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Articles by Sherree L. Friend in JoVE

 JoVE Bioengineering

Analyzing Cellular Internalization of Nanoparticles and Bacteria by Multi-spectral Imaging Flow Cytometry


JoVE 3884 6/08/2012

1Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, 2Amnis Corporation, 3Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University

In this article, we describe a method utilizing multi-spectral imaging flow cytometry to quantify the internalization of polyanhydride nanoparticles or bacteria by RAW 264.7 cells.

Other articles by Sherree L. Friend on PubMed

Acute Phase Protein Concentrations in Dogs with Nasal Disease

The concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A, haptoglobin (Hp) and α(1)-acid glycoprotein were measured in dogs with clinical signs of nasal disease and compared with those of healthy dogs in order to determine the expression of these proteins in cases of canine nasal disease. A significant difference (P<0.001) between the symptomatic group and the control group was found for both CRP and Hp. Among the animals with nasal disease, a significant intergroup difference (P<0.05) was found in the expression of Hp between dogs with aspergillosis and those with chronic rhinitis.

MiR-451 Protects Against Erythroid Oxidant Stress by Repressing 14-3-3zeta

The bicistronic microRNA (miRNA) locus miR-144/451 is highly expressed during erythrocyte development, although its physiological roles are poorly understood. We show that miR-144/451 ablation in mice causes mild erythrocyte instability and increased susceptibility to damage after exposure to oxidant drugs. This phenotype is deeply conserved, as miR-451 depletion synergizes with oxidant stress to cause profound anemia in zebrafish embryos. At least some protective activities of miR-451 stem from its ability to directly suppress production of 14-3-3zeta, a phospho-serine/threonine-binding protein that inhibits nuclear accumulation of transcription factor FoxO3, a positive regulator of erythroid anti-oxidant genes. Thus, in miR-144/451(-/-) erythroblasts, 14-3-3zeta accumulates, causing partial relocalization of FoxO3 from nucleus to cytoplasm with dampening of its transcriptional program, including anti-oxidant-encoding genes Cat and Gpx1. Supporting this mechanism, overexpression of 14-3-3zeta in erythroid cells and fibroblasts inhibits nuclear localization and activity of FoxO3. Moreover, shRNA suppression of 14-3-3zeta protects miR-144/451(-/-) erythrocytes against peroxide-induced destruction, and restores catalase activity. Our findings define a novel miRNA-regulated pathway that protects erythrocytes against oxidant stress, and, more generally, illustrate how a miRNA can influence gene expression by altering the activity of a key transcription factor.

Development of Monoclonal Antibodies to Recombinant Terrelysin and Characterization of Expression in Aspergillus Terreus

Aspergillus terreus is an emerging pathogen that mostly affects immunocompromised patients with infections that are often difficult to manage therapeutically. Current diagnostic strategies are limited to the detection of fungal growth using radiological methods or biopsy that often does not enable species-specific identification. As a result, there is a critical need for diagnostic techniques to enable early and specific identification of the causative agent. In this study, we describe monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) developed to a previously described recombinant terrelysin. Sixteen hybridomas of various IgG isotypes were generated to the recombinant protein, of which seven demonstrated reactivity to the native protein in hyphal extracts. Cross-reactivity analysis using hyphal extracts from 29 fungal species, including 12 Aspergillus species and 5 different strains of A. terreus showed that 3 mAbs (13G10, 15B5 and 10G4) were A. terreus-specific. Epitope analysis demonstrated mAbs 13G10 and 10G4 recognize the same epitope 'PSNEFE', while mAb 15B5 recognized the epitope 'LYEGQFHS'. Time course studies showed that terrelysin expression was highest during early hyphal growth and dramatically reduced after mycelial expansion. Immunolocalization studies demonstrated that terrelysin is localized not only within the cytoplasm of hyphae but appeared to be more abundant at the hyphal tip. These findings were confirmed in cultures grown at room temperature as well as at 37°C. Additionally, terrelysin was detected in the supernatant of A. terreus cultures. These observations suggest terrelysin may be a candidate biomarker for A. terreus infection.

Sequential Energy and Electron Transfer in Polyisocyanopeptide-based Multichromophoric Arrays

We report on the synthesis and detailed photo-physical investigation of four model chromophore side chain polyisocyanopeptides: two homopolymers of platinum-porphyrin functionalized polyisocyanopeptides (Pt-porphyrin-PIC) and perylene-bis(dicarboximide) functionalized polyisocyanopeptides (PDI-PIC), and two statistical copolymers with different ratios of Pt-porphyrin and PDI molecules attached to a rigid, helical polyisocyanopeptide backbone. (1)H NMR and circular dichroism measurements confirm that our model compounds retain a chiral architecture in the presence of the chromophores. The combination of Pt-porphyrin and PDI chromophores allows charge- and/or energy transfer to happen. We observe the excitation and relaxation pathways for selective excitation of the Pt-porphyrin and PDI chromophores. Studies of photoluminescence and transient absorption on nanosecond and picosecond scales upon excitation of Pt-porphyrin chromophores in our multichromophoric assemblies show similar photophysical features to those of the Pt-porphyrin monomers. In contrast, excitation of perylene chromophores results in a series of energy and charge transfer processes with the Pt-porphyrin group and forms additional charge-transfer states, which behave as an intermediate state that facilitates electronic coupling in these multichromophoric systems.

Paper-based Microfluidic Surface Acoustic Wave Sample Delivery and Ionization Source for Rapid and Sensitive Ambient Mass Spectrometry

A surface acoustic wave-based sample delivery and ionization method that requires minimal to no sample pretreatment and that can operate under ambient conditions is described. This miniaturized technology enables real-time, rapid, and high-throughput analysis of trace compounds in complex mixtures, especially high ionic strength and viscous samples that can be challenging for conventional ionization techniques such as electrospray ionization. This technique takes advantage of high order surface acoustic wave (SAW) vibrations that both manipulate small volumes of liquid mixtures containing trace analyte compounds and seamlessly transfers analytes from the liquid sample into gas phase ions for mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Drugs in human whole blood and plasma and heavy metals in tap water have been successfully detected at nanomolar concentrations by coupling a SAW atomization and ionization device with an inexpensive, paper-based sample delivery system and mass spectrometer. The miniaturized SAW ionization unit requires only a modest operating power of 3 to 4 W and, therefore, provides a viable and efficient ionization platform for the real-time analysis of a wide range of compounds.

Monoclonal Antibodies to Hyphal Exoantigens Derived from the Opportunistic Pathogen Aspergillus Terreus

Aspergillus terreus has been difficult to identify in cases of aspergillosis, and clinical identification has been restricted to the broad identification of aspergillosis lesions in affected organs or the detection of fungal carbohydrates. As a result, there is a clinical need to identify species-specific biomarkers that can be used to detect invasive A. terreus disease. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were developed to a partially purified preparation of cytolytic hyphal exoantigens (HEA) derived from A. terreus culture supernatant (CSN). Twenty-three IgG1 isotype murine MAbs were developed and tested for cross-reactivity against hyphal extracts of 54 fungal species. Sixteen MAbs were shown to be specific for A. terreus. HEA were detected in conidia, hyphae, and in CSN of A. terreus. HEA were expressed in high levels in the hyphae during early stages of A. terreus growth at 37°C, whereas at room temperature the expression of HEA peaked by days 4 to 5. Expression kinetics of HEA in CSN showed a lag, with peak levels at later time points at room temperature and 37°C than in hyphal extracts. Serum spiking experiments demonstrated that human serum components do not inhibit detection of the HEA epitopes by MAb enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Immunoprecipitation and proteomic analysis demonstrated that MAbs 13E11 and 12C4 immunoprecipitated a putative uncharacterized leucine aminopeptidase (Q0CAZ7), while MAb 19B2 recognized a putative dipeptidyl-peptidase V (DPP5). Studies using confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the uncharacterized leucine aminopeptidase mostly localized to extracellular matrix structures while dipeptidyl-peptidase V was mostly confined to the cytoplasm.

Predictive Genes in Adjacent Normal Tissue Are Preferentially Altered by SCNV During Tumorigenesis in Liver Cancer and May Rate Limiting

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) genes predictive of survival have been found in both adjacent normal (AN) and tumor (TU) tissues. The relationships between these two sets of predictive genes and the general process of tumorigenesis and disease progression remains unclear.

The Role of Driving Energy and Delocalized States for Charge Separation in Organic Semiconductors

The electron-hole pair created via photon absorption in organic photoconversion systems must overcome the Coulomb attraction to achieve long-range charge separation. We show that this process is facilitated through the formation of excited, delocalized band states. In our experiments on organic photovoltaic cells, these states were accessed for a short time(<1 ps) via IR optical excitation of electron-hole pairs bound at the heterojunction. Atomistic modelling showed that the IR photons promote bound charge pairs to delocalized band states, similar to those formed just after singlet exciton dissociation, which indicates that such states act as the gateway for charge separation. Our results suggest that charge separation in efficient organic photoconversion systems occurs through hot-state charge delocalization rather than energy-gradient-driven intermolecular hopping.

On the Role of Single Regiodefects and Polydispersity in Regioregular Poly(3-hexylthiophene): Defect Distribution, Synthesis of Defect-free Chains, and a Simple Model for the Determination of Crystallinity

Identifying structure formation in semicrystalline conjugated polymers is the fundamental basis to understand electronic processes in these materials. Although correlations between physical properties, structure formation, and device parameters of regioregular, semicrystalline poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) have been established, it has remained difficult to disentangle the influence of regioregularity, polydispersity, and molecular weight. Here we show that the most commonly used synthetic protocol for the synthesis of P3HT, the living Kumada catalyst transfer polycondensation (KCTP) with Ni(dppp)Cl(2) as the catalyst, leads to regioregular chains with one single tail-to-tail (TT) defect distributed over the whole chain, in contrast to the hitherto assumed exclusive location at the chain end. NMR end-group analysis and simulations are used to quantify this effect. A series of entirely defect-free P3HT materials with different molecular weights is synthesized via new, soluble nickel initiators. Data on structure formation in defect-free P3HT, as elucidated by various calorimetric and scattering experiments, allow the development of a simple model for estimating the degree of crystallinity. We find very good agreement for predicted and experimentally determined degrees of crystallinities as high as ∼70%. For Ni(dppp)Cl(2)-initiated chains comprising one distributed TT unit, the comparison of simulated crystallinities with calorimetric and optical measurements strongly suggests incorporation of the TT unit into the crystal lattice, which is accompanied by an increase in backbone torsion. Polydispersity is identified as a major parameter determining crystallinity within the molecular weight range investigated. We believe that the presented approach and results not only contribute to understanding structure formation in P3HT but are generally applicable to other semicrystalline conjugated polymers as well.

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