Induction of experimental inflammation:
<ol>
<li>A first-degree sunburn is induced in non-tanned skin of a thigh with aid of a calibrated, ultraviolet B source (Saalmann Multitester SBB LT 499, Saalmann GmbH, Hereford, Germany). The sunburn is induced 24 hours before starting a microdialysis experiment by applying three times the amount of UVB light necessary to cause complete reddening of exposed skin, or three times the minimal erythemal dose (MED). The MED is determined in each subject before study initiation. Accur...

<ol>
	<li>Angst, M. S., Clark, J. D., Carvalho, B., Tingle, M., Schmelz, M., Yeomans, D. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cytokine+profile+in+human+skin+in+response+to+experimental+inflammation,+noxious+stimulation+and+administration+of+a+COX-inhibitor:+A+microdialysis+study.">Cytokine profile in human skin in response to experimental inflammation, noxious stimulation and administration of a COX-inhibitor: A microdialysis study.</a> Pain. 139, 15-27 (2008).</li></ol>

The combined use of microdialysis techniques and multiplex immunoassay technology is a valuable real-time, in-vivo human bioassay providing insight into biochemical events in tissue of interest. Combined with behavioral tests such as pain tests, the method allows studying the complex interactions of biochemicals mediating pain and inflammation. The method is promising for 1) identifying tissue specific biomarkers mediating pain and inflammation, 2) providing mechanistic insight into the pathology of inflammatory and chro...

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">	
		
		<div>
		<table border="1">
		<thead>
		<tr>
		<th>Material Name</th>
		<th>Type</th>
		<th>Company</th>
		<th>Catalogue Number</th>
		<th>Comment</th>
		</tr>
		</thead>
		<tbody>
		
<tr>
<td>Microdialysis catheter</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Dermal Dialysis</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Pump 22</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Harvard Apparatus</td>
<td>552219</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Saalmann Multitester SBB LT 400</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Saalmann GmbH</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>RM-12 IP-65 Radiometer</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Dr. Grobel UV Elektronik GmbH</td>
<td>82120000/81112100</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Complete Proteinase Inhibitor</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Roche Bioscience</td>
<td>11836145001</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Microcent tube</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>E&K Scientific</td>
<td>380150-X</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Albumin 5%</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>ZLB Behring</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Lactated Ringer</td>
<td>Reagent</td>
<td>Hospira Inc</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Xylocaine-MPF</td>
<td>Other</td>
<td>Astra Zeneca</td>
<td>NA</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<tr>
<td>Syringe 1mL</td>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Becton Dickinson Co</td>
<td>309602</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>		</tbody>
		</table>
		</div>

human in-vivo bioassay for the tissue-specific measurement of nociceptive and inflammatory mediators

This in-vivo human bioassay can be used to study human volunteers and patients. Samples are collected from pertinent tissue sites such as the skin via aseptically inserted microdialysis catheters (Dermal Dialysis, Erlangen, Germany). Illustrated in this example is the collection of interstitial fluid from experimentally inflamed skin in human volunteers. Sample collection can be combined with other experimental tests. For example, the simultaneous assessment of locally released biochemicals and subjective sensitivity to painful stimuli in experimentally inflamed skin provides the critical biochemical-behavioral link to identify biomarkers of pain and inflammation. Presented assay in the living human organism allows for mechanistic insight into tissue-specific processes underlying pain and/or inflammation. The method is also well suited to examine the effectiveness of existing or novel interventions - such as new drug candidates - targeting the treatment of painful and/or inflammatory conditions.
This article will provide a detailed description on the use of microdialysis techniques for collecting interstitial fluid from experimentally inflamed skin lesion of human study subjects. Interstitial fluid samples are typically processed with aid of multiplex bead array immunoassays allowing assaying up to 100 analytes in samples as small in volume as 50 microliters.


Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Human In-Vivo Bioassay for the Tissue-Specific Measurement of Nociceptive and Inflammatory Mediators at JoVE.com

Human In-Vivo Bioassay for the Tissue-Specific Measurement of Nociceptive and Inflammatory Mediators

A technique is presented for the in-vivo collection of interstitial fluid samples from pertinent tissue sites (here, experimentally inflamed skin) for the measurement of biochemicals mediating pain and inflammation.

This in-vivo human bioassay can be used to study human volunteers and patients. Samples are collected from pertinent tissue sites such as the skin via ...

human-vivo-bioassay-for-tissue-specific-measurement-nociceptive

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

10.2K ビュー.  Stanford University School of Medicine. 技術は、痛みや炎症を介在する生化学物質の測定のための適切な組織のサイト（ここで、実験的に炎症を起こしている皮膚）から間質液サンプルの生体内のコレクションのために提示されます。

ビデオ: Human In-Vivo Bioassay for the Tissue-Specific Measurement of Nociceptive and Inflammatory Mediators

A technique is presented for the in-vivo collection of interstitial fluid samples from pertinent tissue sites (here, experimentally inflamed skin) for the measurement of biochemicals mediating pain and...

collecting and measuring nociceptive and inflammatory mediators in surgical wounds 

Collecting and Measuring Nociceptive and Inflammatory Mediators in Surgical Wounds

A technique to collect and measure surgical wound biochemical mediators at specific time...

Collecting and Measuring Nociceptive and Inflammatory Mediators in Surgical Wounds 

quantification of inflammatory mediators in infected human tissue-derived cells

This video demonstrates the quantification of inflammatory mediators during infection by incubating human lung-tissue-derived immune cells with Haemophilus influenzae. Flow cytometry is used to measure cytokine fluorescence in labeled lymphocytes, correlating with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to bacterial...

Quantification of Inflammatory Mediators in Infected Human Tissue-Derived Cells

For the infection assay, resuspend the lung cells in RPMI to a final concentration of 4 million cells per milliliter per tube. Then, infect the cells at an MOI of 100 bacteria per cell. Loosen the cap half a rotation to allow gas transfer in the tubes. Place the cells in the tube rotator, and incubate them at 37 degrees Celsius, while rotating at 12 RPM. One hour after stimulation, add Brefeldin A to prevent the extracellular export of cytokines, and incubate the cell suspensions for a further...

the caco-2 cell bioassay for measurement of food iron bioavailability

The Caco-2 Cell Bioassay for Measurement of Food Iron Bioavailability

The Caco-2 cell bioassay for iron (Fe) bioavailability represents a cost-effective and versatile approach to assess Fe bioavailability from foods, food products, supplements, meals, and even diet regimens. Thoroughly validated to human studies, it represents the state of the art for studies of Fe...

three-dimensional inflammatory human tissue equivalents of gingiva

Three-dimensional Inflammatory Human Tissue Equivalents of Gingiva

The goal of the protocol is to build an inflammatory human gingiva model in vitro. This tissue model co-cultivates three types of human cells, HaCaT keratinocytes, gingival fibroblasts, and THP-1 macrophages, under three-dimensional conditions. This model can be applied to investigating periodontal diseases, such as gingivitis and...

a rapid in vivo bioassay for developmentally active enhancers

With the increased use of transcription factor-specific ChIP-seq technology, techniques to validate potential regulatory regions are critical. The authors describe a rapid chick bioassay to validate the activity of regulatory sequences functioning during...

A Rapid In Vivo Bioassay for Developmentally Active Enhancers

objective nociceptive assessment in ventilated icu patients: a feasibility study using pupillometry and the nociceptive flexion reflex

Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex

Pain assessment in anesthetized patients who cannot communicate with the outside world in any way remains challenging despite the development of innovative objective pain evaluation tools. In this project, the pupillary dilation reflex and the nociception flexion reflex are assessed in critically ill, mechanically ventilated adult...

three-dimensional imaging of nociceptive intraepidermal nerve fibers in human skin biopsies

Three-dimensional Imaging of Nociceptive Intraepidermal Nerve Fibers in Human Skin Biopsies

In order to study the changes of nociceptive intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENFs) in painful neuropathies (PN), we developed protocols that could directly examine three-dimensional morphological changes observed in nociceptive IENFs.  Three-dimensional analysis of IENFs has the potential to evaluate the morphological changes of IENF in...

a high-resolution, single-grain, in vivo pollen hydration bioassay for arabidopsis thaliana

Author Spotlight: A High-Resolution, Single-Grain, In Vivo Pollen Hydration Bioassay for Arabidopsis thaliana  

An improved method to measure pollen hydration profiles in Arabidopsis thaliana is described here. The new method offers higher resolution, is noninvasive, and is highly reproducible. The protocol represents a new tool for a finer dissection of the processes that regulate the early stages of pollination.

A High-Resolution, Single-Grain, In Vivo Pollen Hydration Bioassay for Arabidopsis thaliana

collecting and measuring wound exudate biochemical mediators in surgical wounds

Collecting And Measuring Wound Exudate Biochemical Mediators In Surgical Wounds

This article provides a detailed and visual description of a methodology for collecting and measuring biochemical inflammatory and nociceptive mediators at the surgical wound site following cesarean delivery. This human bioassay has been used to determine correlations between wound and serum cytokine concentrations and drug-mediated changes in wound cytokines, chemokines and...

preparation, administration, and assessment of in vivo tissue-specific cellular uptake of fluorescent dye-labeled liposomes

Preparation, Administration, and Assessment of In Vivo Tissue-Specific Cellular Uptake of Fluorescent Dye-Labeled Liposomes

The goal of this protocol is to synthesize fluorescently-labeled liposomes and use flow cytometry to identify in vivo localization of liposomes at a cellular...

characterization of immune cells and proinflammatory mediators in the pulmonary environment

Characterization of Immune Cells and Proinflammatory Mediators in the Pulmonary Environment

This protocol describes the use of flow cytometry to identify the changes in immune cell composition, cytokine profile, and chemokine profile in the pulmonary environment following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion, a murine model of ischemic...

rapid determination of the thermal nociceptive threshold in diabetic rats

Rapid Determination of the Thermal Nociceptive Threshold in Diabetic Rats

Here, we describe a rapid reliable and simple procedure to determine the lowest temperature at which rats or mice show nocifensive behavior, i.e. the thermal nociceptive threshold (TNT). This method applies a slowly increasing thermal stimulus allowing precise and reproducible estimation of TNTs with minimum, if any, stress to the...

optical screening of novel bacteria-specific probes on ex vivo human lung tissue by confocal laser endomicroscopy

Optical Screening of Novel Bacteria-specific Probes on Ex Vivo Human Lung Tissue by Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy

This technique describes an efficient screening process for evaluating bacteria-specific optical imaging agents within ex vivo human lung tissue, by fibered confocal fluorescence microscopy for the rapid identification of small molecule chemical probe-candidates with translatable...

Optical Screening of Novel Bacteria-specific Probes on Ex Vivo Human Lung Tissue by Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy

an il-8 transiently transgenized mouse model for the in vivo long-term monitoring of inflammatory responses

An IL-8 Transiently Transgenized Mouse Model for the In Vivo Long-term Monitoring of Inflammatory Responses

The method described here allows for the visualization of IL-8 promoter-dependent inflammation activation in the lungs of mice through non-invasive bioluminescence imaging (BLI). The same animal can be subjected to BLI multiple times for up to two months from the time of delivery of the luciferase reporter...

An IL-8 Transiently Transgenized Mouse Model for the In Vivo Long-term Monitoring of Inflammatory Responses

separation of rat epidermis and dermis with thermolysin to detect site-specific inflammatory mrna and protein

Separation of Rat Epidermis and Dermis with Thermolysin to Detect Site-Specific Inflammatory mRNA and Protein

Presented here is a protocol for the separation of epidermis from dermis to evaluate inflammatory mediator production. Following inflammation, rat hind paw epidermis is separated from the dermis by thermolysin at 4 &#176;C. The epidermis is then used for mRNA analysis by RT-PCR and protein evaluation by western blot and...

a robust discovery platform for the identification of novel mediators of melanoma metastasis

A Robust Discovery Platform for the Identification of Novel Mediators of Melanoma Metastasis

This article describes a workflow of techniques employed for testing novel candidate mediators of melanoma metastasis and their mechanism(s) of action.

accurate and simple measurement of the pro-inflammatory cytokine il-1&beta; using a whole blood stimulation assay

Accurate and Simple Measurement of the Pro-inflammatory Cytokine IL-1&amp;#946; using a Whole Blood Stimulation Assay

We describe a simple immunoassay to measure the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1 beta production, in patients presenting with autoinflammatory phenotypes. By activating cells in whole blood cultures with pathogen-associated molecular patterns, specifically with lipopolysaccharide, cytokine secretion can be conveniently evaluated in whole blood...

Accurate and Simple Measurement of the Pro-inflammatory Cytokine IL-1&beta; using a Whole Blood Stimulation Assay

long-term in vivo tracking of inflammatory cell dynamics within drosophila pupae

Long-term In Vivo Tracking of Inflammatory Cell Dynamics Within Drosophila Pupae

Here we present a protocol for live-imaging wound repair and the associated inflammatory response at high spatio-temporal resolution in vivo. This method utilizes the pupal stage of Drosophila development to enable long-term imaging and tracking of specific cell populations over time and is compatible with efficient RNAi-mediated gene...

Long-term In Vivo Tracking of Inflammatory Cell Dynamics Within Drosophila Pupae

In vivo Micro-circulation Measurement in Skeletal Muscle by Intra-vital Microscopy

BACKGROUND: Regulatory factors and detailed physiology of in vivo microcirculation have remained not fully clarified after many different modalities of imaging had invented. While many macroscopic parameters of blood flow reflect flow velocity, changes in blood flow velocity and red blood cell (RBC) flux does not hold linear relationship in the microscopic observations. There are reports of discrepancy between RBC velocity and RBC flux, RBC flux and plasma flow volume, and of spatial and temporal heterogeneity of flow regulation in the peripheral tissues in microscopic observations, a scientific basis for the requirement of more detailed studies in microcirculatory regulation using intravital microscopy. METHODS: We modified Jeff Lichtman's method of in vivo microscopic observation of mouse sternomastoid muscles. Mice are anesthetized,
ventilated, and injected with PKH26L-fluorescently labeled RBCs for microscopic observation.RESULT &amp; CONCLUSIONS: Fluorescently labeled RBCs are detected and distinguished well by a wide-field microscope. Muscle contraction evoked by electrical stimulation induced increase in RBC flux. Quantification of other parameters including RBC velocity and capillary density were feasible. Mice tolerated well the surgery, injection of stained RBCs, microscopic observation, and electrical stimulation. No muscle or blood vessel damage was observed, suggesting that our method is relatively less invasive and suited for long-term observations.

A new versatile method for observation of microcirculation is presented. It is considered suitable for long-term observation, and for combination with pharmacophysiological or molecular biological interventions.

BACKGROUND: Regulatory factors and detailed physiology of in vivo microcirculation have remained not fully clarified after many different modalities of ...

We describe a methodology by which we are able to collect and measure inflammatory and nociceptive biochemical mediators at the surgical wound site. Collecting site-specific biochemical markers allows us to evaluate the relationship between surgical wound and serum levels; determine any associations between mediator release, pain and analgesic consumption; and evaluate the effect of systemic and peripheral drug administration on surgical wound biochemistry.
This methodology has been applied to healthy women undergoing elective cesarean delivery with spinal anesthesia. Wound exudate and serum mediators, in conjunction with pain scores and analgesics consumption were measured at 1, 6, 24, and 48 hours post-cesarean delivery. Biochemical mediators that were detected included IL-1&beta;, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, TNF&alpha;, INF&gamma;, G-CSF, GM-CSF, MCP-1 and MIP-1&beta;, nerve growth factor (NGF), prostaglandin E2 (PG-E2) and substance P. We found no correlations between wound and serum cytokines concentrations or time-release profiles (J Pain. 2008 Jul 9(7):650-7). This article describes and demonstrates the feasibility of collecting and assaying nociceptive and inflammatory mediators in surgical wounds at specific time points. The lack of significant correlations between serum and wound levels shows the importance of determining site-specific release if surgical wounds and localized pathologies are to be studied.

A technique to collect and measure surgical wound biochemical mediators at specific time points.

We describe a methodology by which we are able to collect and measure inflammatory and nociceptive biochemical mediators at the surgical wound site. ...

Measurement of Vacuolar and Cytosolic pH In Vivo in Yeast Cell Suspensions

Vacuolar and cytosolic pH are highly regulated in yeast cells and occupy a central role in overall pH homeostasis. We describe protocols for ratiometric measurement of pH in vivo using pH-sensitive fluorophores localized to the vacuole or cytosol. Vacuolar pH is measured using BCECF, which localizes to the vacuole in yeast when introduced into cells in its acetoxymethyl ester form. Cytosolic pH is measured with a pH-sensitive GFP expressed under control of a yeast promoter, yeast pHluorin. Methods for measurement of fluorescence ratios in yeast cell suspensions in a fluorimeter are described. Through these protocols, single time point measurements of pH under different conditions or in different yeast mutants have been compared and changes in pH over time have been monitored. These methods have also been adapted to a fluorescence plate reader format for high-throughput experiments. Advantages of ratiometric pH measurements over other approaches currently in use, potential experimental problems and solutions, and prospects for future use of these techniques are also described.

Measurement of Vacuolar and Cytosolic pH In Vivo in Yeast Cell Suspensions

Vacuolar and cytosolic pH can be measured in live yeast (S. cerevisiae) cells using ratiometric fluorescent dyes localized to specific cellular compartments. We describe procedures for measuring vacuolar pH with BCECF-AM, which localizes to the vacuole in yeast, and cytosolic pH with a cytosolic ratiometric pH-sensitive GFP (yeast pHluorin).

Vacuolar and  cytosolic pH are highly regulated in yeast cells and occupy a central role in  overall pH homeostasis. We describe  protocols for ...

In Vivo Modeling of the Morbid Human Genome using Danio rerio

Here, we present methods for the development of assays to query potentially clinically significant nonsynonymous changes using in vivo complementation in zebrafish. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a useful animal system due to their experimental tractability; embryos are transparent to enable facile viewing, undergo rapid development ex vivo, and can be genetically manipulated.1 These aspects have allowed for significant advances in the analysis of embryogenesis, molecular processes, and morphogenetic signaling. Taken together, the advantages of this vertebrate model make zebrafish highly amenable to modeling the developmental defects in pediatric disease, and in some cases, adult-onset disorders. Because the zebrafish genome is highly conserved with that of humans (~70% orthologous), it is possible to recapitulate human disease states in zebrafish. This is accomplished either through the injection of mutant human mRNA to induce dominant negative or gain of function alleles, or utilization of morpholino (MO) antisense oligonucleotides to suppress genes to mimic loss of function variants. Through complementation of MO-induced phenotypes with capped human mRNA, our approach enables the interpretation of the deleterious effect of mutations on human protein sequence based on the ability of mutant mRNA to rescue a measurable, physiologically relevant phenotype. Modeling of the human disease alleles occurs through microinjection of zebrafish embryos with MO and/or human mRNA at the 1-4 cell stage, and phenotyping up to seven days post fertilization (dpf). This general strategy can be extended to a wide range of disease phenotypes, as demonstrated in the following protocol. We present our established models for morphogenetic signaling, craniofacial, cardiac, vascular integrity, renal function, and skeletal muscle disorder phenotypes, as well as others.

In Vivo Modeling of the Morbid Human Genome using Danio rerio

Here, we present a systematic approach for developing physiologically relevant, sensitive and specific in vivo assays for interpreting variation in human pathology. Transient genetic manipulation via microinjection of WT and mutant human mRNA and morpholino (MO) antisense oligonucleotides harness the tractability of the developing zebrafish embryo to rapidly assay pathogenic mutations, especially, but not exclusively, in the context of human developmental disorders.

Here,  we present methods for the development of assays to query potentially clinically  significant nonsynonymous changes using in  vivo complementation ...

A Simple Bioassay for the Evaluation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors

The analysis of receptor tyrosine kinases and their interacting ligands involved in vascular biology is often challenging due to the constitutive expression of families of related receptors, a broad range of related ligands and the difficulty of dealing with primary cultures of specialized endothelial cells. Here we describe a bioassay for the detection of ligands to the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), a key transducer of signals that promote angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. A cDNA encoding a fusion of the extracellular (ligand-binding) region of VEGFR-2 with the transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions of the erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) is expressed in the factor-dependent cell line Ba/F3. This cell line grows in the presence of interleukin-3 (IL-3) and withdrawal of this factor results in death of the cells within 24 hr. Expression of the VEGFR-2/EpoR receptor fusion provides an alternative mechanism to promote survival and potentially proliferation of stably transfected Ba/F3 cells in the presence of a ligand capable of binding and cross-linking the extracellular portion of the fusion protein (i.e., one that can cross-link the VEGFR-2 extracellular region). The assay can be performed in two ways: a semi-quantitative approach in which small volumes of ligand and cells permit a rapid result in 24 hr, and a quantitative approach involving surrogate markers of a viable cell number. The assay is relatively easy to perform, is highly responsive to known VEGFR-2 ligands and can accommodate extracellular inhibitors of VEGFR-2 signaling such as monoclonal antibodies to the receptor or ligands, and soluble ligand traps.

We describe a simple cell-based bioassay for detecting, quantifying and monitoring the activity of members of the vascular endothelial growth factor family of ligands. The assay uses chimeric receptors expressed in a factor-dependent cell line to provide a semi-quantitative or quantitative assessment of receptor binding and cross-linking by the ligand.

The analysis of receptor tyrosine kinases and their interacting ligands involved in vascular biology is often challenging due to the constitutive ...

Murine Aortic Crush Injury: An Efficient In Vivo Model of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Endothelial Function

Arterial reconstruction, whether angioplasty or bypass surgery, involves iatrogenic trauma causing endothelial disruption and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. Common murine models study small vessels such as the carotid and femoral arteries. Herein we describe an in vivo system in which both VSMC proliferation and endothelial barrier function can be simultaneously assessed in a large vessel. We studied the infrarenal aortic response to injury in C57BL/6 mice. The aorta was injured from the left renal vein to the aortic bifurcation by 30 transmural crushes of 5-seconds duration with a cotton-tipped applicator. Morphological changes were assessed with conventional histology. Aorta wall thickness was measured from the luminal surface to the adventitia. EdU integration and counter staining with DAPI and alpha-actin was used to demonstrate VSMC proliferation. Activation of ERK1/2, a known moderator of intimal hyperplasia formation, was determined by Western Blot analysis. The effect of inflammation was determined by immunohistochemistry for B-cells, T-cells, and macrophages. En face sections of endothelium were visualized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Endothelial barrier function was determined with Evans Blue staining. Transmural injury resulted in aortic wall thickening. This injury induced VSMC proliferation, most prominently at 3 days after injury, and early activation of ERK1/2 and decreased p27kip1 expression. Injury did not result in increased B-cells, T-cells, or macrophages infiltration in the vessel wall. Injury caused partial endothelial cell denudation and loss of cell-cell contact. Injury resulted in a significant loss of endothelial barrier function, which returned to baseline after seven days. The murine transmural blunt aortic injury model provides an efficient system to simultaneously study both VSMC proliferation and endothelial barrier function in a large vessel.

Murine Aortic Crush Injury: An Efficient In Vivo Model of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Endothelial Function

Restenosis following cardiovascular procedures (bypass surgery, angioplasty, or stenting) is a significant problem reducing the durability of these procedures. An ideal therapy would inhibit smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation while promoting regeneration of the endothelium. We describe a model for simultaneous assessment of VSMC proliferation and endothelial function in vivo.

Arterial reconstruction, whether angioplasty or bypass surgery, involves iatrogenic trauma causing endothelial disruption and vascular smooth muscle cell ...

Detecting and Characterizing Protein Self-Assembly In Vivo by Flow Cytometry

Protein self-assembly governs protein function and compartmentalizes cellular processes in space and time. Current methods to study it suffer from low-sensitivity, indirect read-outs, limited throughput, and/or population-level rather than single-cell resolution. We designed a flow cytometry-based single methodology that addresses all of these limitations: Distributed Amphifluoric FRET or DAmFRET. DAmFRET detects and quantifies protein self-assemblies by sensitized emission FRET in vivo, enables deployment across model systems-from yeast to human cells-and achieves sensitive, single-cell, high-throughput read-outs irrespective of protein localization or solubility.

This article describes a FRET-based flow cytometry protocol to quantify protein self-assembly in both S. cerevisiae and HEK293T cells.

Protein self-assembly governs protein function and compartmentalizes cellular processes in space and time. Current methods to study it suffer from ...

Using Caenorhabditis elegans to Screen for Tissue-Specific Chaperone Interactions

Correct folding and assembly of proteins and protein complexes are essential for cellular function. Cells employ quality control pathways that correct, sequester or eliminate damaged proteins to maintain a healthy proteome, thus ensuring cellular proteostasis and preventing further protein damage. Because of redundant functions within the proteostasis network, screening for detectable phenotypes using knockdown or mutations in chaperone-encoding genes in the multicellular organism Caenorhabditis elegans results in the detection of minor or no phenotypes in most cases. We have developed a targeted screening strategy to identify chaperones required for a specific function and thus bridge the gap between phenotype and function. Specifically, we monitor novel chaperone interactions using RNAi synthetic interaction screens, knocking-down chaperone expression, one chaperone at a time, in animals carrying a mutation in a chaperone-encoding gene or over-expressing a chaperone of interest. By disrupting two chaperones that individually present no gross phenotype, we can identify chaperones that aggravate or expose a specific phenotype when both perturbed. We demonstrate that this approach can identify specific sets of chaperones that function together to modulate the folding of a protein or protein complexes associated with a given phenotype.

Using Caenorhabditis elegans to Screen for Tissue-Specific Chaperone Interactions

To study chaperone-chaperone and chaperone-substrate interactions, we perform synthetic interaction screens in Caenorhabditis elegans using RNA interference in combination with mild mutations or over-expression of chaperones and monitor tissue-specific protein dysfunction at the organismal level.

Correct folding and assembly of proteins and protein complexes are essential for cellular function. Cells employ quality control pathways that correct, ...

In vivo Measurement of Knee Extensor Muscle Function in Mice

Skeletal muscle plasticity in response to countless conditions and stimuli mediates concurrent functional adaptation, both negative and positive. In the clinic and the research laboratory, maximal muscular strength is widely measured longitudinally in humans, with knee extensor musculature the most reported functional outcome. Pathology of the knee extensor muscle complex is well documented in aging, orthopedic injury, disease, and disuse; knee extensor strength is closely related to functional capacity and injury risk, underscoring the importance of reliable measurement of knee extensor strength. Repeatable, in vivo assessment of knee extensor strength in pre-clinical rodent studies offers valuable functional endpoints for studies exploring osteoarthritis or knee injury. We report an in vivo and non-invasive protocol to repeatedly measure isometric peak tetanic torque of the knee extensors in mice across time. We demonstrate consistency using this novel method to measure knee extensor strength with repeated assessment in multiple mice producing similar results.

Quantification of knee extensor maximal strength is imperative to understand functional adaptations to aging, disease, injury, and rehabilitation. We present a novel method to repeatedly measure in vivo knee extension isometric peak tetanic torque.

Skeletal muscle plasticity in response to countless conditions and stimuli mediates concurrent functional adaptation, both negative and positive. In the ...

Rapid In Vivo Fixation and Isolation of Translational Complexes from Eukaryotic Cells

Rapid responses involving fast redistribution of messenger(m)RNA and alterations of mRNA translation are pertinent to ongoing homeostatic adjustments of the cells. These adjustments are critical to eukaryotic cell survivability and &#39;damage control&#39; during fluctuating nutrient and salinity levels, temperature, and various chemical and radiation stresses. Due to the highly dynamic nature of the RNA-level responses, and the instability of many of the RNA:RNA and RNA:protein intermediates, obtaining a meaningful snapshot of the cytoplasmic RNA state is only possible with a limited number of methods. Transcriptome-wide, RNA-seq-based ribosome profiling-type experiments are among the most informative sources of data for the control of translation. However, absence of a uniform RNA and RNA:protein intermediate stabilization can lead to different biases, particularly in the fast-paced cellular response pathways. In this article, we provide a detailed protocol of rapid fixation applicable to eukaryotic cells of different permeability, to aid in RNA and RNA:protein intermediate stabilization. We further provide examples of isolation of the stabilized RNA:protein complexes based on their co-sedimentation with ribosomal and poly(ribo)somal fractions. The separated stabilized material can be subsequently used as part of ribosome profiling-type experiments, such as in Translation Complex Profile sequencing (TCP-seq) approach and its derivatives. Versatility of the TCP-seq-style methods has now been demonstrated by the applications in a variety of organisms and cell types. The stabilized complexes can also be additionally affinity-purified and imaged using electron microscopy, separated into different poly(ribo)somal fractions and subjected to RNA sequencing, owing to the ease of the crosslink reversal. Therefore, methods based on snap-chilling and formaldehyde fixation, followed by the sedimentation-based or other type of RNA:protein complex enrichment, can be of particular interest in investigating finer details of rapid RNA:protein complex dynamics in live cells.

Rapid In Vivo Fixation and Isolation of Translational Complexes from Eukaryotic Cells

We present a technique to rapidly stabilize translational (protein biosynthesis) complexes with formaldehyde crosslinking in live yeast and mammalian cells. The approach enables dissecting transient intermediates and dynamic RNA:protein interactions. The crosslinked complexes can be used in multiple downstream applications such as in deep sequencing-based profiling methods, microscopy, and mass-spectrometry.

Rapid responses involving fast redistribution of messenger(m)RNA and alterations of mRNA translation are pertinent to ongoing homeostatic adjustments of ...