	Corning	RES-V-50-S
Enspire plate reader	Perkin Elmer		Discontinued
Microcentrifuge tube, 1.5 mL	Avantor	20170-038
Pasteur pipette, 9"	Fisher	13-678-6B	must be sterilized
PCR tube strip with separate flat cap strips	Avantor	76318-802
Pipette tips, 20 µL	Biotix	63300042	sterile, filtered tips
Pipette tips, 200 µL	Biotix	63300044	sterile, filtered tips
Pipette tips, 1250 µL	Biotix	63300047	sterile, filtered tips
Prism	GraphPad		volume 6 used
Serological pipette, 5 mL	Tradewinds Direct	07-5005
Serological pipette, 10 mL	Tradewinds Direct	07-5010
Serological pipette, 25 mL	Tradewinds Direct	07-5025