high-resolution-spatiotemporal-analysis-receptor-dynamics-single

High-resolution Spatiotemporal Analysis of Receptor Dynamics by Single-molecule Fluorescence Microscopy

Single-molecule microscopy is emerging as a powerful approach to analyze the behavior of signaling molecules, in particular concerning those aspect (e.g., ...

University of Würzburg, Germany

We describe folate receptor targeted thermosensitive magnetic liposomes, which are designed to combine features of biological and physical (magnetic) drug targeting for use in magnetic hyperthermia-triggered drug release. The optimized liposome formulation DPPC:cholesterol:DSPE-PEG(2000):DSPE-PEG(2000)-Folate at 80:20:4.5:0.5 molar ratio showed calcein release of about 70% both in PBS and in 50% FBS (fetal bovine serum) at 43 degrees C and less than 5% release at 37 degrees C following 1h incubation. Folate-targeted doxorubicin-containing magnetic liposomes of the above lipid composition (MagFolDox) showed encapsulation efficiencies of about 85% and 24% for doxorubicin and magnetic nanoparticles (mean crystallite size 10nm), respectively. This magnetic formulation displayed the desired temperature sensitivity with 52% doxorubicin release in 50% fetal bovine serum (FBS) following 1h incubation at 43 degrees C. MagFolDox, when physically targeted to tumor cells in culture by a permanent magnetic field yielded a substantial increase in cellular uptake of doxorubicin as compared to Caelyx (a commercially available liposomal doxorubicin preparation), non-magnetic folate-targeted liposomes (FolDox) and free doxorubicin in folate receptor expressing tumor cell lines (KB and HeLa cells). This resulted in a parallel increase in cytotoxicity over Caelyx and FolDox. Magnetic hyperthermia at 42.5 degrees C and 43.5 degrees C synergistically increased the cytotoxicity of MagFolDox. The results suggest that an integrated concept of biological and physical drug targeting, triggered drug release and hyperthermia based on magnetic field influence can be used advantageously for thermo-chemotherapy of cancers.

Targeted temperature sensitive magnetic liposomes for thermo-chemotherapy.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of receptors and major pharmacological targets. Whereas many GPCRs have been shown to form di-/oligomers, the size and stability of such complexes under physiological conditions are largely unknown. Here, we used direct receptor labeling with SNAP-tags and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to dynamically monitor single receptors on intact cells and thus compare the spatial arrangement, mobility, and supramolecular organization of three prototypical GPCRs: the β(1)-adrenergic receptor (β(1)AR), the β(2)-adrenergic receptor (β(2)AR), and the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA(B)) receptor. These GPCRs showed very different degrees of di-/oligomerization, lowest for β(1)ARs (monomers/dimers) and highest for GABA(B) receptors (prevalently dimers/tetramers of heterodimers). The size of receptor complexes increased with receptor density as a result of transient receptor-receptor interactions. Whereas β(1)-/β(2)ARs were apparently freely diffusing on the cell surface, GABA(B) receptors were prevalently organized into ordered arrays, via interaction with the actin cytoskeleton. Agonist stimulation did not alter receptor di-/oligomerization, but increased the mobility of GABA(B) receptor complexes. These data provide a spatiotemporal characterization of β(1)-/β(2)ARs and GABA(B) receptors at single-molecule resolution. The results suggest that GPCRs are present on the cell surface in a dynamic equilibrium, with constant formation and dissociation of new receptor complexes that can be targeted, in a ligand-regulated manner, to different cell-surface microdomains.

Finn Rieken

Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Bio-Imaging Center/Rudolf Virchow Center,
DFG-Research Center for Experimental Biomedicine,
Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Bio-Imaging Center/Rudolf Virchow Center, DFG-Research Center for Experimental Biomedicine

University of Würzburg, Germany

High-resolution Spatiotemporal Analysis of Receptor Dynamics by Single-molecule Fluorescence Microscopy