Bioimaging of fluorescent probes provides a fantastic tool to visualize different cellular responses from various cells and to monitor target/probe interaction in cells. Previously, we introduced a small molecule named 3,6-bis(1-methyl-4- vinylpyridinium)carbazole diiodide (BMVC) as a fluorescent marker to light up live cancer cells for cancer diagnosis. Here we used time-gated fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) of a BMVC isomer, 3,6-bis(1-methyl-2- vinylpyridinium)carbazole diiodide (o-BMVC) as a fluorescent probe to distinguish fixed cancer cells for cancer diagnosis. The time-gated FLIM results showed many more number of o-BMVC foci, characterized by the longer fluorescent decay time of o-BMVC (≥2.4 ns), in fixed cancer cells (HeLa, H1299, CL1-0, MCF-7, MCF-7/ADR, and SAS) than in fixed normal cells (MRC-5, IMR-90, and BJ). Further study of tissue biopsy, a total of 50 head and neck cancer (HNC) samples obtained during surgery and 20 normal oral samples collected from healthy volunteers showed that o-BMVC foci are hardly detectable in the normal oral epithelial cells. The average numbers of o-BMVC foci in tumors and in normal oral epithelial cells are 28.3 and 2.2, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed the area under curve was 0.992, indicating that this method provides a very high accuracy for clinical detection of HNC cancers. We propose that the combination of BMVC test for live cells and o-BMVC test for fixed cells could provide a powerful tool for screening of human cancers.
Yolk lipoprotein constitutes the major source of energy and the materials for synthesizing signaling factors for the development of oocytes and embryos in C. elegans. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) packed in yolk lipoprotein have been recently recognized as critical molecules for fertilization and reproduction.1 However, the relation between PUFAs and the homeostasis of yolk lipoprotein is not clear. Here we use coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy and two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPE-F) microscopy to examine the transportation of yolk lipoprotein. We demonstrate that CARS microscopy is a more sensitive method than the traditional Nile Red staining method in probing the abnormal accumulation of yolk lipoprotein in the body cavity of C. elegans. It is found that the accumulation of yolk lipoprotein is a time-dependent process. In addition, a negative correlation (r = -0.955) between reproductive aging and abnormal accumulation of yolk lipoprotein is established. We further examine wild-type, fat-1, and fat-2 worms with or without the expression of GFP-tagged yolk lipoprotein (VIT-2-GFP). Our data reveal that PUFAs have a positive effect on the synthesis and endocytosis of yolk lipoprotein, confirming the model proposed by Edmonds et al.2
Lipid is an important energy source and essential component for plasma and organelle membranes in all kinds of cells. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy is a label-free and nonlinear optical technique that can be used to monitor the lipid distribution in live organisms. Here, we utilize CARS microscopy to investigate the pattern of lipid droplets in two live Caenorhabditis elegans mutants (fat-2 and fat-3). The CARS images showed a striking decrease in the size, number, and content of lipid droplets in the fat-2 mutant but a slight difference in the fat-3 mutant as compared with the wild-type worm. Moreover, a nondroplet-like structure with enhanced CARS signal was detected for the first time in the uterus of fat-2 and fat-3 mutants. In addition, transgenic fat-2 mutant expressing a GFP fusion protein of vitellogenin-2 (a yolk lipoprotein) revealed that the enhanced CARS signal colocalized with the GFP signal, which suggests that the nondroplet-like structure is primarily due to the accumulation of yolk lipoproteins. Together, this study implies that CARS microscopy is a potential tool to study the distribution of yolk lipoproteins, in addition to lipid droplets, in live animals.
The importance of guanine-quadruplex (G4) is not only in protecting the ends of chromosomes for human telomeres but also in regulating gene expression for several gene promoters. However, the existence of G4 structures in living cells is still in debate. A fluorescent probe, 3,6-bis(1-methyl-2-vinylpyridinium) carbazole diiodide (o-BMVC), for differentiating G4 structures from duplexes is characterized. o-BMVC has a large contrast in fluorescence decay time, binding affinity, and fluorescent intensity between G4 structures and duplexes, which makes it a good candidate for probing G4 DNA structures. The fluorescence decay time of o-BMVC upon interaction with G4 structures of telomeric G-rich sequences is ∼2.8 ns and that of interaction with the duplex structure of a calf thymus is ∼1.2 ns . By analyzing its fluorescence decay time and histogram, we were able to detect one G4 out of 1000 duplexes in vitro. Furthermore, by using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, we demonstrated an innovative methodology for visualizing the localization of G4 structures as well as mapping the localization of different G4 structures in living cells.
KEYWORDS: Microscopy, In vivo imaging, Mode conditioning cables, Tissues, CARS tomography, Proteins, Luminescence, Green fluorescent protein, Medicine, Animal model studies
To improve our understanding of lipid metabolism, Drosophila is used as a model animal, and its lipid homeostasis is monitored by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy. We are able to achieve in vivo imaging of larval fat body (analogous to adipose tissue in mammals) and oenocytes (analogous to hepatocytes) in Drosophila larvae at subcellular level without any labeling. By overexpressing two lipid regulatory proteins-Brummer lipase (Bmm) and lipid storage droplet-2 (Lsd-2)-we found different phenotypes and responses under fed and starved conditions. Comparing with the control larva, we observed more lipid droplet accumulation by ∼twofold in oenocytes of fat-body-Bmm-overexpressing (FB-Bmm-overexpressing) mutant under fed condition, and less lipid by ∼fourfold in oenocytes of fat-body-Lsd-2-overexpressing (FB-Lsd-2-overexpressing) mutant under starved condition. Moreover, together with reduced size of lipid droplets, the lipid content in the fat body of FB-Bmm-overexpressing mutant decreases much faster than that of the control and FB-Lsd-2-overexpressing mutant during starvation. From long-term starvation assay, we found FB-Bmm-overexpressing mutant has a shorter lifespan, which can be attributed to faster consumption of lipid in its fat body. Our results demonstrate in vivo observations of direct influences of Bmm and Lsd-2 on lipid homeostasis in Drosophila larvae.
A group of specialized cells in Drosophila called oenocyte, sharing certain similar properties of hepatocytes in
mammals, is known to play an important role in lipid metabolism. During starvation, the lipids are released from the fat
body, and oenocytes then would accumulate lipid droplets and probably further oxidize them into shorter fatty acids
chain as an energy source. Any genetic defect in lipid metabolism may result in different responses of oenocytes to
starvation. To investigate this process in vivo, we used coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and two-photon
excitation fluorescence (TPE-F) microscopy to monitor oenocytes in living Drosophila larvae during starvation. We
identified oenocytes by their intrinsic fluorescence and visualized lipid droplets by CARS signals at ~2845 cm-1 without
any labeling. Compared with the wild-type, mutants with defects in lipid metabolism show different accumulation of
lipid droplets in oenocytes. While some mutant accumulates much less lipid droplets in oenocytes during starvation,
some has many lipid droplets in oenocytes even though they were fed with plenty of foods. Unlike traditional tissue
staining, in vivo imaging allows us to specifically monitor the changes in individual, and provides us more information
on the dynamic process of lipid metabolism in Drosophila.
Drosophila is one of the most valuable model organisms for studying genetics and developmental biology. The fat body in Drosophila, which is analogous to the liver and adipose tissue in human, stores lipids that act as an energy source during its development. At the early stages of metamorphosis, the fat body remodeling occurs involving the dissociation of the fat body into individual fat cells. Here we introduce a combination of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and two-photon excitation autofluorescence (TPE-F) microscopy to achieve label-free imaging of Drosophila in vivo at larval and pupal stages. The strong CARS signal from lipids allows direct imaging of the larval fat body and pupal fat cells. In addition, the use of TPE-F microscopy allows the observation of other internal organs in the larva and autofluorescent globules in fat cells. During the dissociation of the fat body, the findings of the degradation of lipid droplets and an increase in autofluorescent globules indicate the consumption of lipids and the recruitment of proteins in fat cells. Through in vivo imaging and direct monitoring, CARS microscopy may help elucidate how metamorphosis is regulated and study the lipid metabolism in Drosophila.
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