Name: an in vitro model to study the effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy on staphylococcus aureus biofilm
Uploaded: 2018-04-16T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about An In Vitro Model to Study the Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-mediated Photodynamic Therapy on Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm at JoVE.com

This work was funded by National Nature Science Foundation of China for Young Scholars (No. 81300810), Shanghai Young Doctor Training Program (No. 20141057), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (81671982, 81271791 and 81571955). We would like to thank LetPub (www.letpub.com) for providing linguistic assistance during the preparation of this manuscript.

1. Biofilm Formation
<ol>
	<li>Biofilm formation in 96-well microplates
	<ol>
		<li>Retrieve the S. aureus strain USA300 and 3 biofilm-forming clinical strains (C1 - C3) stored at -80 &#176;C. 
		NOTE: The ability of the clinical strains to form biofilms was determined by the microtiter plate assay described previously15.</li>
		<li>Inoculate the bacterium in 5 mL tryptone soya broth (TSB) medium, and cultivate in an incubator with shaking at 37 &#176;C overnight t...

<ol>
	<li>Lewis, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Riddle+of+biofilm+resistance.">Riddle of biofilm resistance.</a> Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 45 (4), 999-1007 (2001).</li><li>Rabin, N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Biofilm+formation+mechanisms+and+targets+for+developing+antibiofilm+agents.">Biofilm formation mechanisms and targets for developing antibiofilm agents.</a> Future Med Chem. 7 (4), 493-512 (2015).</li><li>Mah, T. F., O'Toole, G. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanisms+of+biofilm+resistance+to+antimicrobial+agents.">Mechanisms of biofilm resistance to antimicrobial agents.</a> Trends Microbiol. 9 (1), 34-39 (2001).</li><li>Sharma, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Toluidine+blue-mediated+photodynamic+effects+on+staphylococcal+biofilms.">Toluidine blue-mediated photodynamic effects on staphylococcal biofilms.</a> Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 52 (1), 299-305 (2008).</li><li>Rosa, L. P., da Silva, F. C., Nader, S. A., Meira, G. A., Viana, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vitro+effectiveness+of+antimicrobial+photodynamic+therapy+(APDT)+using+a+660+nm+laser+and+malachite+green+dye+in+Staphylococcus+aureus+biofilms+arranged+on+compact+and+cancellous+bone+specimens.">In vitro effectiveness of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) using a 660 nm laser and malachite green dye in Staphylococcus aureus biofilms arranged on compact and cancellous bone specimens.</a> Lasers Med Sci. 29 (6), 1959-1965 (2014).</li><li>Rosa, L. P., Silva, F. C., Nader, S. A., Meira, G. A., Viana, M. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effectiveness+of+antimicrobial+photodynamic+therapy+using+a+660+nm+laser+and+methyline+blue+dye+for+inactivating+Staphylococcus+aureus+biofilms+in+compact+and+cancellous+bones:+An+in+vitro+study.">Effectiveness of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy using a 660 nm laser and methyline blue dye for inactivating Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in compact and cancellous bones: An in vitro study.</a> Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 12 (2), 276-281 (2015).</li><li>Mai, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+antibacterial+effect+of+sinoporphyrin+sodium+photodynamic+therapy+on+Staphylococcus+aureus+planktonic+and+biofilm+cultures.">The antibacterial effect of sinoporphyrin sodium photodynamic therapy on Staphylococcus aureus planktonic and biofilm cultures.</a> Lasers Surg Med. 48 (4), 400-408 (2016).</li><li>Gandara, L., Mamone, L., Bohm, G. C., Buzzola, F., Casas, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enhancement+of+photodynamic+inactivation+of+Staphylococcus+aureus+biofilms+by+disruptive+strategies.">Enhancement of photodynamic inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms by disruptive strategies.</a> Lasers Med Sci. 32 (8), 1757-1767 (2017).</li><li>Baltazar, L. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antimicrobial+photodynamic+therapy:+an+effective+alternative+approach+to+control+fungal+infections.">Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy: an effective alternative approach to control fungal infections.</a> Front Microbiol. 6, 202 (2015).</li><li>Fernandes, T., Bhavsar, C., Sawarkar, S., D'Souza, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Current+and+novel+approaches+for+control+of+dental+biofilm.">Current and novel approaches for control of dental biofilm.</a> Int J Pharm. 536 (1), 199-210 (2017).</li><li>De Sordi, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Development+of+Photodynamic+Antimicrobial+Chemotherapy+(PACT)+for+Clostridium+difficile.">Development of Photodynamic Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (PACT) for Clostridium difficile.</a> PLoS One. 10 (8), e0135039 (2015).</li><li>Harris, F., Pierpoint, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photodynamic+therapy+based+on+5-aminolevulinic+acid+and+its+use+as+an+antimicrobial+agent.">Photodynamic therapy based on 5-aminolevulinic acid and its use as an antimicrobial agent.</a> Med Res Rev. 32 (6), 1292-1327 (2012).</li><li>Donnelly, R. F., McCarron, P. A., Tunney, M. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Antifungal+photodynamic+therapy.">Antifungal photodynamic therapy.</a> Microbiol Res. 163 (1), 1-12 (2008).</li><li>Shi, H., Li, J., Zhang, H., Zhang, J., Sun, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effect+of+5-aminolevulinic+acid+photodynamic+therapy+on+Candida+albicans+biofilms:+An+in+vitro+study.">Effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy on Candida albicans biofilms: An in vitro study.</a> Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 15, 40-45 (2016).</li><li>Zhang, Q. Z., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=5-aminolevulinic+acid-mediated+photodynamic+therapy+and+its+strain-dependent+combined+effect+with+antibiotics+on+Staphylococcus+aureus+biofilm.">5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy and its strain-dependent combined effect with antibiotics on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm.</a> PLoS One. 12 (3), 0174627 (2017).</li><li>Chang, Y. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rapid+single+cell+detection+of+Staphylococcus+aureus+by+aptamer-conjugated+gold+nanoparticles.">Rapid single cell detection of Staphylococcus aureus by aptamer-conjugated gold nanoparticles.</a> Sci Rep. 3, 1863 (2013).</li><li>Barra, F., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Photodynamic+and+Antibiotic+Therapy+in+Combination+to+Fight+Biofilms+and+Resistant+Surface+Bacterial+Infections.">Photodynamic and Antibiotic Therapy in Combination to Fight Biofilms and Resistant Surface Bacterial Infections.</a> Int J Mol Sci. 16 (9), 20417-20430 (2015).</li><li>St Denis, T. G., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=All+you+need+is+light:+antimicrobial+photoinactivation+as+an+evolving+and+emerging+discovery+strategy+against+infectious+disease.">All you need is light: antimicrobial photoinactivation as an evolving and emerging discovery strategy against infectious disease.</a> Virulence. 2 (6), 509-520 (2011).</li><li>O'Neill, J. F., Hope, C. K., Wilson, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Oral+bacteria+in+multi-species+biofilms+can+be+killed+by+red+light+in+the+presence+of+toluidine+blue.">Oral bacteria in multi-species biofilms can be killed by red light in the presence of toluidine blue.</a> Lasers Surg Med. 31 (2), 86-90 (2002).</li><li>Li, X., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Effects+of+5-aminolevulinic+acid-mediated+photodynamic+therapy+on+antibiotic-resistant+staphylococcal+biofilm:+an+in+vitro+study.">Effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy on antibiotic-resistant staphylococcal biofilm: an in vitro study.</a> J Surg Res. 184 (2), 1013-1021 (2013).</li><li>Hall-Stoodley, L., Costerton, J. W., Stoodley, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Bacterial+biofilms:+from+the+natural+environment+to+infectious+diseases.">Bacterial biofilms: from the natural environment to infectious diseases.</a> Nat Rev Microbiol. 2 (2), 95-108 (2004).</li><li>Elias, S., Banin, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multi-species+biofilms:+living+with+friendly+neighbors.">Multi-species biofilms: living with friendly neighbors.</a> FEMS Microbiol Rev. 36 (5), 990-1004 (2012).</li><li>Wu, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Design+and+Proof+of+Programmed+5-Aminolevulinic+Acid+Prodrug+Nanocarriers+for+Targeted+Photodynamic+Cancer+Therapy.">Design and Proof of Programmed 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Prodrug Nanocarriers for Targeted Photodynamic Cancer Therapy.</a> ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 9 (17), 14596-14605 (2017).</li></ol>

PDT has been a well-studied therapy for the treatment of cancer since it was invented more than 100 years ago18. Over the last decade, PDT has been applied as an antimicrobial strategy and has shown effectiveness against some antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria12. Compared to the planktonic state, bacterial biofilms appear to be more resistant to antibiotic treatment3, while the effect of ALA-PDT on biofilms has not been fully investigated yet.<...

S. aureus is an important Gram-positive pathogen that colonizes the skin and mucosa of human hosts. Its ability to form biofilms is considered an important aspect of its pathogenesis1. Bacterial biofilms are a community of bacteria embedded in a self-produced matrix, which is composed of extracellular polymeric substances, including polysaccharide, DNA, and protein. This matrix plays a significant role in the persistence of bacterial infections, contributing to a high degree of resistance to the human immune system and current anti-microbial therapies2. Antibiotics are still the major treatment for biofilm infections, although the effects of antibiotics on biofilms are limited. It has been shown previously that cells in biofilms are 10 - 1,000 times more resistant to antibiotics compared to their planktonic counterparts3. Thus, alternative strategies are needed to conquer this issue.
PDT, an alternative treatment for bacterial infections, uses the light of an appropriate wavelength to activate photosensitizers. This leads to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are lethal to target cells by disrupting the cell wall, inactivating enzymes, and damaging DNA4. This multi-target characteristic makes it difficult for bacteria to develop resistance to the PDT treatment.
The antimicrobial effect of PDT on bacterial and fungal biofilms, with multiple photosensitizers, such as toluidine blue, malachite green, methylene blue, chlorine e6, and porphyrins, has been studied in previous reports5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13. 5-ALA, a prodrug of the actual photosensitizer, PpIX, is characterized by its small molecular weight and rapid clearance12,14. These advantages give ALA-PDT major potential as a therapeutic application. Although the effect of ALA-PDT on planktonic bacteria has been studied by many groups12, the antimicrobial effect of ALA-PDT on bacterial biofilms has not yet been elucidated. Meanwhile, it is difficult to compare the results between previous studies. One of the reasons is that the different protocols are used by diverse groups. Thus, this protocol describes an in vitro model of an ALA-PDT system based on our previous work15. The effect of this model was confirmed by CFU calculation and viability staining with CLSM.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Tryptone Soya Broth (TSB)</td>
			<td>OXOID</td>
			<td>CM0129B</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tryptone Soya Agar (TSA)</td>
			<td>OXOID</td>
			<td>CM0131</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SYTO9</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>L7012</td>
			<td>The LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability Kits&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Propidium iodide (PI)</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>L7012</td>
			<td>The LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability Kits&#160;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pancreatin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>P3292</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)</td>
			<td>Fudan Zhangjiang Bio-Pharm</td>
			<td>3.1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Staphylococcus aureus strain USA300</td>
			<td>/</td>
			<td>/</td>
			<td>The source of USA 300 references &#8220;Tenover FC, Goering RV. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2009 Sep; 64(3):441-6&#8221;.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains (C1-C3)</td>
			<td>/</td>
			<td>/</td>
			<td>All clinical strains were isolated from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University [Zhang QZ, Zhao KQ, Wu Y, et al. PLoS One. 2017 Mar; 12(3): e0174627].</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>96-well microplate</td>
			<td>Corning Inc</td>
			<td>3599</td>
			<td>Clear Flat Bottom Polystyrene TC-Treated Microplates, Individually Wrapped, with Lid, Sterile</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fluorodish</td>
			<td>NEST Biotechnology</td>
			<td>801001</td>
			<td>Glass bottom, Non-pyrogenic</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Eppendorf Safe-Lock Tubes, 1.5 mL</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>0030120086</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Eppendorf microcentrifuge 5417</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>Z365998 |&#160;SIGMA</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Incubator</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>SHKE4000</td>
			<td>MaxQ 4000 Benchtop Orbital Shakers</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Light emitting diode (LED)</td>
			<td>Wuhan Yage Optic and Electronic Technique CO</td>
			<td>LED-IB</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leica TCS SP8 confocal laser-scanning microscope</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leica LAS AF software</td>
			<td>Leica Microsystems</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>IMARIS software</td>
			<td>Bitplane</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

an in vitro model to study the effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy on staphylococcus aureus biofilm

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common human pathogen, which causes pyogenic and systemic infections. S. aureus infections are difficult to eradicate not only due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains but also its ability to form biofilms. Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been indicated as one of the potential treatments for controlling biofilm infections. However, further studies are required to improve our knowledge of its effect on bacterial biofilms, as well as the underlying mechanisms. This manuscript describes an in vitro model of PDT with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a precursor of the actual photosensitizer, protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). Briefly, mature S. aureus biofilms were incubated with ALA and then exposed to light. Subsequently, the antibacterial effect of ALA-PDT on S. aureus biofilm was quantified by calculating the colony forming units (CFUs) and visualized by viability fluorescent staining via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Representative results demonstrated a strong antibacterial effect of ALA-PDT on S. aureus biofilms. This protocol is simple and can be used to develop an in vitro model to study the treatment of S. aureus biofilms with ALA-PDT. In the future, it could also be referenced in PDT studies utilizing other photosensitizers for different bacterial strains with minimal adjustments.

The viability of the bacteria in the biofilms was decreased after ALA-PDT treatment when compared to the controls (ALA-LED-, ALA+LED-, and ALA-LED+) in both USA300 and the three clinical strains (Figure 1).
To confirm the results from the CFU assay and observe the antibacterial effect of ALA-PDT on the S. aureus biofilm in situ, the USA300 biofilms were visualized by CLSM with viab...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about An In Vitro Model to Study the Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-mediated Photodynamic Therapy on Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm at JoVE.com

An In Vitro Model to Study the Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-mediated Photodynamic Therapy on Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm

This manuscript describes a protocol to study the antimicrobial effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) on a Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. This protocol can be used to develop an in vitro model to study the treatment of bacterial biofilms with PDT in the future.

An In Vitro Model to Study the Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-mediated Photodynamic Therapy on Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common human pathogen, which causes pyogenic and systemic infections. S. aureus infections are difficult to ...

The overall goal of this experiment is to evaluate the anti-microbial effect of five-aminolevulinic acid or ALA-mediated photodynamic therapy on a staphylococcus aureus biofilm. This method can answer key questions in the bacterial biofilm field of how photodynamic cell repair might be used as an alternative treatment for controlling biofilm infections. An advantage of this procedure is that it has the potential to be used for other bacteria with minimal adjustment.To generate a biofilm in a 96 well plate, first inoculate one minus 80 degrees Celsius ThOD Staphylococcus aureus USA three hundred in three biofilm forming clinical strain cultures in individual 14 milliliter round-bottom tubes containing five milliliters of tryptone soya broth, or TSB, medium, in a 37 degree Celsius incubator with shaking overnight. When the cultures have reached stationary phase centrifuge the bacterial cells and re-suspend the pellets and PBS to a two times 10 to the ninth colony forming unit per milliliter concentration. Dilute these bacterial suspensions at a one to 200 ratio and TSB medium supplemented with zero point five percent glucose and seed 200 microliters of bacterial cells per well into three wells per strain per experimental group in a polystyrene cell-culture treated 96 well microplate for a 24 hour incubation at 37 degrees Celsius, with oxygen, without shaking.The next day, gently wash the wells three times with PBS without disturbing the biofilms. Next, add 200 microliters of freshly prepared ALA to the appropriate experimental wells, and place the plate at 25 degrees Celsius for one hour protected from light. Then irradiate the plate with a light emitting diode at a 100 milliwatt per square centimeter light intensity for one hour.To count the number of viable bacteria per group at the end of the phototherapy treatment gently wash each well three times with PBS to remove any non-adherent cells. Then use a pipette tip to scrape the adherent bacteria from the bottom of each well. Pull the cells from each group into one eppendorf tube per experimental condition and pellet the cells by centrifugation.Re-suspend the pellets in one milliliter of 0.25 percent pancreatin enzyme and PBS for a 90 minute incubation at 37 degrees Celsius, followed by another centrifugation. Re-suspend the pellets in 200 microliters of PBS and make one to 10 serial dilutions of each group, adding five microliters of serially diluted sample onto individual tryptone soya agar plates. Then incubate the plates at 37 degrees Celsius for 16 hours and count the number of bacterial colonies per group.To assess the biofilms by confocal laser scanning microscopy generate and irradiate the biofilms as demonstrated. Wash the irradiated biofilms with PBS and stain the live and dead cells with one milliliter of a green fluorescent nuclear and chromosome procaryotic cell membrane permeable dye and one milliliter of one micromolar propidium iodide, respectively. After 20 minutes remove the excess stain and image the biofilms by confocal laser scanning microscopy under a 63 times 1.4 NA oil immersion objective lens.Biofilm bacteria viability decreases after ALA phototherapy double treatment compared to control-single or non-treated biofilm bacterial viability and all four strains tested. Visualization of the biofilms by confocal laser scanning microscopy confirms this finding, with most of the cells positive for propidium iodide standing observed in the ALA phototherapy double treatment group. While attempting this procedure it is important to remember that the entire ALA treated bacteria manipulation should be performed in darkness, and the material biofilm should be handled gently to avoid disturbing the formed biofilm.This message can be applied to explore the antimicrobial effect of photodynamic therapy on bacterial biofilm in vitro by the researchers in the field of bacterial infection field.

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Biology

Testing Visual Sensitivity to the Speed and Direction of Motion in Lizards

Testing visual sensitivity in any species provides basic information regarding behaviour, evolution, and ecology. However, testing specific features of the visual system provide more empirical evidence for functional applications. Investigation into the sensory system provides information about the sensory capacity, learning and memory ability, and establishes known baseline behaviour in which to gauge deviations (Burghardt, 1977). However, unlike mammalian or avian systems, testing for learning and memory in a reptile species is difficult. Furthermore, using an operant paradigm as a psychophysical measure of sensory ability is likewise as difficult. Historically, reptilian species have responded poorly to conditioning trials because of issues related to motivation, physiology, metabolism, and basic biological characteristics. Here, I demonstrate an operant paradigm used a novel model lizard species, the Jacky dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus) and describe how to test peripheral sensitivity to salient speed and motion characteristics. This method uses an innovative approach to assessing learning and sensory capacity in lizards. I employ the use of random-dot kinematograms (RDKs) to measure sensitivity to speed, and manipulate the level of signal strength by changing the proportion of dots moving in a coherent direction. RDKs do not represent a biologically meaningful stimulus, engages the visual system, and is a classic psychophysical tool used to measure sensitivity in humans and other animals. Here, RDKs are displayed to lizards using three video playback systems. Lizards are to select the direction (left or right) in which they perceive dots to be moving. Selection of the appropriate direction is reinforced by biologically important prey stimuli, simulated by computer-animated invertebrates.

Testing visual sensitivity in lizards using an operant conditioning paradigm that employs video playback of random-dot kinematograms and computer-generated invertebrates.

Testing visual sensitivity in any species provides basic information regarding behaviour, evolution, and ecology. However, testing specific features of ...

Christopher Hughes:  An in vitro model for the Study of Angiogenesis (Interview)

Christopher C.W. Hughes describes the utility of his culture system for studying angiogenesis in vitro.  He explains the importance of fibroblasts that secrete a critical, yet unidentified, soluble factor that allow endothelial cells to form vessels in culture that branch, form proper lumens, and undergo anastamosis.

Christopher Hughes:  An in vitro model for the Study of Angiogenesis Interview

Christopher C.W. Hughes describes the utility of his culture system for studying angiogenesis in vitro. He explains the importance of fibroblasts that secrete a critical, yet unidentified, soluble factor that allow endothelial cells to form vessels in culture that branch, form proper lumens, and undergo anastamosis.

Christopher C.W. Hughes describes the utility of his culture system for studying angiogenesis in vitro.  He explains the importance of fibroblasts that ...

Computer-Generated Animal Model Stimuli

Communication between animals is diverse and complex. Animals may communicate using auditory, seismic, chemosensory, electrical, or visual signals. In particular, understanding the constraints on visual signal design for communication has been of great interest. Traditional methods for investigating animal interactions have used basic observational techniques, staged encounters, or physical manipulation of morphology. Less intrusive methods have tried to simulate conspecifics using crude playback tools, such as mirrors, still images, or models. As technology has become more advanced, video playback has emerged as another tool in which to examine visual communication (Rosenthal, 2000). However, to move one step further, the application of computer-animation now allows researchers to specifically isolate critical components necessary to elicit social responses from conspecifics, and manipulate these features to control interactions. Here, I provide detail on how to create an animation using the Jacky dragon as a model, but this process may be adaptable for other species. In building the animation, I elected to use Lightwave  3D to alter object morphology, add texture, install bones, and provide comparable weight shading that prevents exaggerated movement. The animation is then matched to select motor patterns to replicate critical movement features. Finally, the sequence must rendered into an individual clip for presentation. Although there are other adaptable techniques, this particular method had been demonstrated to be effective in eliciting both conspicuous and social responses in staged interactions.

Computer-generated stimuli using the Jacky dragon as a model.

Communication between animals is diverse and complex. Animals may communicate using auditory, seismic, chemosensory, electrical, or visual signals. In ...

An Alternant Method to the Traditional NASA Hindlimb Unloading Model in Mice

The Morey-Holton hindlimb unloading (HU) method is a widely accepted National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ground-based model for studying disuse-atrophy in rodents 4-6. Our study evaluated an alternant method to the gold-standard Morey-Holton HU tail-traction technique in mice. Fifty-four female mice (4-8 mo.) were HU for 14 days (n=34) or 28 days (n=20). Recovery from HU was assessed after 3 days of normal cage ambulation following HU (n=22). Aged matched mice (n=76) served as weight-bearing controls.
Prior to HU a tail ring was formed with a 2-0 sterile surgical steel wire that was passed through the 5th, 6th, or 7th inter-vertebral disc space and shaped into a ring from which the mice were suspended. Vertebral location for the tail-ring was selected to appropriately balance animal body weight without interfering with defecation.
We determined the success of this novel HU technique by assessing body weight before and after HU, degree of soleus atrophy, and adrenal mass following HU. Body weight of the mice prior to HU (24.3 &plusmn; 2.9g) did not significantly decline immediately after 14d of HU (22.7 &plusmn; 1.9g), 28d of HU (21.3 + 2.1g) or after 3 days recovery (24.0 &plusmn; 1.8g). Soleus muscle mass significantly declined (-39.1%, and -46.6%) following HU for 14 days and 28 days respectively (p&lt;0.001). Following 3 days of recovery soleus mass significantly increased to 74% of control values. Adrenal weights of HU mice were not different compared to control mice.
The success of our novel HU method is evidenced by the maintenance of animal body weight, comparable adrenal gland weights, and soleus atrophy following HU, corresponding to expected literature values 2, 7, 8. The primary advantages of this HU method include: 1) ease of tail examination during suspension; 2) decreased likelihood of cyanotic, inflamed, and/or necrotic tails frequently observed with tail-taping and HU; 3) no possibility of mice chewing the traction tape and coming out of the suspension apparatus; and 4) rapid recovery and normal cage activity immediately after HU.

We developed an alternant hindlimb unloading model in mice. The primary advantage of our hindlimb unloading tail-ring method over the conventional Morey-Holton tail-traction technique is a simple straightforward procedure that minimizes stress upon the animal.

The Morey-Holton hindlimb unloading (HU) method is a widely accepted National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ground-based model for studying ...

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism

The folding and assembly of proteins is essential for protein function, the long-term health of the cell, and longevity of the organism. Historically, the function and regulation of protein folding was studied in vitro, in isolated tissue culture cells and in unicellular organisms. Recent studies have uncovered links between protein homeostasis (proteostasis), metabolism, development, aging, and temperature-sensing. These findings have led to the development of new tools for monitoring protein folding in the model metazoan organism Caenorhabditis elegans. In our laboratory, we combine behavioral assays, imaging and biochemical approaches using temperature-sensitive or naturally occurring metastable proteins as sensors of the folding environment to monitor protein misfolding. Behavioral assays that are associated with the misfolding of a specific protein provide a simple and powerful readout for protein folding, allowing for the fast screening of genes and conditions that modulate folding. Likewise, such misfolding can be associated with protein mislocalization in the cell. Monitoring protein localization can, therefore, highlight changes in cellular folding capacity occurring in different tissues, at various stages of development and in the face of changing conditions. Finally, using biochemical tools ex vivo, we can directly monitor protein stability and conformation. Thus, by combining behavioral assays, imaging and biochemical techniques, we are able to monitor protein misfolding at the resolution of the organism, the cell, and the protein, respectively.

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism

To study the relationship between protein homeostasis, stress and aging, we monitored changes in protein folding by following protein dysfunction, protein localization in the cell and protein stability at the organismal, cellular and protein levels, using the genetically tractable metazoan Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system.

The folding and assembly of proteins is essential for protein function, the long-term health of the cell, and longevity of the organism. Historically, the ...

Method for the Assessment of Effects of a Range of Wavelengths and Intensities of Red/near-infrared Light Therapy on Oxidative Stress In Vitro

Red/near-infrared light therapy (R/NIR-LT), delivered by laser or light emitting diode (LED), improves functional and morphological outcomes in a range of central nervous system injuries in vivo, possibly by reducing oxidative stress. However, effects of R/NIR-LT on oxidative stress have been shown to vary depending on wavelength or intensity of irradiation. Studies comparing treatment parameters are lacking, due to absence of commercially available devices that deliver multiple wavelengths or intensities, suitable for high through-put in vitro optimization studies. This protocol describes a technique for delivery of light at a range of wavelengths and intensities to optimize therapeutic doses required for a given injury model. We hypothesized that a method of delivering light, in which wavelength and intensity parameters could easily be altered, could facilitate determination of an optimal dose of R/NIR-LT for reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro.
Non-coherent Xenon light was filtered through narrow-band interference filters to deliver varying wavelengths (center wavelengths of 440, 550, 670 and 810nm) and fluences (8.5 x 10-3 to 3.8 x 10-1 J/cm2) of light to cultured cells. Light output from the apparatus was calibrated to emit therapeutically relevant, equal quantal doses of light at each wavelength. Reactive species were detected in glutamate stressed cells treated with the light, using DCFH-DA and H2O2 sensitive fluorescent dyes.&#160;
We successfully delivered light at a range of physiologically and therapeutically relevant wavelengths and intensities, to cultured cells exposed to glutamate as a model of CNS injury. While the fluences of R/NIR-LT used in the current study did not exert an effect on ROS generated by the cultured cells, the method of light delivery is applicable to other systems including isolated mitochondria or more physiologically relevant organotypic slice culture models, and could be used to assess effects on a range of outcome measures of oxidative metabolism.

Method for the Assessment of Effects of a Range of Wavelengths and Intensities of Red/near-infrared Light Therapy on Oxidative Stress In Vitro

Non-coherent Xenon light was passed through narrow-band interference and neutral density filters to deliver light of varying wavelength and intensity to cultured cells. This protocol was used to assess the effects of red/near-infrared light therapy on production of reactive species in vitro: no effects were observed using the tested parameters.

Red/near-infrared light therapy (R/NIR-LT), delivered by laser or light emitting diode (LED), improves functional and morphological outcomes in a range of ...

An In Vitro Model for Studying Cellular Transformation by Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is an unusual tumor composed of proliferating spindle cells that is initiated by infection of endothelial cells (EC) with KSHV, and develops most often in the setting of immunosuppression. Despite decades of research, optimal treatment of KS remains poorly defined and clinical outcomes are especially unfavorable in resource-limited settings. KS lesions are driven by pathological angiogenesis, chronic inflammation, and oncogenesis, and various in vitro cell culture models have been developed to study these processes. KS arises from KSHV-infected cells of endothelial origin, so EC-lineage cells provide the most appropriate in vitro surrogates of the spindle cell precursor. However, because EC have a limited in vitro lifespan, and as the oncogenic mechanisms employed by KSHV are less efficient than those of other tumorigenic viruses, it has been difficult to assess the processes of transformation in primary or telomerase-immortalized EC. Therefore, a novel EC-based culture model was developed that readily supports transformation following infection with KSHV. Ectopic expression of the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16 allows for extended culture of age- and passage-matched mock- and KSHV-infected EC and supports the development of a truly transformed (i.e., tumorigenic) phenotype in infected cell cultures. This tractable and highly reproducible model of KS has facilitated the discovery of several essential signaling pathways with high potential for translation into clinical settings.

An In Vitro Model for Studying Cellular Transformation by Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a tumor induced by infection with the oncogenic virus human herpesvirus-8/KS herpesvirus (HHV-8/KSHV). The endothelial cell culture model described here is uniquely suited for studying the mechanisms by which KSHV transforms host cells.

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is an unusual tumor composed of proliferating spindle cells that is initiated by infection of endothelial cells (EC) with KSHV, and ...

Mass Spectrometry Analysis to Identify Ubiquitylation of EYFP-tagged CENP-A (EYFP-CENP-A)

Studying the structure and the dynamics of kinetochores and centromeres is important in understanding chromosomal instability (CIN) and cancer progression. How the chromosomal location and function of a centromere (i.e., centromere identity) are determined and participate in accurate chromosome segregation is a fundamental question. CENP-A is proposed to be the non-DNA indicator (epigenetic mark) of centromere identity, and CENP-A ubiquitylation is required for CENP-A deposition at the centromere, inherited through dimerization between cell division, and indispensable to cell viability.
Here we describe mass spectrometry analysis to identify ubiquitylation of EYFP-CENP-A K124R mutant suggesting that ubiquitylation at a different lysine is induced because of the EYFP tagging in the CENP-A K124R mutant protein. Lysine 306 (K306) ubiquitylation in EYFP-CENP-A K124R was successfully identified, which corresponds to lysine 56 (K56) in CENP-A through mass spectrometry analysis. A caveat is discussed in the use of GFP/EYFP or the tagging of high molecular weight protein as a tool to analyze the function of a protein. Current technical limit is also discussed for the detection of ubiquitylated bands, identification of site-specific ubiquitylation(s), and visualization of ubiquitylation in living cells or a specific single cell during the whole cell cycle.
The method of mass spectrometry analysis presented here can be applied to human CENP-A protein with different tags and other centromere-kinetochore proteins. These combinatory methods consisting of several assays/analyses could be recommended for researchers who are interested in identifying functional roles of ubiquitylation.

Mass Spectrometry Analysis to Identify Ubiquitylation of EYFP-tagged CENP-A EYFP-CENP-A

CENP-A ubiquitylation is an important requirement for CENP-A deposition at the centromere, inherited through dimerization between cell division, and indispensable to cell viability. Here we describe mass spectrometry analysis to identify ubiquitylation of EYFP-tagged CENP-A (EYFP-CENP-A) protein.

Studying the structure and the dynamics of kinetochores and centromeres is important in understanding chromosomal instability (CIN) and cancer ...

An Adipocyte Cell Culture Model to Study the Impact of Protein and Micro-RNA Modulation on Adipocyte Function

Alteration of adipocyte function contributes to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases including Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. This highlights the need to better understand the molecular mechanism involved in adipocyte dysfunction to develop new therapies against obesity-related diseases. Modulating the expression of proteins and micro-RNAs in adipocytes remains highly challenging. This paper describes a protocol to differentiate murine fibroblasts into mature adipocytes and to modulate the expression of proteins and micro-RNAs in mature adipocytes through reverse-transfection using small-interfering RNA (siRNA) and micro-RNA mimicking (miR mimic) oligonucleotides. This reverse-transfection protocol involves the incubation of the transfection reagent and the oligonucleotides to form a complex in the cell culture plate to which the mature adipocytes are added. The adipocytes are then allowed to reattach to the adherent plate surface in the presence of the oligonucleotides/transfection reagent complex. Functional analyses such as the study of insulin signaling, glucose uptake, lipogenesis, and lipolysis can be performed on the transfected 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes to study the impact of protein or micro-RNA manipulation on adipocyte function.

Presented here is a protocol to deliver oligonucleotides such as small-interfering RNA (siRNA), micro-RNA mimics (miRs), or anti-micro-RNA (anti-miR) into mature adipocytes to modulate protein and micro-RNA expression.

Alteration of adipocyte function contributes to the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases including Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. This highlights ...

Harvesting and Disaggregation: An Overlooked Step in Biofilm Methods Research

Biofilm methods consist of four distinct steps: growing the biofilm in a relevant model, treating the mature biofilm, harvesting the biofilm from the surface and disaggregating the clumps, and analyzing the sample. Of the four steps, harvesting and disaggregation are the least studied but nonetheless critical when considering the potential for test bias. This article demonstrates commonly used harvesting and disaggregation techniques for biofilm grown on three different surfaces. The three biofilm harvesting and disaggregation techniques, gleaned from an extensive literature review, include vortexing and sonication, scraping and homogenization, and scraping, vortexing and sonication. Two surface types are considered: hard non-porous (polycarbonate and borosilicate glass) and porous (silicone). Additionally, we provide recommendations for the minimum information that should be included when reporting the harvesting technique followed and an accompanying method to check for bias.

This paper details methods that demonstrate three common biofilm harvesting and disaggregation techniques on two surface types, ruggedness testing of a harvesting method and minimum information to consider when choosing and optimizing harvesting and disaggregation techniques to increase reproducibility.

Biofilm methods consist of four distinct steps: growing the biofilm in a relevant model, treating the mature biofilm, harvesting the biofilm from the ...