This work was supported by University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, The Friends of Garrett Cumming Research Chair Fund, HM Toupin Neurological Science Research Chair Fund, Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Alberta Advanced Education and Technology (AET), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Jesse's Journey - The Foundation for Gene and Cell Therapy, the Women and Children's Health Research Institute (WCHRI), and Alberta Innovates Health Solutions (AIHS).
We would like to thank Dr. Steven Laval for supplying us with the full-length dysferlin plasmid. We would also like to thank Dr. Katsuya Miyake for technical advice.

Human fibroblast cells used in this study were used with approval from the Human Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta.
1. Transfection of cells with full-length DYSF plasmid
<ol>
	<li>Culture fibroblast cells in a T225 flask containing 40 mL of growth media - 36 mL Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM), 4 mL of fetal bovine serum (FBS), and 20 &#181;L of penicillin/streptomycin (P/S) - in a CO2 incubator at 37&#176;C. 
	...

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Two-photon laser wounding of the cell membrane is a precise and versatile technique for assessing the dynamics of membrane resealing in vitro. In this article, we described a protocol for determining cell membrane resealing ability in dysferlinopathy patient cells using the two-photon laser wounding assay. Our results show that dysferlinopathy patient cells are defective in cell membrane resealing, which is consistent with findings by other researchers and which further highlights the striking similarities in ce...

The cell membrane of eukaryotic cells consists of a double-layer of protein-studded phospholipids which defines the intra/extracellular environment of the cell and is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis and cell survival. Cell membrane injuries arising from mechanical or chemical insults are commonplace in various mammalian cell types, including skeletal and cardiac muscle, stomach, and lung cells1,2,3,4. In addition to injuries consequent to daily physiological function, cell membranes can also be damaged by environmental insults, bacterial toxins, and ischemic reperfusion5. Failure to reseal ruptures in the cell membrane leads to an unregulated influx of extracellular Ca2+- along with other potentially toxic extracellular components - into the cell, triggering downstream signal cascades which can quickly result in cell death1,4,5,6.
To date, there have been several proposed models for membrane repair in cells. Different repair mechanisms may be activated depending on the size and nature of the membrane rupture. For example, it is suggested that cell membranes may utilize lateral flow or protein clogging to repair small disruptions (&#60;1 nm). The lateral fusion model proposes that membrane ruptures are rapidly mended through lateral recruitment of dysferlin-containing membrane7, while the protein clogging model suggests that small perforations are mended through protein aggregations (mostly annexins)8. Conversely, larger membrane lesions trigger Ca2+-dependent, dysferlin-mediated vesicle fusion and formation of a repair patch. In the repair patch model, a rapid Ca2+ influx into the cell triggers the recruitment of multiple proteins (dysferlin, annexins, mitsugumin-53, and EDH proteins) which form a complex or &#34;patch&#34;, along with a fusion of intracellular vesicles or lysosomes at the site of membrane damage4,9,10,11,12. It is important to note that these models are not necessarily mutually exclusive and may work in concert to facilitate membrane repair. Failure to properly reseal cell membrane damage is associated with multiple disease states, including muscular dystrophy (dysferlinopathy - including Miyoshi myopathy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type IIB, and distal myopathy with anterior tibial onset)13, cardiomyopathy14, and Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS)15.
Given that proper cell membrane integrity and resealing plays such an important role in health and disease, a deeper understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of cell membrane repair would be beneficial in the search for novel therapeutic strategies. It is, therefore, necessary to possess appropriate experimental techniques to&#160;monitor the kinetics and evaluate the ability of cell membrane repair. Several in vitro methods for modeling membrane repair have been designed. One strategy involves mechanical injury, which can be facilitated through cell scraping with a pipette/surgical blade/razor or by rolling glass beads over the cells16. However, this type of mechanical injury generates larger lesions, and creates a high degree of variation in cell injury, both within and between cultures.
Another method of generating membrane wounds is laser ablation by two-photon microscopy. In contrast to traditional laser confocal microscopy that employs single photon excitation, the two-photon laser simultaneously uses two long-wavelength, low-energy photons to facilitate the excitation of a high-energy electron17. This non-linear process results in excitation exclusively within the focal plane and not along the entire light path17 (Figure 1). This reduced excitation volume helps to minimize photodamage when imaging live cells18,19. Researchers are therefore able to generate precise lesions in the cell membrane and monitor membrane resealing in real time by using fluorescent dyes and observing changes in the fluorescence intensity as the cell membrane ruptures and then reseals.
This approach has been used repeatedly to study membrane wounding in vitro and in vivo and in multiple cell types20,21. For example, membrane repair defects in fibroblasts and myotubes derived from dysferlinopathy patients were assessed using this technique22,23. Also, single muscle fibers isolated from mice were used to monitor repair patch formation13,24,25. The movement of fluorescently tagged proteins can also be observed during membrane repair in single muscle fibers9. Furthermore, the process of sarcolemmal repair following two-photon laser wounding in zebrafish embryos can be observed in real-time in vivo26.
In this article, we outline a methodology for assessing cell membrane repair dynamics in fibroblasts using two-photon laser wounding, although this methodology can be applied to various cell types for the purpose of quantifying plasma membrane resealing ability in vitro. In this method, cells are incubated with FM4-64, a lipophilic, cell-impermeable dye which quickly fluoresces as it binds to negatively charged phospholipids within the cytoplasm upon entering the cell through the membrane lesion (Figure 2&#38;3). Quantification of dye fluorescence adjacent to the membrane lesion allows for monitoring the time that it takes for the cell membrane to reseal itself. To exemplify the utility of this method, we use dysferlinopathy patient fibroblasts transfected with GFP-conjugated full-length dysferlin (DYSF) plasmids to assess the rescue of cell membrane repair.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM)</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11320033</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">F1051</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Penicillin-Streptomycin (10,000 U/mL)</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">15140122</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Trypsin-EDTA (0.05%), phenol red</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">25300062</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Dulbecco&#8217;s Phosphate Buffered Saline</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D8537</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">35mm collagen-coated glass-bottom dishes</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">MatTek</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">P53GCOL-1.5-14-C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Serum-deprived media</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">31985070</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Transfection reagent</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Thermo Fisher</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">15338100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">FM 4-64 Dye</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">T13320</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Tyrode&#8217;s Salts Solution</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">T2397</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:243px;">Confocal laser scanning microscope</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Carl Zeiss</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">NA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:243px;">Chameleon Two-photon laser</td>
			<td style="width:71px;">Coherent</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">NA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

cell membrane repair assay using a two-photon laser microscope

Numerous pathophysiological insults can cause damage to cell membranes and, when coupled with innate defects in cell membrane repair or integrity, can result in disease. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms surrounding cell membrane repair is, therefore, an important objective to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for diseases associated with dysfunctional cell membrane dynamics. Many in vitro and in vivo studies aimed at understanding cell membrane resealing in various disease contexts utilize two-photon laser ablation as a standard for determining functional outcomes following experimental treatments. In this assay, cell membranes are subjected to wounding with a two-photon laser, which causes the cell membrane to rupture and fluorescent dye to infiltrate the cell. The intensity of fluorescence within the cell can then be monitored to quantify the cell's ability to reseal itself. There are several alternative methods for assessing cell membrane response to injury, as well as great variation in the two-photon laser wounding approach itself, therefore, a single, unified model of cell wounding would beneficially serve to decrease the variation between these methodologies. In this article, we outline a simple two-photon laser wounding protocol for assessing cell membrane repair in vitro in both healthy and dysferlinopathy patient fibroblast cells transfected with or without a full-length dysferlin plasmid.

Healthy human fibroblasts, non-treated dysferlinopathy patient fibroblasts, and patient fibroblasts transfected with a plasmid containing the full-length dysferlin sequence were subjected to two-photon laser wounding to assess membrane resealing ability in real time. Healthy human fibroblast cells displayed low levels of FM 4-64 fluorescence activation following laser wounding and non-treated patient fibroblasts exhibited a high degree of relative fluorescence intensity following injury (...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Cell Membrane Repair Assay Using a Two-photon Laser Microscope at JoVE.com

Cell Membrane Repair Assay Using a Two-photon Laser Microscope

Cell membrane wounding via two-photon laser is a widely used method for assessing membrane resealing ability and can be applied to multiple cell types. Here, we describe a protocol for in vitro live-imaging of membrane resealing in dysferlinopathy patient cells following two-photon laser ablation.

Numerous pathophysiological insults can cause damage to cell membranes and, when coupled with innate defects in cell membrane repair or integrity, can ...

The overall goal of this procedure is to quantify plasma membrane repairability in muscular dystrophy patient cells. This method can help answer key questions in muscular dystrophy, such as what is the relationship between a given mutation and membrane resealing kinetics. The main advantage of this technique is that it allows realtime quantification of membrane resealing kinetics in living cells.Begin by culturing fibroblast cells in a T225 flask containing 40 milliliters of growth medium in a carbon dioxide incubator at 37 degrees Celsius. When the culture reaches 70 to 80%confluency, rinse the cells two times with 40 milliliters of PBS per wash, followed by the addition of five milliliters of 0.05%trypsin for five minutes at 37 degrees Celsius. When the cells have detached, stop the reaction with 40 milliliters of fresh growth medium and seed two milliliters of cells at a 100, 000 cells-per-milliliter concentration into 35-millimeter collagen-coated glass-bottom plates for an overnight incubation at 37 degrees Celsius and 5%carbon dioxide.Add 150 microliters of fresh serum-deprived medium to one 1.5-milliliter tube per transfection culture. Next add three microliters of transfection reagent to each tube, and incubate the tubes for at least five minutes at room temperature. While the tubes are incubating, add 175 microliters of serum-derived medium and 3.5 micrograms of dysferlin plasmid DNA to an additional 1.5-milliliter tube per plate.Then combine 150 microliters of the plasmid DNA solution with 150 microliters of the transfection reagent into one new tube per plate for a 20-minute incubation at room temperature. The next morning, replace the growth medium with two milliliters of serum-derived medium. At the end of the incubation, evenly distribute the entire 300 microliters of plasmid solution across each plate, and incubate the plates for 24 hours in the carbon dioxide incubator at 37 degrees Celsius.The next day, replace the plasmid supernatant with fresh growth medium and return the plates to the incubator for another 24 hours. To prepare the cells for a two-photon wounding assay, rinse the transfected cultures one time with one milliliter of Tyrode's solution. Then add one milliliter of fresh Tyrode's solution supplemented with one microliter of 2.5-millimolar FM4-64 dye to the cells.Next, using an inverted confocal microscope, create a 0.2 by two micron target in the microscope's software, and place the target at the edge of the cell membrane so that the target line overlaps and lies perpendicular to the cell membrane. Select a 543-nanometer helium neon laser to excite the FM dye signal, and a 488-nanometer argon laser to excite the GFP signal, and set the detection range for 600 to 760 nanometers and 500 to 550 nanometers respectively. Then create a five-minute time series of sequential image scans.To generate a membrane lesion, use a two-photon laser to 820 nanometers at 15%laser power with 10 iterations to bleach the cells 25 seconds after the beginning of the time series. To quantify the FM4-64 dye fluorescence, use the software to draw a six by six micron region of interest, and place the region of interest adjacent to the wounding location within the cell. Then subtract the background value and divide the net increase by the fluorescence value at time zero to calculate the relative fluorescence values for each time point.Healthy human fibroblast cells display low levels of FM4-64 fluorescence activation following laser wounding while non-treated patient fibroblasts exhibit a high degree of relative fluorescence intensity following injury. Patient cells that were transfected with full-length dysferlin plasmid demonstrate a reduced relative FM4-64 fluorescence intensity compared to non-treated patient controls but similar to the fluorescence values observed in healthy controls. While attempting this procedure, it's important to remember the cells will slowly die in the buffer solution, so work quickly and change to fresh cells at regular intervals.After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to regenerate the membrane lesions using a two-photon microscope and how to quantify membrane resealing in realtime.

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Immunology and Infection

12.1K vues.  University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. The overall goal of this procedure is to quantify plasma membrane repairability in muscular dystrophy patient cells. This method can help answer key questions in muscular dystrophy, such as what is the relationship between a given mutation and membrane resealing kinetics. The main advantage of this technique is that it allows realtime quantification of membrane resealing kinetics in living cells.Begin by culturing fibroblast cells in a T225 flask containing 40 milliliters of growth med...

Vidéo: Cell Membrane Repair Assay Using a Two-photon Laser Microscope

Cell membrane wounding via two-photon laser is a widely used method for assessing membrane resealing ability and can be applied to multiple cell types. Here, we describe a protocol for in vitro live-imaging of membrane resealing in dysferlinopathy patient cells following two-photon laser...

high-throughput measurement of plasma membrane resealing efficiency in mammalian cells

High-throughput Measurement of Plasma Membrane Resealing Efficiency in Mammalian Cells

Here we describe a high-throughput fluorescence-based assay that measures the plasma membrane resealing efficiency through fluorometric and imaging analyses in living cells. This assay can be used for screening drugs or target genes that regulate plasma membrane resealing in mammalian...

deep and spatially controlled volume ablations using a two-photon microscope in the zebrafish gastrula

Deep and Spatially Controlled Volume Ablations using a Two-Photon Microscope in the Zebrafish Gastrula

Embryonic development requires large-scale coordination of cell motion. Two-photon excitation mediated laser ablation allows the spatially controlled 3-dimensional ablation of large groups of deep cells. In addition, this technique can probe the reaction of collectively migrating cells in vivo to perturbations in their mechanical...

two-photon laser-mediated ablation of osteoblasts in developing zebrafish larvae

Author Spotlight: Immune-Mediated Bone Regeneration &#8212; The Critical Role of Macrophages and Controlled Immunomodulation in Restorative Processes

This protocol describes a two-photon laser ablation approach carried out in zebrafish larvae, which serves as a model to study bone regeneration and the effects of the immune response to...

Two-Photon Laser-Mediated Ablation of Osteoblasts in Developing Zebrafish Larvae

3d orbital tracking in a modified two-photon microscope: an application to the tracking of intracellular vesicles

3D Orbital Tracking in a Modified Two-photon Microscope: An Application to the Tracking of Intracellular Vesicles

In this video protocol we track - at high speed and in three dimensions - fluorescently labeled lysosomes within living cells, using the orbital tracking method in a modified two-photon microscope.

studying the biology of bone regeneration using two-photon laser ablation approach in zebrafish larvae

Studying the Biology of Bone Regeneration Using Two-Photon Laser Ablation Approach in Zebrafish Larvae

ablation of a neuronal population using a two-photon laser and its assessment using calcium imaging and behavioral recording in zebrafish larvae

Ablation of a Neuronal Population Using a Two-photon Laser and Its Assessment Using Calcium Imaging and Behavioral Recording in Zebrafish Larvae

Here, we present a protocol to ablate a genetically labeled subpopulation of neurons by a two-photon laser from Zebrafish...

intravital imaging of fluorescent protein expression in mice with a closed-skull traumatic brain injury and cranial window using a two-photon microscope

Intravital Imaging of Fluorescent Protein Expression in Mice with a Closed-Skull Traumatic Brain Injury and Cranial Window Using a Two-Photon Microscope

This study demonstrates delivery of a repetitive traumatic brain injury to mice and simultaneous implantation of a cranial window for subsequent intravital imaging of a neuron-expressed EGFP using two-photon...

imaging cell membrane injury and subcellular processes involved in repair

Imaging Cell Membrane Injury and Subcellular Processes Involved in Repair

The process of healing injured cells involves trafficking of specific proteins and subcellular compartments to the site of cell membrane injury. This protocol describes assays to monitor these...

polarization-sensitive two-photon microscopy for a label-free amyloid structural characterization

Author Spotlight: Non-Invasive Imaging of Complex Bio-Structures Using Polarization-Sensitive Two-Photon Microscopy 

This paper describes how polarization-sensitive two-photon microscopy could be applied to characterize the local organization within label-free amyloid superstructures-spherulites. It also describes how to prepare and measure the sample, assemble the required setup, and analyze the data to obtain information about the local organization of amyloid...

Characterizing Spherulites with Polarization-Sensitive Two-Photon Microscopy

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two-photon laser axotomy: a method to injure axons in zebrafish embryos and observe axonal recovery

This video describes the method to injure axons in zebrafish embryos using two photon laser axotomy and observing axonal recovery from...

Two-Photon Laser Axotomy: A Method to Injure Axons in Zebrafish Embryos and Observe Axonal Recovery

confocal microscope-based laser ablation and regeneration assay in zebrafish interneuromast cells

Confocal Microscope-Based Laser Ablation and Regeneration Assay in Zebrafish Interneuromast Cells

Laser ablation is a widely applicable technology for studying regeneration in biological systems. The presented protocol describes use of a standard laser-scanning confocal microscope for laser ablation and subsequent time-lapse imaging of regenerating interneuromast cells in the zebrafish lateral...

visualization of mg53-mediated cell membrane repair using in vivo and in vitro systems

Visualization of MG53-mediated Cell Membrane Repair Using in vivo and in vitro Systems

Described here are protocols used to visualize the dynamic process of MG53-mediated cell membrane repair in whole animals and at the cellular level. These methods can be applied to investigate the cell biology of plasma membrane resealing and regenerative...

Visualization of MG53-mediated Cell Membrane Repair Using in vivo and in vitro Systems

imaging cell interaction in tracheal mucosa during influenza virus infection using two-photon intravital microscopy

Imaging Cell Interaction in Tracheal Mucosa During Influenza Virus Infection Using Two-photon Intravital Microscopy

In this study, we present a protocol to perform two-photon intravital imaging and cell interaction analysis in the murine tracheal mucosa after infection with influenza virus. This protocol will be relevant for researchers studying immune cell dynamics during respiratory...

two-photon laser-induced neural injury: a method to observe axon degeneration and regeneration in drosophila larvae

This video describes two-photon laser ablation of axons in a Drosophila melanogaster larva and an example protocol to induce injury and image the injury...

Two-Photon Laser-Induced Neural Injury: A Method to Observe Axon Degeneration and Regeneration in Drosophila Larvae

evaluation and manipulation of neural activity using two-photon holographic microscopy

Evaluation and Manipulation of Neural Activity Using Two-Photon Holographic Microscopy

We developed a two-photon holographic microscope that can visualize, assess, and manipulate neural activity using high spatiotemporal resolution, with the aim of elucidating the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders that are associated with abnormal neural...

imaging single cell-level activity in neonatal mice using two-photon microscopy

Imaging Single Cell-Level Activity in Neonatal Mice Using Two-Photon Microscopy

two-photon intravital microscopy of glioblastoma in a murine model

Author Spotlight: Multimodal Imaging Strategies for Optimizing Drug Delivery and Early Detection in Glioblastoma Treatment

We present a novel approach for two-photon microscopy of the tumor delivery of fluorescent-labeled iron oxide nanoparticles to glioblastoma in a mouse...

Two-Photon Intravital Microscopy of Glioblastoma in a Murine Model

establishing a whole-cell configuration for two-photon calcium imaging of brain slices

This video demonstrates a protocol for whole-cell patch-clamp recording and two-photon calcium imaging in brain hippocampal slices. This method allows to study the dynamics of local Ca2+ transients (CaTs) in dendrites of different neuronal types in acute brain...

Establishing a Whole-Cell Configuration for Two-Photon Calcium Imaging of Brain Slices

a fluorescence-based assay of membrane potential for high-throughput functional study of two endogenous ion channels in two epithelial cell lines

A Fluorescence-Based Assay of Membrane Potential for High-Throughput Functional Study of Two Endogenous Ion Channels in Two Epithelial Cell Lines

This protocol describes a method for the study of electrogenic membrane proteins by measuring changes in membrane potential. This assay provides a platform for the functional readout of multiple ion channels endogenously expressed in epithelial cell lines.

A Visual Assay to Monitor T6SS-mediated Bacterial Competition

Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are molecular nanomachines allowing Gram-negative bacteria to transport and inject proteins into a wide variety of target cells1,2. The T6SS is composed of 13 core components and displays structural similarities with the tail-tube of bacteriophages3. The phage uses a tube and a puncturing device to penetrate the cell envelope of target bacteria and inject DNA. It is proposed that the T6SS is an inverted bacteriophage device creating a specific path in the bacterial cell envelope to drive effectors and toxins to the surface. The process could be taken further and the T6SS device could perforate other cells with which the bacterium is in contact, thus injecting the effectors into these targets. The tail tube and puncturing device parts of the T6SS are made with Hcp and VgrG proteins, respectively4,5.
The versatility of the T6SS has been demonstrated through studies using various bacterial pathogens. The Vibrio cholerae T6SS can remodel the cytoskeleton of eukaryotic host cells by injecting an "evolved" VgrG carrying a C-terminal actin cross-linking domain6,7. Another striking example was recently documented using Pseudomonas aeruginosa which is able to target and kill bacteria in a T6SS-dependent manner, therefore promoting the establishment of bacteria in specific microbial niches and competitive environment8,9,10.
In the latter case, three T6SS-secreted proteins, namely Tse1, Tse2 and Tse3 have been identified as the toxins injected in the target bacteria (Figure 1). The donor cell is protected from the deleterious effect of these effectors via an anti-toxin mechanism, mediated by the Tsi1, Tsi2 and Tsi3 immunity proteins8,9,10. This antimicrobial activity can be monitored when T6SS-proficient bacteria are co-cultivated on solid surfaces in competition with other bacterial species or with T6SS-inactive bacteria of the same species8,11,12,13.
The data available emphasized a numerical approach to the bacterial competition assay, including time-consuming CFU counting that depends greatly on antibiotic makers. In the case of antibiotic resistant strains like P. aeruginosa, these methods can be inappropriate. Moreover, with the identification of about 200 different T6SS loci in more than 100 bacterial genomes14, a convenient screening tool is highly desirable. We developed an assay that is easy to use and requires standard laboratory material and reagents. The method offers a rapid and qualitative technique to monitor the T6SS-dependent bactericidal/bacteriostasis activity by using a reporter strain as a prey (in this case Escherichia coli DH5&alpha;) allowing a-complementation of the lacZ gene. Overall, this method is graphic and allows rapid identification of T6SS-related phenotypes on agar plates. This experimental protocol may be adapted to other strains or bacterial species taking into account specific conditions such as growth media, temperature or time of contact.

We describe a qualitative assay to monitor bacterial competition mediated by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type VI secretion system (T6SS). The assay relies on the survival/killing of Escherichia coli target cells carrying a lacZ-reporter. This technique is adjustable to assess the bactericidal/bacteriostasis activity of T6SS-proficient microorganisms.

Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are molecular  nanomachines allowing Gram-negative bacteria to transport and inject proteins  into a wide variety of ...

Monitoring Changes in Membrane Polarity, Membrane Integrity, and Intracellular Ion Concentrations in Streptococcus pneumoniae Using Fluorescent Dyes

Membrane depolarization and ion fluxes are events that have been studied extensively in biological systems due to their ability to profoundly impact cellular functions, including energetics and signal transductions. While both fluorescent and electrophysiological methods, including electrode usage and patch-clamping, have been well developed for measuring these events in eukaryotic cells, methodology for measuring similar events in microorganisms have proven more challenging to develop given their small size in combination with the more complex outer surface of bacteria shielding the membrane. During our studies of death-initiation in Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), we wanted to elucidate the role of membrane events, including changes in polarity, integrity, and intracellular ion concentrations. Searching the literature, we found that very few studies exist. Other investigators had monitored radioisotope uptake or equilibrium to measure ion fluxes and membrane potential and a limited number of studies, mostly in Gram-negative organisms, had seen some success using carbocyanine or oxonol fluorescent dyes to measure membrane potential, or loading bacteria with cell-permeant acetoxymethyl (AM) ester versions of ion-sensitive fluorescent indicator dyes. We therefore established and optimized protocols for measuring membrane potential, rupture, and ion-transport in the Gram-positive organism S. pneumoniae. We developed protocols using the bis-oxonol dye DiBAC4(3) and the cell-impermeant dye propidium iodide to measure membrane depolarization and rupture, respectively, as well as methods to optimally load the pneumococci with the AM esters of the ratiometric dyes Fura-2, PBFI, and BCECF to detect changes in intracellular concentrations of Ca2+, K+, and H+, respectively, using a fluorescence-detection plate reader. These protocols are the first of their kind for the pneumococcus and the majority of these dyes have not been used in any other bacterial species. Though our protocols have been optimized for S. pneumoniae, we believe these approaches should form an excellent starting-point for similar studies in other bacterial species.

Monitoring Changes in Membrane Polarity, Membrane Integrity, and Intracellular Ion Concentrations in Streptococcus pneumoniae Using Fluorescent Dyes

Unlike that seen for eukaryotes, there is a paucity of studies that detail membrane depolarization and ion concentration changes in bacteria, primarily as their small size makes conventional methods of measurement difficult. Here, we detail protocols for monitoring such events in the significant Gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae utilizing fluorescence techniques.

Membrane depolarization and ion fluxes are events that have been studied extensively in biological systems due to their ability to profoundly impact ...

Conformational Evaluation of HIV-1 Trimeric Envelope Glycoproteins Using a Cell-based ELISA Assay

HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Env) mediate viral entry into target cells and are essential to the infectious cycle. Understanding how those glycoproteins are able to fuel the fusion process through their conformational changes could lead to the design of better, more effective immunogens for vaccine strategies. Here we describe a cell-based ELISA assay that allows studying the recognition of trimeric HIV-1 Env by monoclonal antibodies. Following expression of HIV-1 trimeric Env at the surface of transfected cells, conformation specific anti-Env antibodies are incubated with the cells. A horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibody and a simple chemiluminescence reaction are then used to detect bound antibodies. This system is highly flexible and can detect Env conformational changes induced by soluble CD4 or cellular proteins. It requires minimal amount of material and no highly-specialized equipment or know-how. Thus, this technique can be established for medium to high throughput screening of antigens and antibodies, such as newly-isolated antibodies.

Understanding viral surface antigens conformations is required to evaluate antibody neutralization and guide the design of effective vaccine immunogens. Here we describe a cell-based ELISA assay that allows the study of the recognition of trimeric HIV-1 Env expressed at the surface of transfected cells by specific anti-Env antibodies.

HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Env) mediate viral entry into target cells and are essential to the infectious cycle. Understanding how those glycoproteins ...

Investigating Mast Cell Secretory Granules; from Biosynthesis to Exocytosis

Mast Cells (MC) are secretory cells of the immune system that accomplish their physiological and pathological functions by releasing pre-formed and newly synthesized allergic, inflammatory and immunoregulatory mediators. MCs&#8217; mediators affect multiple tissues and organs culminating in allergic and immune responses. The synthesis, storage and release of the MC mediators are highly regulated. The pre-formed mediators are packed in cytoplasmic secretory granules&#160;(SG) that fuse with the plasma membrane and release their content by regulated exocytosis. We present a protocol, based on the co-expression of a gene of interest with a reporter gene that is targeted to the SGs and is released in a regulated fashion alongside the endogenous SG mediators. The protocol enables high resolution four dimensional confocal analyses of the MC SGs and monitoring their timeline from biogenesis to triggered exocytosis. Thus, using this protocol for screening genes of interest for their phenotypic and functional impact allows deciphering the molecular mechanisms that govern the biogenesis and exocytosis of the MC SGs and identifying the regulators involved. Thereby, further insights into the cellular mechanisms that account for MCs function in health and disease should be provided.

The goal of the present&#160;protocol was to develop a method that will allow functional genomic analyses of mast cell secretion. The protocol is based on quantitative assessment of the release of a fluorescent reporter gene cotrasfected with the gene of interest and real time&#160;analyses of the secretory granule&#39;s morphology.

Mast Cells (MC) are secretory cells of the immune system that accomplish their physiological and pathological functions by releasing pre-formed and newly ...

Long Term Intravital Multiphoton Microscopy Imaging of Immune Cells in Healthy and Diseased Liver Using CXCR6.Gfp Reporter Mice

Liver inflammation as a response to injury is a highly dynamic process involving the infiltration of distinct subtypes of leukocytes including monocytes, neutrophils, T cell subsets, B cells, natural killer (NK) and NKT cells. Intravital microscopy of the liver for monitoring immune cell migration is particularly challenging due to the high requirements regarding sample preparation and fixation, optical resolution and long-term animal survival. Yet, the dynamics of inflammatory processes as well as cellular interaction studies could provide critical information to better understand the initiation, progression and regression of inflammatory liver disease. Therefore, a highly sensitive and reliable method was established to study migration and cell-cell-interactions of different immune cells in mouse liver over long periods (about 6 hr) by intravital two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM) in combination with intensive care monitoring.
The method provided includes a gentle preparation and stable fixation of the liver with minimal perturbation of the organ; long term intravital imaging using multicolor multiphoton microscopy with virtually no photobleaching or phototoxic effects over a time period of up to 6 hr, allowing tracking of specific leukocyte subsets; and stable imaging conditions due to extensive monitoring of mouse vital parameters and stabilization of circulation, temperature and gas exchange.
To investigate lymphocyte migration upon liver inflammation CXCR6.gfp knock-in mice were subjected to intravital liver imaging under baseline conditions and after acute and chronic liver damage induced by intraperitoneal injection(s) of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4).
CXCR6 is a chemokine receptor expressed on lymphocytes, mainly on Natural Killer T (NKT)-, Natural Killer (NK)- and subsets of T lymphocytes such as CD4 T cells but also mucosal associated invariant (MAIT) T cells1. Following the migratory pattern and positioning of CXCR6.gfp+ immune cells allowed a detailed insight into their altered behavior upon liver injury and therefore their potential involvement in disease progression.

Stable intravital high-resolution imaging of immune cells in the liver is challenging. Here we provide a highly sensitive and reliable method to study migration and cell-cell-interactions of immune cells in mouse liver over long periods (about 6 hours) by intravital multiphoton laser scanning microscopy in combination with intensive care monitoring.

Liver inflammation as a response to injury is a highly dynamic process involving the infiltration of distinct subtypes of leukocytes including monocytes, ...

Assessing Retinal Microglial Phagocytic Function In Vivo Using a Flow Cytometry-based Assay

Microglia are the tissue resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS) and they perform a variety of functions that support CNS homeostasis, including phagocytosis of damaged synapses or cells, debris, and/or invading pathogens. Impaired phagocytic function has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases such as Alzheimer's and age-related macular degeneration, where amyloid-&#946; plaque and drusen accumulate, respectively. Despite its importance, microglial phagocytosis has been challenging to assess in vivo. Here, we describe a simple, yet robust, technique for precisely monitoring and quantifying the in vivo phagocytic potential of retinal microglia. Previous methods have relied on immunohistochemical staining and imaging techniques. Our method uses flow cytometry to measure microglial uptake of fluorescently labeled particles after intravitreal delivery to the eye in live rodents. This method replaces conventional practices that involve laborious tissue sectioning, immunostaining, and imaging, allowing for more precise quantification of microglia phagocytic function in just under six hours. This procedure can also be adapted to test how various compounds alter microglial phagocytosis in physiological settings. While this technique was developed in the eye, its use is not limited to vision research.

Assessing Retinal Microglial Phagocytic Function In Vivo Using a Flow Cytometry-based Assay

Microglial phagocytosis is critical for the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and inadequate phagocytic function has been implicated in pathology. However, assessing microglia function in vivo is technically challenging. We have developed a simple but robust technique for precisely monitoring and quantifying the phagocytic potential of microglia in a physiological setting.

Microglia are the tissue resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS) and they perform a variety of functions that support CNS homeostasis, ...

In Vivo Assay for Detection of Antigen-specific T-cell Cytolytic Function Using a Vaccination Model

Current methodologies for antigen-specific killing are limited to in vitro use or utilized in infectious disease models. However, there is not a protocol specifically intended to measure antigen-specific killing without an infection. This protocol is designed and describes methods to overcome these limitations by allowing for the detection of antigen-specific killing of a target cell by CD8+ T cells in vivo. This is accomplished by merging a vaccination model with a traditional CFSE-labeled target killing assay. This combination allows the researcher to assess the antigen-specific CTL potential directly and quickly as the assay is not dependent upon tumor growth or infection. In addition, the readout is based on flow cytometry and so should be readily accessible to most researchers. The major limitation of the study is identifying the timeline in vivo that is appropriate to the hypothesis being tested. Variations in antigen strength and mutations in the T cells that may result in differential cytolytic function need to be carefully assessed to determine the optimal time for cell harvest and assessment. The appropriate concentration of peptide for vaccination has been optimized for hgp10025-33 and OVA257-264, but further validation would be needed for other peptides that may be more appropriate to a given study. Overall, this protocol allows a quick assessment of killing function in vivo and can be adapted to any given antigen.

In Vivo Assay for Detection of Antigen-specific T-cell Cytolytic Function Using a Vaccination Model

The goal of this protocol is to allow for detection of in vivo antigen-specific killing of a target cell in a murine model.

Current methodologies for antigen-specific killing are limited to in vitro use or utilized in infectious disease models. However, there is not a protocol ...

A Novel In Vitro Wound Healing Assay to Evaluate Cell Migration

The aim of this work is to show a novel method to evaluate the ability of some immunomodulatory molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to stimulate cell migration. Importantly, cell migration is a rate-limiting event during the wound-healing process to re-establish the integrity and normal function of tissue layers after injury. The advantage of this method over the classical assay, which is based on a manually made scratch in a cell monolayer, is the usage of special silicone culture inserts providing two compartments to create a cell-free pseudo-wound field with a well-defined width (500 &#956;m). In addition, due to an automated image analysis platform, it is possible to rapidly obtain quantitative data on the speed of wound closure and cell migration. More precisely, the effect of two frog-skin AMPs on the migration of bronchial epithelial cells will be shown. Furthermore, pretreatment of these cells with specific inhibitors will provide information on the molecular mechanisms underlying such events.

A Novel In Vitro Wound Healing Assay to Evaluate Cell Migration

Here, we present a protocol to evaluate the effect of peptides on the migration of bronchial epithelial cells. This method allows for the rapid and highly reproducible obtainment of quantitative data on the speed of cell migration and wound closure.

The aim of this work is to show a novel method to evaluate the ability of some immunomodulatory molecules, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to ...

Two-photon Intravital Imaging of Leukocytes During the Immune Response in Lipopolysaccharide-treated Mouse Liver

Sepsis is a type of severe infection that can cause organ failure and tissue damage. Although the mortality and morbidity rates associated with sepsis are extremely high, no direct treatment or organ-related mechanism has been examined in detail in real time. The liver is the key organ that manages toxins and infections in the human body. Herein, we aimed to perform intravital imaging of mouse liver after induction of endotoxemia in order to track the motility of immune cells, such as neutrophils and liver capsular macrophages (LCMs). Accordingly, we designed a novel surgical method for exposure of the liver with minimally invasive surgery. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a common endotoxin. Using our novel surgical approach for exposure and intravital imaging of the mouse liver, we found that neutrophil recruitment in LPS-treated LysM-green fluorescent protein (GFP) mouse liver was increased compared with that in phosphate-buffered saline-treated liver. After LPS treatment, the number of neutrophils increased significantly with time. Additionally, using CX3Cr1-GFP mice, we successfully visualized liver resident macrophages called LCMs. Therefore, to investigate the efficacy of new reagents to control immune mobility in vivo, determining the motility and morphology of neutrophils and LCMs in the liver may allow us to identify therapeutic effect in organ failure and tissue damage caused by leukocytes activation in sepsis.

We established a novel surgical protocol for two-photon imaging of live mice liver with minimal invasion. With this technique, we identified the detailed structure of the liver during lipopolysaccharide-induced endotoxemia. We anticipate that this method may be utilized to determine the effectiveness of various reagents treatment to hepatic leukocyte migration.

Sepsis is a type of severe infection that can cause organ failure and tissue damage. Although the mortality and morbidity rates associated with sepsis are ...

Characterization of Thymus-dependent and Thymus-independent Immunoglobulin Isotype Responses in Mice Using Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Antibodies, also termed as immunoglobulins (Ig), secreted by differentiated B lymphocytes, plasmablasts/plasma cells, in humoral immunity provide a formidable defense against invading pathogens via diverse mechanisms. One major goal of vaccination is to induce protective antigen-specific antibodies to prevent life-threatening infections. Both thymus-dependent (TD) and thymus-independent (TI) antigens can elicit robust antigen-specific IgM responses and can also induce the production of isotype-switched antibodies (IgG, IgA and IgE) as well as the generation of memory B cells with the help provided by antigen presenting cells (APCs). Here, we describe a protocol to characterize TD and TI Ig isotype responses in mice using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this protocol, TD and TI Ig responses are elicited in mice by intraperitoneal (i.p.) immunization with hapten-conjugated model antigens TNP-KLH (in alum) and TNP-polysaccharide (in PBS), respectively. To induce TD memory response, a booster immunization of TNP-KLH in alum is given at 3 weeks after the first immunization with the same antigen/adjuvant. Mouse sera are harvested at different time points before and after immunization. Total serum Ig levels and TNP-specific antibodies are subsequently quantified using Ig isotype-specific Sandwich and indirect ELISA, respectively. In order to correctly quantify the serum concentration of each Ig isotype, the samples need to be appropriately diluted to fit within the linear range of the standard curves. Using this protocol, we have consistently obtained reliable results with high specificity and sensitivity. When used in combination with other complementary methods such as flow cytometry, in vitro culture of splenic B cells and immunohistochemical staining (IHC), this protocol will allow researchers to gain a comprehensive understanding of antibody responses in a given experimental setting.

In this paper, we describe a protocol to characterize T-dependent and T-independent immunoglobulin (Ig) isotype responses in mice using ELISA. This method used alone or in combination with flow cytometry will allow researchers to identify differences in B cell-mediated Ig isotype responses in mice following T-dependent and T-independent antigen immunization.

Antibodies, also termed as immunoglobulins (Ig), secreted by differentiated B lymphocytes, plasmablasts/plasma cells, in humoral immunity provide a ...