Name: visualizing the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons at the b-cell immune synapse using stimulated emission depletion (sted) microscopy
Uploaded: 2018-04-09T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Visualizing the Actin and Microtubule Cytoskeletons at the B-cell Immune Synapse Using Stimulated Emission Depletion STED Microscopy at JoVE.com

We thank the UBC Life Sciences Institute (LSI) Imaging Facility for supporting and maintaining the STED microscope. This work was funded by grant #68865 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (to M.R.G.). We thank Dr. Kozo Kaibuchi (Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan) for the CLIP-170-GFP plasmid.

All animal procedures were approved by the University of British Columbia Animal Care Committee.
1. Expressing GFP-fusion proteins in A20 B-lymphoma cells
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	<li>Culture A20 cells in complete RPMI medium (RPMI-1640 supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS), 50 &#181;M 2-mercaptoethanol, 2 mM glutamine, 1 mM pyruvate, 50 U/mL penicillin, and 50 &#181;g/mL streptomycin) at 37 &#176;C in a tissue culture incubator with 5% CO2.</li>
	<li>Prepare the transfecti...

<ol>
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Detailed images of cytoskeletal structures can be obtained using STED super-resolution microscopy, which can theoretically achieve a resolution of 50 nm, compared to conventional confocal microscopy, for which the diffraction-limited resolution is ~200 nm24. The ability to resolve finer structures is further enhanced by using deconvolution software to calculate the most likely position of the original light source from the observed &#34;blurred&#34; fluorescence signal. This protocol describes met...

When B cells bind to polarized arrays of antigens (e.g., displayed on the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APCs)), the resulting B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling drives the formation of a classic immune synapse structure, which was first described in T cells1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13. Initially, microclusters of antigen-bound BCRs form at the periphery of the B cell:APC contact site. These microclusters then move towards the center of the antigen contact site, where they coalesce into a central supramolecular activation cluster (cSMAC) that forms the core of the immune synapse. Immune synapse formation optimizes BCR signaling and facilitates BCR-mediated antigen extraction from the APC membrane14. This antigen acquisition, which is followed by BCR-mediated antigen internalization and subsequent antigen processing, allows B cells to present peptide:MHC II complexes to T cells and elicit T cell help14. Because immune synapse formation promotes B cell activation, elucidating the mechanisms that establish this functional pattern of receptor organization can provide new insights into how humoral immune responses are initiated and regulated.
Reorganization of both the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons is essential for immune synapse formation. Localized BCR signaling stimulated by a spatially-polarized array of antigens induces rapid and dramatic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton1,15. The formation of dendritic actin structures at the periphery of the B cell exerts pushing forces on the plasma membrane and promotes B cell spreading. This allows the B cell to scan a greater area of the antigen-bearing surface, and increases the number of BCRs that bind antigen and activate BCR signaling pathways. At the same time, the MTOC and the microtubule network are reoriented towards the site of antigen contact. As the MTOC approaches the antigen contact site, microtubules emanating from the MTOC extend along the inner face of the plasma membrane at the interface between the B cell and the antigen-bearing surface16,17. These juxtamembrane microtubules can then act as tracks for the dynein-mediated centripetal movement of antigen-bound BCR microclusters18, leading to the formation of a cSMAC.
The reorientation and polarization of the MTOC towards the immune synapse requires intact actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, and often depends on interactions between the cortical actin network and microtubules16,17,19,20. Cortical actin-binding proteins, such as IQGAP1, can capture microtubules by interacting with protein complexes that decorate the microtubule plus-ends21. These dynamic complexes of plus-end binding proteins include EB1 and CLIP-170, which are collectively referred to as microtubule plus-end tracking proteins (+TIPs)21,22. +TIPs at the ends of microtubules can bind to proteins that are associated with either the plasma membrane or the cortical actin cytoskeleton. This allows force-generating mechanisms (e.g., the minus-end directed movement of cortically-anchored dynein along microtubules) to exert pulling forces on microtubules, and thereby reposition the MTOC. CLIP-170 can bind to the actin-associated scaffolding protein IQGAP123, and we have shown that both of these proteins are required for BCR-induced MTOC polarization towards the immune synapse17. This IQGAP1-CLIP-170 interaction may play a key role in coordinating the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton with the repositioning of the microtubule network at the B-cell immune synapse.
Conventional fluorescence microscopy has revealed the dramatic reorganization of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons during B-cell immune synapse formation2. However, this approach cannot resolve small cellular structures in detail due to the diffraction limit of light, which, according to Abbe&#39;s law, is dependent on the wavelength of light used to illuminate the sample and the aperture of the objective24. This diffraction limit constrains the resolution of conventional light microscopes to 200-300 nm in the lateral direction and 500-700 nm in the axial direction25. Therefore, smaller subcellular structures, as well as the fine details of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, could only be observed using electron microscopy. Electron microscopy imaging of the cytoskeleton is time consuming, requires harsh sample fixation and preparation protocols that can alter biological structures, and is limited to antibody-mediated detection. The ability to immunostain and simultaneously image multiple proteins or cellular structures is a substantial advantage of fluorescence microscopy. Moreover, expressing fluorescent fusion proteins in cells enables real-time imaging and is useful when effective antibodies for immunostaining the protein of interest are not available.
Recent technological advances in super-resolution microscopy have overcome the diffraction limits of light and allowed the visualization of nanoscale cellular structures24. One such super-resolution microscopy technique is called stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. STED employs two lasers, where one laser excites the fluorophore and a second laser with a donut-shaped pattern selectively suppresses the fluorescence emission around the fluorophore. This reduces the point-spread function (apparent area) of a single fluorescent particle and provides a sub-diffraction limit fluorescent image25,26. Ground-state depletion microscopy also employs fluorescence-based techniques to acquire super-resolution images. However, the image acquisition and reconstruction times are long, there are only a limited number of fluorophores that can be used, and the simultaneous high-resolution imaging of multiple cytoskeletal components is technically challenging because maintaining actin and microtubule structures requires different fixation procedures. Therefore, STED has multiple advantages over electron microscopy and other super-resolution microscopy approaches in that it offers rapid image acquisition, has minimal post-processing requirements, and employs the same fluorophores and staining techniques that are used for conventional fluorescence microscopy of fixed samples26.
Super-resolution microscopy has now been used to visualize actin structures at the immune synapse in natural killer (NK) cells and T cells26,27,28,29,30,31. However, super-resolution imaging of the microtubule cytoskeleton, as well as the coordinated reorganization of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons during immune synapse formation, has only recently been reported17. We used STED microscopy to image B cells that had been allowed to spread on coverslips coated with anti-immunoglobulin (anti-Ig) antibodies, which stimulate BCR signaling and initiate cytoskeleton reorganization. When plated on immobilized anti-Ig antibodies, B cells undergo dramatic actin-dependent spreading, which recapitulates the initial events during immune synapse formation. Importantly, STED microscopy revealed the fine details of the dendritic ring of F-actin that forms at the periphery of the immune synapse and showed that the MTOC, as well as the microtubules attached to it, had moved close to the antigen contact site17. These microtubules extended outward towards the peripheral ring of F-actin. Moreover, multi-color STED imaging of various combinations of F-actin, tubulin, IQGAP1, and GFP-tagged CLIP-170 +TIPs showed that microtubule plus-ends marked by CLIP-170-GFP were closely associated with the peripheral actin meshwork and with IQGAP1, a cortical capture protein17.
Here, we present a detailed protocol for imaging the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons at the immune synapse using STED microscopy. These methods have been optimized using the A20 murine B cell line, which has been widely employed for studying BCR signaling and immune synapse formation17,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39. Because commercial antibodies to CLIP-170 did not work well for immunostaining in previous experiments, we describe in detail the expression of GFP-tagged CLIP-170 in A20 cells, along with staining protocols for simultaneously visualizing up to three cytoskeletal components or cytoskeleton-associated proteins. Methods for using STED microscopy to image actin at NK cell immune synapses have been described previously40. Here, we extend this to acquiring multi-color super-resolution images of both the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons in B cells.
A critical consideration for super-resolution microscopy is using the appropriate fixation procedures for maintaining cellular structures and preventing damage to fluorescent proteins. The fixation and staining methods presented herein have been optimized to retain GFP fluorescence and provide high-resolution imaging of the actin and microtubule networks. When expressing fluorescent proteins, it should be noted that B cells are usually difficult to transfect. Using this protocol, 20-50% of A20 cells typically express the transfected GFP fusion protein, and among this population the levels of protein expression are variable. Nevertheless, super-resolution imaging of actin and microtubules using the procedures we describe is quite robust and high-quality images are readily obtained. Despite their small size relative to A20 cells, we show that these procedures can also be used to image the microtubule network in primary B cells that have been briefly activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We have shown that LPS-activated primary B cells can be transfected with siRNAs at relatively high efficiency (i.e., such that protein depletion can be detected by immunoblotting), making them a good alternative to the use of B cell lines for some studies17.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Cell culture</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>A20 mouse B-lymphoma cells</td>
			<td>ATCC</td>
			<td>TIB-208</td>
			<td>Murine B-cell lymphoma of Balb/c origin that expresses an IgG-containing BCR on its surface</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RPMI-1640</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>&#160;R0883</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fetal bovine serum</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>12483020</td>
			<td>Heat inactivate at 56 oC for 30 min</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2-mercaptoethanol</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>M3148</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glutamine</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>G5763</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium pyruvate</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>P5280</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Penicillin-Streptomycin</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>15140122</td>
			<td>Liquid, 10,000 units</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Additional materials for primary B cells</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>70-&#181;m cell strainer</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>352350</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Magnetic bead-based B cell isolation kit</td>
			<td>Stemcell Technologies</td>
			<td>19854</td>
			<td>EasySep Mouse B cell Isolation kit</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>L4391</td>
			<td>LPS from E. coli 0111:B4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>B cell-activating factor (BAFF)</td>
			<td>R&#38;D Systems</td>
			<td>2106-BF-010</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Transfection</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Plasmid encoding CLIP-170-GFP</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Gift from Dr. Kozo Kaibuchi (Nagoya Univ., Nagoya, Japan); described in Fukata et al. Cell 109:873-885, 2002</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Recommended transfection reagents and equipment </td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Amaxa Nucleofection kit V</td>
			<td>Lonza</td>
			<td>VCA-1003</td>
			<td>Follow the manufacturer&#39;s directions for mixing the transfection reagents with the DNA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Amaxa Nucleofector model 2b</td>
			<td>Lonza</td>
			<td>AAB-1001</td>
			<td>Program L-013 used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon 6-well plates, TC treated, sterile</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>353046</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Coating coverslips</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>18-mm diameter round #1.5 cover glasses</td>
			<td>Thomas Scientific</td>
			<td>1217N81</td>
			<td>Similar product: Marienfield-Superior catalogue #117580</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Forceps</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>1381242</td>
			<td>Dissecting extra fine splinter forceps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon 12-well sterile tissue polystyrene tissue culture plate</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>353043</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>100% methanol</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A412-4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS) without calcium or magnesium</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>10010049</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Goat-anti-mouse IgG antibody</td>
			<td>Jackson ImmunoResearch</td>
			<td>115-005-008</td>
			<td>For A20 cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Goat-anti-mouse IgM antibody</td>
			<td>Jackson ImmunoResearch</td>
			<td>115-005-020</td>
			<td>For primary mouse B cells</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Staining</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Paraformaldehyde (16% stock solution)</td>
			<td>Electron Microscopy Sciences</td>
			<td>15710</td>
			<td>Dilute with PBS to working concentration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glutaraldehyde (50% stock solution)</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>340855</td>
			<td>Dilute with PBS to working concentration</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Triton X-100</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP151-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Saponin</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>S2149</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine serum albumin (BSA), Fraction V</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>10735094001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Rabbit anti-tubulin antibody</td>
			<td>Abcam</td>
			<td>ab52866</td>
			<td>1:250 dilution recommended but should be optimized</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa Fluor 532-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A11009</td>
			<td>1:100 dilution recommended but should be optimized</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alexa Fluor 568-conjugated phalloidin</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A12380</td>
			<td>1:100 dilution recommneded but should be optimized</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Prolong Diamond Antifade Mountant</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>P36970</td>
			<td>Without DAPI</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fisherbrand Superfrost Plus Microscope Slides</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>12-550-15</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Materials</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Parafilm</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>P1150-2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>H3375</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaCl</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP358</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KCl</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>P9333</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CaCl2</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>C1016</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Na2HPO4</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S374-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MgSO4</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>M63</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dextrose</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>D16-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscopy</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leica SP8 TCS STED microscope</td>
			<td>Leica</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Huygens deconvolution software</td>
			<td>Scientific Voume Imaging</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>See https://svi.nl/HuygensProducts</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

visualizing the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons at the b-cell immune synapse using stimulated emission depletion (sted) microscopy

B cells that bind to membrane-bound antigens (e.g., on the surface of an antigen-presenting cell) form an immune synapse, a specialized cellular structure that optimizes B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling and BCR-mediated antigen acquisition. Both the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and the reorientation of the microtubule network towards the antigen contact site are essential for immune synapse formation. Remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton into a dense peripheral ring of F-actin is accompanied by polarization of the microtubule-organizing center towards the immune synapse. Microtubule plus-end binding proteins, as well as cortical plus-end capture proteins mediate physical interactions between the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, which allow them to be reorganized in a coordinated manner. Elucidating the mechanisms that control this cytoskeletal reorganization, as well as understanding how these cytoskeletal structures shape immune synapse formation and BCR signaling, can provide new insights into B cell activation. This has been aided by the development of super-resolution microscopy approaches that reveal new details of cytoskeletal network organization. We describe here a method for using stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy to simultaneously image actin structures, microtubules, and transfected GFP-tagged microtubule plus-end binding proteins in B cells. To model the early events in immune synapse formation, we allow B cells to spread on coverslips coated with anti-immunoglobulin (anti-Ig) antibodies, which initiate BCR signaling and cytoskeleton remodeling. We provide step-by-step protocols for expressing GFP fusion proteins in A20 B-lymphoma cells, for anti-Ig-induced cell spreading, and for subsequent cell fixation, Immunostaining, image acquisition, and image deconvolution steps. The high-resolution images obtained using these procedures allow one to simultaneously visualize actin structures, microtubules, and the microtubule plus-end binding proteins that may link these two cytoskeletal networks.

For B cells spreading on immobilized anti-Ig, STED microscopy used in conjunction with deconvolution software provides higher resolution images of cytoskeletal structures than confocal microscopy. This is evident in Figure 1, where the F-actin network was visualized using the protocol described above. A comparison of confocal and STED super-resolution images of the same sample shows that the STED images are of higher resolution and reveal more detailed struct...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Visualizing the Actin and Microtubule Cytoskeletons at the B-cell Immune Synapse Using Stimulated Emission Depletion STED Microscopy at JoVE.com

Visualizing the Actin and Microtubule Cytoskeletons at the B-cell Immune Synapse Using Stimulated Emission Depletion STED Microscopy

We present a protocol for using STED microscopy to simultaneously image actin structures, microtubules, and microtubule plus-end binding proteins in B cells that have spread on coverslips coated with antibodies to the B-cell receptor, a model for the initial phase of immune synapse formation.

Visualizing the Actin and Microtubule Cytoskeletons at the B-cell Immune Synapse Using Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) Microscopy

B cells that bind to membrane-bound antigens (e.g., on the surface of an antigen-presenting cell) form an immune synapse, a specialized cellular structure ...

The overall goal of this protocol is to stain actin and microtubule cytoskeletons at the B-cell immune synapse for stimulated emission depletion, or STED microscopy, and imaging their structure, organization in spatial relationships. This method can help answer key questions about cytoskeleton organization during B-cell activation, including the reorganization of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons during immune synapse formation. The main advantage of multi-color STED microscopy is that it allows simultaneous imaging of the actin cytoskeleton, the microtubule network, and key cytoskeleton associated proteins at nanometer scale resolution.Although this method can provide insights into B-cell activation, it can also be applied to immune synapse formation of other immune cell types such as natural killer and T-cells. Generally, individuals new to this method will find that optimizing the microscope settings for the simultaneous imaging and multiple fluorophores using STED will require some practice. Demonstrating this procedure along with Jia and Madison will be Kate Choi and Caitlin Pritchard.Begin by centrifuging 2.5 times 10 to the 6th, A20 B-lymphoma cells per each transfection, and re-suspending the cells in 100 microliters of transfection reagent supplemented with one to 2.5 micrograms of the plasma DNA of interest. Mix the solutions gently and transfer each aliquot of cells into individual wells of a six-well plate. Adjust the volume in each well to two milliliters with 37 degrees Celsius complete medium and place the cells in a 37 degree Celsius incubator for 18 hours.The next morning, dip 1.5 18 millimeter round glass coverslips into 100%methanol and let the coverslips dry completely for about 10 minutes. Place the dried coverslips in individual wells of a 12-well tissue culture plate and add 400 microliters of goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin G antibody into the center of each coverslip so that a bubble forms at the center and spreads to the edges without dripping into the well. Incubate the coverslips at room temperature for 30 minutes.Then rinse the coverslips with one milliliter of sterile PBS per well, three times, to remove any unbound antibodies. After the last wash, store each coverslip in one milliliter of fresh, sterile PBS until cell seeding. When the transfected cells are ready, collect them in a 15 milliliter conical tube by centrifugation and re-suspend the pellets in one milliliter of modified HEPES buffered saline supplemented with FBS.After counting, dilute the cells to a two by 10 to the 5th cells per milliliter concentration and modified HEPES buffered saline plus FBS, and use forceps to transfer each coverslip onto a piece of paraffin film. Add 250 microliters of cells to each coverslip and incubate the coverslips at 37 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes in the dark to allow the cells to spread across the anti-immunoglobulin G coated surfaces. At the end of the incubation, remove the excess saline from each slide and coat each coverslip with 350 microliters of fixative, taking care that the entire surface is covered.After 10 minutes in the dark at room temperature, use a micropipette to carefully aspirate the fixative from the edge of each coverslip and wash the coverslips with 500 microliters of permeabilization and blocking buffer. Then, permeabilize and block the cells with 250 microliters of fresh permeabilization and blocking buffer for 10 minutes at room temperature in the dark. Next, remove the excess buffer and label the cells with 50 microliters of the primary antibody of interest for 30 minutes in the dark at room temperature.At the end of the incubation, wash the coverslip three times with 500 microliters of staining buffer per wash and add 50 microliters of the appropriate secondary antibody to each coverslip for 30 minutes at room temperature. After washing the secondary antibody, add 10 microliters of mounting reagent to a microscope slide and mount the coverslips onto individual microscope slides, cell side down. Then allow the slides to dry overnight in the dark for next day imaging.To image the cells with STED microscopy, first turn on the STED microscope. Activate the lasers in the epifluorescence illumination lamp and open the microscope software. Set the parameters for the STED depletion lasers and load the first sample onto the microscope.Using the eyepiece, manually focus on the sample to select a cell with a moderate GFP expression. Zoom in to the selected cell and select the region of interest to be imaged. Adjust the focus so that the XY plane of the cell that is closest to the coverslip is in focus.Then, under the Acquire tab of the software, check the Between Frames option in the Sequential Scan panel to set the image acquisition to sequential frame acquisition. Set the STED laser power for each fluorophore and use the slide bar to adjust the laser powers according to the fluorophores used in the experiment. To increase the resolution and reduce the background signal, open the Acquisition settings and use the dropdown menu to select a value greater than one to increase the line and/or frame averaging.Check the gaining option for each fluorophore and the specific values for time gaining to acquire the appropriate fluorescent signal for time gated STED and increase the STED laser power to enhance the resolution. It is critical to optimize the acquisition time gaining for the microscope sample and fluorophores being used to improve the resolution without losing too much of the fluorescent signal. Then manually acquire multiple images to ensure reproducibility and deconvolve the images using a deconvolution software package according to the manufacturer's instructions.For A20 B-lymphoma cells, spread on immobilized NT immunoglobulin antibodies. STED microscopy used in conjunction with deconvolution software provides higher resolution images of cytoskeletal structures than does confocal microscopy alone. Although deconvolution of confocal images yields a substantial improvement in the resolution of the image, deconvolved STED images provide more detailed structural information than deconvolved confocal images.Single-colored STED can also be used to acquire a three-dimensional super-resolution images of the entire B-cell cytoskeletal network. In these multi-colored STED images, staining of the peripheral ring of the dendritic actin can be observed in conjunction with microtubule staining. When using cells transfected with fluorescent fusion proteins, achieving optimal expression levels and avoiding artifacts due to over-expression are significant considerations, while too low an expression of the fluorescent fusion protein also results in poor quality images.Careful focusing, to include the entire region of interest, is also essential. For example, in this image, only parts of the microtubule network was within the focal plane closest to the coverslip, preventing a complete analysis of the sample. Once mastered, this technique can be completed in two days.One day for the sample preparation and staining and one day for the STED imaging. It's important to remember to titrate the amount of plasma to use to transfect the cells so that you get a sufficient expression of fluorescent protein for detecting during imaging while avoiding artifacts from over-expression. Following this procedure, the expression of different fluorescent fusion proteins can be induced to facilitate the localization of other proteins that regulate cytoskeletal dynamics and organization, or to visualize the sub-cellular distribution of proteins involved in other cellular processes.After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to use STED microscopy for the imaging of cytoskeletal structures and proteins that are involved in immune synapse formation. Don't forget that working with fixatives such as glutaraldehyde can be extremely hazardous and that precautions such as working in a chemical fume hood should always be taken when using these kinds of reagents.

visualizing-actin-microtubule-cytoskeletons-at-b-cell-immune-synapse

Research

JoVE Journal

Immunology and Infection

Measuring Bacterial Load and Immune Responses in Mice Infected with Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) is a Gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen1. Mouse studies typically employ intravenous injection of Listeria, which results in systemic infection2. After injection, Listeria quickly disseminates to the spleen and liver due to uptake by CD8&alpha;+ dendritic cells and Kupffer cells3,4. Once phagocytosed, various bacterial proteins enable Listeria to escape the phagosome, survive within the cytosol, and infect neighboring cells5. During the first three days of infection, different innate immune cells (e.g. monocytes, neutrophils, NK cells, dendritic cells) mediate bactericidal mechanisms that minimize Listeria proliferation. CD8+ T cells are subsequently recruited and responsible for the eventual clearance of Listeria from the host, typically within 10 days of infection6.
Successful clearance of Listeria from infected mice depends on the appropriate onset of host immune responses6	. There is a broad range of sensitivities amongst inbred mouse strains7,8. Generally, mice with increased susceptibility to Listeria infection are less able to control bacterial proliferation, demonstrating increased bacterial load and/or delayed clearance compared to resistant mice. Genetic studies, including linkage analyses and knockout mouse strains, have identified various genes for which sequence variation affects host responses to Listeria infection6,8-14. Determination and comparison of infection kinetics between different mouse strains is therefore an important method for identifying host genetic factors that contribute to immune responses against Listeria. Comparison of host responses to different Listeria strains is also an effective way to identify bacterial virulence factors that may serve as potential targets for antibiotic therapy or vaccine design.
We describe here a straightforward method for measuring bacterial load (colony forming units [CFU] per tissue) and preparing single-cell suspensions of the liver and spleen for FACS analysis of immune responses in Listeria-infected mice. This method is particularly useful for initial characterization of Listeria infection in novel mouse strains, as well as comparison of immune responses between different mouse strains infected with Listeria. We use the Listeria monocytogenes EGD strain15 that, when cultured on blood agar, exhibits a characteristic halo zone around each colony due to &beta;-hemolysis1 (Figure 1). Bacterial load and immune responses can be determined at any time-point after infection by culturing tissue homogenate on blood agar plates and preparing tissue cell suspensions for FACS analysis using the protocols described below. We would note that individuals who are immunocompromised or pregnant should not handle Listeria, and the relevant institutional biosafety committee and animal facility management should be consulted before work commences.

Measuring Bacterial Load and Immune Responses in Mice Infected with Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is a model organism for studying immune responses and genetic susceptibility to intracellular bacteria in mice. This method enables one to measure bacterial load and generate single-cell suspensions of the liver and spleen from mice for FACS analysis to determine changes in immune cells due to Listeria infection.

Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) is a Gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen1. Mouse studies typically employ intravenous injection of ...

An Introduction to Parasitic Wasps of Drosophila and the Antiparasite Immune Response

Most known parasitoid wasp species attack the larval or pupal stages of Drosophila. While Trichopria drosophilae infect the pupal stages of the host (Fig. 1A-C), females of the genus Leptopilina (Fig. 1D, 1F, 1G) and Ganaspis (Fig. 1E) attack the larval stages. We use these parasites to study the molecular basis of a biological arms race. Parasitic wasps have tremendous value as biocontrol agents. Most of them carry virulence and other factors that modify host physiology and immunity. Analysis of Drosophila wasps is providing insights into how species-specific interactions shape the genetic structures of natural communities. These studies also serve as a model for understanding the hosts' immune physiology and how coordinated immune reactions are thwarted by this class of parasites.
The larval/pupal cuticle serves as the first line of defense. The wasp ovipositor is a sharp needle-like structure that efficiently delivers eggs into the host hemocoel. Oviposition is followed by a wound healing reaction at the cuticle (Fig. 1C, arrowheads). Some wasps can insert two or more eggs into the same host, although the development of only one egg succeeds. Supernumerary eggs or developing larvae are eliminated by a process that is not yet understood. These wasps are therefore referred to as solitary parasitoids.
Depending on the fly strain and the wasp species, the wasp egg has one of two fates. It is either encapsulated, so that its development is blocked (host emerges; Fig. 2 left); or the wasp egg hatches, develops, molts, and grows into an adult (wasp emerges; Fig. 2 right). L. heterotoma is one of the best-studied species of Drosophila parasitic wasps. It is a "generalist," which means that it can utilize most Drosophila species as hosts1. L. heterotoma and L. victoriae are sister species and they produce virus-like particles that actively interfere with the encapsulation response2. Unlike L. heterotoma, L. boulardi is a specialist parasite and the range of Drosophila species it utilizes is relatively limited1. Strains of L. boulardi also produce virus-like particles3 although they differ significantly in their ability to succeed on D. melanogaster1. Some of these L. boulardi strains are difficult to grow on D. melanogaster1 as the fly host frequently succeeds in encapsulating their eggs. Thus, it is important to have the knowledge of both partners in specific experimental protocols.
In addition to barrier tissues (cuticle, gut and trachea), Drosophila larvae have systemic cellular and humoral immune responses that arise from functions of blood cells and the fat body, respectively. Oviposition by L. boulardi activates both immune arms1,4. Blood cells are found in circulation, in sessile populations under the segmented cuticle, and in the lymph gland. The lymph gland is a small hematopoietic organ on the dorsal side of the larva. Clusters of hematopoietic cells, called lobes, are arranged segmentally in pairs along the dorsal vessel that runs along the anterior-posterior axis of the animal (Fig. 3A). The fat body is a large multifunctional organ (Fig. 3B). It secretes antimicrobial peptides in response to microbial and metazoan infections.
Wasp infection activates immune signaling (Fig. 4)4. At the cellular level, it triggers division and differentiation of blood cells. In self defense, aggregates and capsules develop in the hemocoel of infected animals (Fig. 5)5,6. Activated blood cells migrate toward the wasp egg (or wasp larva) and begin to form a capsule around it (Fig. 5A-F). Some blood cells aggregate to form nodules (Fig. 5G-H). Careful analysis reveals that wasp infection induces the anterior-most lymph gland lobes to disperse at their peripheries (Fig. 6C, D).
We present representative data with Toll signal transduction pathway components Dorsal and Sp&auml;tzle (Figs. 4,5,7), and its target Drosomycin (Fig. 6), to illustrate how specific changes in the lymph gland and hemocoel can be studied after wasp infection. The dissection protocols described here also yield the wasp eggs (or developing stages of wasps) from the host hemolymph (Fig. 8).

An Introduction to Parasitic Wasps of Drosophila and the Antiparasite Immune Response

Parasitoid (parasitic) wasps constitute a major class of natural enemies of many insects including Drosophila melanogaster. We will introduce the techniques to propagate these parasites in Drosophila spp. and demonstrate how to analyze their effects on immune tissues of Drosophila larvae.

Most known parasitoid wasp species attack the larval or pupal stages of Drosophila. While Trichopria drosophilae infect the pupal stages of the host (Fig. ...

Intravital Imaging of the Mouse Thymus using 2-Photon Microscopy

Two-photon Microscopy (TPM) provides image acquisition in deep areas inside tissues and organs. In combination with the development of new stereotactic tools and surgical procedures, TPM becomes a powerful technique to identify "niches" inside organs and to document cellular "behaviors" in live animals. While intravital imaging provides information that best resembles the real cellular behavior inside the organ, it is both more laborious and technically demanding in terms of required equipment/procedures than alternative ex vivo imaging acquisition. Thus, we describe a surgical procedure and novel "stereotactic" organ holder that allows us to follow the movements of Foxp3+ cells within the thymus.
Foxp3 is the master regulator for the generation of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Moreover, these cells can be classified according to their origin: ie. thymus-differentiated Tregs are called "naturally-occurring Tregs" (nTregs), as opposed to peripherally-converted Tregs (pTregs). Although significant amount of research has been reported in the literature concerning the phenotype and physiology of these T cells, very little is known about their in vivo interactions with other cells. This deficiency may be due to the absence of techniques that would permit such observations. The protocol described in this paper provides a remedy for this situation.
Our protocol consists of using nude mice that lack an endogenous thymus since they have a punctual mutation in the DNA sequence that compromises the differentiation of some epithelial cells, including thymic epithelial cells. Nude mice were gamma-irradiated and reconstituted with bone marrows (BM) from Foxp3-KIgfp/gfp mice. After BM recovery (6 weeks), each animal received embryonic thymus transplantation inside the kidney capsule. After thymus acceptance (6 weeks), the animals were anesthetized; the kidney containing the transplanted thymus was exposed, fixed in our organ holder, and kept under physiological conditions for in vivo imaging by TPM. We have been using this approach to study the influence of drugs in the generation of regulatory T cells.

We have developed novel laboratory tools and protocols for intravital imaging acquisition of the thymus. Our technique should help in the identification of &#x201C;niches&#x201D; within the thymus where T cell development occurs.

Two-photon Microscopy (TPM) provides image acquisition in deep areas inside tissues and organs. In combination with the development of new stereotactic ...

Investigating the Effects of Probiotics on Pneumococcal Colonization Using an In Vitro Adherence Assay

Adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) to the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx can result in colonization and is considered a prerequisite for pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia and otitis media. In vitro adherence assays can be used to study the attachment of pneumococci to epithelial cell monolayers and to investigate potential interventions, such as the use of probiotics, to inhibit pneumococcal&#160;colonization.&#160;The protocol described here is used to investigate the effects of the probiotic Streptococcus salivarius on the adherence of pneumococci to the human epithelial cell line CCL-23 (sometimes referred to as HEp-2 cells). The assay involves three main steps: 1) preparation of epithelial and bacterial cells, 2) addition of bacteria to epithelial cell monolayers, and 3) detection of adherent pneumococci by viable counts (serial dilution and plating) or quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). This technique is relatively straightforward and does not require specialized equipment other than a tissue culture setup. The assay can be used to test other probiotic species and/or potential inhibitors of pneumococcal colonization and can be easily modified to address other scientific questions regarding pneumococcal adherence and invasion.

Investigating the Effects of Probiotics on Pneumococcal Colonization Using an In Vitro Adherence Assay

In vitro adherence assays can be used to study the attachment of Streptococcus pneumoniae to epithelial cell monolayers and to investigate potential interventions such as the use of probiotics for inhibiting pneumococcal colonization.

Adherence of Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) to the epithelial lining of the nasopharynx can result in colonization and is considered a ...

Visualization of the Immunological Synapse by Dual Color Time-gated Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) Nanoscopy

Natural killer cells form tightly regulated, finely tuned immunological synapses (IS) in order to lyse virally infected or tumorigenic cells. Dynamic actin reorganization is critical to the function of NK cells and the formation of the IS. Imaging of F-actin at the synapse has traditionally utilized confocal microscopy, however the diffraction limit of light restricts resolution of fluorescence microscopy, including confocal, to approximately 200 nm. Recent advances in imaging technology have enabled the development of subdiffraction limited super-resolution imaging. In order to visualize F-actin architecture at the IS we recapitulate the NK cell cytotoxic synapse by adhering NK cells to activating receptor on glass. We then image proteins of interest using two-color stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED). This results in &#60;80 nm resolution at the synapse. Herein we describe the steps of sample preparation and the acquisition of images using dual color STED nanoscopy to visualize F-actin at the NK IS. We also illustrate optimization of sample acquisition using Leica SP8 software and time-gated STED. Finally, we utilize Huygens software for post-processing deconvolution of images.

Visualization of the Immunological Synapse by Dual Color Time-gated Stimulated Emission Depletion STED Nanoscopy

Here we illustrate the protocol for imaging by two-color STED nanoscopy the cytotoxic immune synapse of NK cells recapitulated on glass. Using this method we obtain sub-100 nm resolution of synapse proteins and the cytoskeleton.

Natural killer cells form tightly regulated, finely tuned immunological synapses (IS) in order to lyse virally infected or tumorigenic cells. Dynamic ...

Visualizing Non-lytic Exocytosis of Cryptococcus neoformans from Macrophages Using Digital Light Microscopy

Many aspects of the infection of macrophages by Cryptococcus neoformans have been extensively studied and well defined. However, one particular interaction that is not clearly understood is non-lytic exocytosis. In this process, yeast cells are released into the extracellular space by a poorly understood mechanism that leaves both the macrophage and Cn viable. Here, we describe how to follow a large number of individually infected macrophages for a 24 hr infection period by time-lapsed microscopy. Infected macrophages are housed in a heating chamber with a CO2 atmosphere attached to a microscope that provides the same conditions as a cell-culture incubator. Live digital microscopy can provide information about the dynamic interactions between a host and pathogen that is not available from static images. Being able to visualize each infected cell can provide clues as to how macrophages handle fungal infections, and vice versa. This technique is a powerful tool in studying the dynamics that are behind a complex phenomenon.

Visualizing Non-lytic Exocytosis of Cryptococcus neoformans from Macrophages Using Digital Light Microscopy

We describe how to visualize macrophage-C. neoformans (Cn) interactions in real time, with specific emphasis on the process of non-lytic exocytosis using digital light microscopy. Using this technique individually infected macrophages can be studied to ascertain various aspects of this phenomenon.

Many aspects of the infection of macrophages by Cryptococcus neoformans have been extensively studied and well defined. However, one particular ...

Visualizing the Effects of Sputum on Biofilm Development Using a Chambered Coverglass Model

Biofilms consist of groups of bacteria encased in a self-secreted matrix. They play an important role in industrial contamination as well as in the development and persistence of many health related infections. One of the most well described and studied biofilms in human disease occurs in chronic pulmonary infection of cystic fibrosis patients. When studying biofilms in the context of the host, many factors can impact biofilm formation and development. In order to identify how host factors may affect biofilm formation and development, we used a static chambered coverglass method to grow biofilms in the presence of host-derived factors in the form of sputum supernatants. Bacteria are seeded into chambers and exposed to sputum filtrates. Following 48 hr of growth, biofilms are stained with a commercial biofilm viability kit prior to confocal microscopy and analysis. Following image acquisition, biofilm properties can be assessed using different software platforms. This method allows us to visualize key properties of biofilm growth in presence of different substances including antibiotics.

This protocol describes the visualization of biofilm development following exposure to host-factors using a slide chamber model. This model allows for direct visualization of biofilm development as well as analysis of biofilm parameters using computer software programs.

Biofilms consist of groups of bacteria encased in a self-secreted matrix. They play an important role in industrial contamination as well as in the ...

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Immune Synapse in the Human System Using Imaging Flow Cytometry

The immune synapse is the area of communication between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs). T cells polarize surface receptors and proteins towards the immune synapse to assure a stable binding and signal exchange. Classical confocal, TIRF, or super-resolution microscopy have been used to study the immune synapse. Since these methods require manual image acquisition and time-consuming quantification, the imaging of rare events is challenging. Here, we describe a workflow that enables the morphological analysis of tens of thousands of cells. Immune synapses are induced between primary human T cells in pan-leukocyte preparations and Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB)-loaded Raji cells as APCs. Image acquisition is performed with imaging flow cytometry, also called In-Flow microscopy, which combines features of a flow cytometer and a fluorescence microscope. A complete gating strategy for identifying T cell/APC couples and analyzing the immune synapses is provided. As this workflow allows the analysis of immune synapses in unpurified pan-leukocyte preparations and hence requires only a small volume of blood (i.e., 1 mL), it can be applied to samples from patients. Importantly, several samples can be prepared, measured, and analyzed in parallel.

Here, we describe a complete workflow for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of immune synapses between primary human T cells and antigen-presenting cells. The method is based on imaging flow cytometry, which allows the acquisition and evaluation of several thousand cell images within a relatively short period of time.

The immune synapse is the area of communication between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs). T cells polarize surface receptors and proteins ...

Visualizing Macrophage Extracellular Traps Using Confocal Microscopy

A primary method used to define the presence of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is confocal microscopy. We have modified established confocal microscopy methods to visualize macrophage extracellular traps (METs). These extracellular traps are defined by the presence of extracellular chromatin with co-expression of other components such as granule proteases, citrullinated histones, and peptidyl arginase deiminase (PAD). The expression of METs is generally measured after exposure to a stimulus and compared to un-stimulated samples. Samples are also included for background and isotype control. Cells are analyzed using well-defined image analysis software. Confocal microscopy may be used to define the presence of METs both in vitro and in vivo in lung tissue.

Macrophage extracellular traps are a newly described entity. This article will concentrate on confocal microscopy methods and how they are visualized in vitro and in vivo from lung samples.

A primary method used to define the presence of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is confocal microscopy. We have modified established confocal ...

Co-staining Blood Vessels and Nerve Fibers in Adipose Tissue

Recent studies have highlighted the critical role of angiogenesis and sympathetic innervation in adipose tissue remodeling during the development of obesity. Therefore, developing an easy and efficient method to document the dynamic changes in adipose tissue is necessary. Here, we describe a modified immunofluorescent approach that efficiently co-stains blood vessels and nerve fibers in adipose tissues. Compared to traditional and recently developed methods, our approach is relatively easy to follow and more efficient in labeling the blood vessels and nerve fibers with higher densities and less background. Moreover, the higher resolution of the images further allows us to accurately measure the area of the vessels, amount of branching, and length of the fibers by open source software. As a demonstration using our method, we show that brown adipose tissue (BAT) contains higher amounts of blood vessels and nerve fibers compared to white adipose tissue (WAT). We further find that among the WATs, subcutaneous WAT (sWAT) has more blood vessels and nerve fibers compared to epididymal WAT (eWAT). Our method thus provides a useful tool for investigating adipose tissue remodeling.

New blood vessel formation and sympathetic innervation play pivotal roles in adipose tissue remodeling. However, there remain technical issues in visualizing and quantitatively measuring adipose tissue. Here we present a protocol to successfully label and quantitatively compare the densities of blood vessels and nerve fibers in different adipose tissues.

Recent studies have highlighted the critical role of angiogenesis and sympathetic innervation in adipose tissue remodeling during the development of ...