A High Throughput Apoptosis Assay using 3D Cultured Cells

A high throughput apoptosis assay using 3D cultured cells was developed with a micropillar/microwell chip platform. Live cell apoptosis assays based on fluorescence detection have been useful in high content screening. To check the autofluorescence of drugs, controls (no caspase-3/7 reagent in the assay) for the drugs are necessary which require twice the test space. Thus, a high throughput capability and highly miniaturized format for reducing reagent usage are necessary in live cell apoptosis assays. Especially, the expensive caspase-3/7 reagent should be reduced in a high throughput screening system. To solve this issue, we developed a miniaturized apoptosis assay using micropillar/microwell chips for which we tested seventy drugs (six replicates) per chip and reduced the assay volume to 1 µL. This reduced assay volume can decrease the assay costs compared to the 10–40 µL assay volumes used in 384 well plates. In our experiments, among the seventy drugs, four drugs (Cediranib, Cabozatinib, Panobinostat, and Carfilzomib) induced cell death by apoptosis. Those results were confirmed with western blot assays and proved that the chip platform could be used to identify high potency apoptosis-inducing drugs in 3D cultured cells with alginate.

Miniaturized Receptor Binding Assays: Complications Arising from Ligand Depletion

The advent of miniaturized assay formats has made possible the screening of large numbers of compounds against a single target, known as high-throughput screening. Despite this clear advantage, assay miniaturization also increases the risk of ligand depletion, where the actual concentration of free ligand is significantly lower than that added. This, in turn, complicates the interpretation of data from such assays, potentially introducing significant error if not recognized. In this study, the effects of reducing assay volume on radioligand Kd and competitor Ki values have been investigated, using the muscarinic M3 receptor as a model system. It was found that assay miniaturization caused dramatic effects, with up to a 30-fold underestimation of ligand affinity. A theoretical model was developed and shown to accurately predict both the degree of ligand depletion in any given assay volume and the effect of this depletion on affinity estimates for competing ligands. Importantly, it was found that in most cases, errors introduced by ligand depletion could be largely corrected for by the use of appropriate analysis methods. In addition to those previously described by others, the authors propose a simple method capable of correcting errors in competition binding experiments performed in conditions of ligand depletion.

Evaluating Sandwich Immunoassays in Microarray Format in Terms of the Ambient Analyte Regime

Background: Conceptionally, antibody microarrays are simply multiplexed sandwich immunoassays in a miniaturized format. However, from the amounts of capture antibodies used, it is not apparent whether such assays are ambient analyte (Ekins. Clin Chem 1998;44:2015–30) or mass-sensing devices (Silzel et al. Clin Chem 1998;44:2036–43). We evaluated multiplexed microarray sandwich assays for 24 mouse serum proteins in these terms within the boundaries of our experimental setup and based on theoretical considerations of the law of mass action. Methods: Capture antibodies for 24 mouse serum proteins were printed on planar microarray substrates. After incubation with mixtures of purified antigens for 1 or 18 h, mixtures of biotinylated detection antibodies were used. High assay sensitivity was achieved by use of resonance-light-scattering particles for signal generation. Titration curves were generated for assay volumes of 20, 40, and 80 μL, and detection limits were calculated and compared. The assays were modeled theoretically based on the amounts of capture antibodies and the assay volumes used. Results: As predicted, experimental variations of the assay volume by up to fourfold did not appreciably affect detection. Even for the most sensitive assay, <2% of the analyte molecules present in the sample were captured and generated signal at the detection limit. However, increasing the sample incubation time from 1 to 18 h on average lowered the detection limit threefold. Conclusions: In our experimental setup, all 24 sandwich microarray assays fulfill the criteria of the “ambient analyte” regime because depletion of analyte molecules from the assay volume is insignificant.

Miniaturization of Whole Live Cell-Based GPCR Assays Using Microdispensing and Detection Systems

Cell-based β-lactamase reporter gene assays designed to measure the functional responses of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) were miniaturized to less than 2 μL total assay volume in a 3456-well microplate. Studies were done to evaluate both receptor agonists and antagonists. The pharmacology of agonists and antagonists for target GPCRs originally developed in a 96-well format was recapitulated in a 3456-well microplate format without compromising data quality or EC50/IC50 precision. These assays were employed in high-throughput screening campaigns, allowing the testing of more than 150,000 compounds in 8 h. The instrumentation used and practical aspects of the assay development are discussed.

A 384-HTS for Human Factor VIIa: Comparison With 96- and 864-Well Formats

A homogenous fluorescent HTS for recombinant human factor VIIa (FVIIa) using soluble tissue factor has been developed in 384-well microplates. In this report we discuss our experiences with assay development, liquid handling using a Tomtec Quadra and Matrix PlateMate, fluorescent detection and screening of -200,000 compounds against FVIIa in 384-well plate format. Assays using the entire Helix 864-well plate were prototyped using contact dispensing with a modified Hamilton Microlab 2200. FVIIa was used as a model assay to compare between 96-, 384-, and 864-plate formats in a total assay volume of 100, 25, and 10 μl, respectively. FVIIa was assayed in 864 to the same degree of sensitivity as 384- and 96-well assays and dose-response curves for a standard inhibitor (benzamidine) in the FVIIa assay were identical in all plate formats. Finally, we review the prospects for HTS in 864-well microplates.

Homogeneous, micelle quenching fluoroimmunoassay for detecting amphetamines in urine.

We developed a homogeneous fluoroimmunoassay for detecting amphetamines in urine. Only fluorescence intensity need be measured because the emission of non-protein-bound fluorescein-labeled amphetamine is preferentially quenched by detergent micelles. In a previous reported prototype assay system for measuring gentamicin in serum we used fluorescein and dodecyl sulfate (Anal Chem 1985; 57:1928-30). We have found that favorable hydrophobic and (or) ionic character of the analyte and unfavorable polar and (or) ionic character of the fluor are important determinants of the desired interactions. An anionic detergent and fluorescein, therefore, should be appropriate for apolar of cationic analytes, such as gentamicin and amphetamines. A greater [H+] at the anionic micelle surface is important for quenching emission from the fluor moiety. Millimolar concentrations of dodecyl sulfate rapidly denature immunoglobulin unless hapten is bound with sufficiently high affinity. Affinity was sufficiently high for the antibody used in the prototype gentamicin assay but not for the amphetamine antibody. Thus for the amphetamine assay, we used a non-denaturing detergent, dodecyl(oxyethylene)12 sulfate. The assay requires 30 microL of specimen in 2 mL of total assay volume. Amphetamine(d-,dl-, and meth-), at a concentration of 1 mg per liter of urine, is readily detected.

Buffer-exchange column for rapid separation of carcinoembryonic antigen from perchloric acid.

A Sephadex G-50 medium (Pharmacia) buffer-exchange column has been developed for rapidly changing the medium for carcinoembryonic antigen from perchloric acid to acetate buffer. Analytical recovery of the extracted antigen exceeded 95%. Plasma for analysis can be so prepared and samples ready for analysis within an hour. The technique also results in uniform assay volume, thus eliminating this variable from the assay.