Utilizing pHluorin-tagged Receptors to Monitor Subcellular Localization and Trafficking

Summary

Labeling the extracellular domain of a membrane protein with a pH sensitive fluorophore, superecliptic pHluorin (SEP), allows subcellular localization, expression, and trafficking to be determined. Imaging SEP-labeled proteins with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) enables the quantification of protein levels in the peripheral ER and plasma membrane.

Abstract

Understanding membrane protein trafficking, assembly, and expression requires an approach that differentiates between those residing in intracellular organelles and those localized on the plasma membrane. Traditional fluorescence-based measurements lack the capability to distinguish membrane proteins residing in different organelles. Cutting edge methodologies transcend traditional methods by coupling pH-sensitive fluorophores with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM). TIRF illumination excites the sample up to approximately 150 nm from the glass-sample interface, thus decreasing background, increasing the signal to noise ratio, and enhancing resolution. The excitation volume in TIRFM encompasses the plasma membrane and nearby organelles such as the peripheral ER. Superecliptic pHluorin (SEP) is a pH sensitive version of GFP. Genetically encoding SEP into the extracellular domain of a membrane protein of interest positions the fluorophore on the luminal side of the ER and in the extracellular region of the cell. SEP is fluorescent when the pH is greater than 6, but remains in an off state at lower pH values. Therefore, receptors tagged with SEP fluoresce when residing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or upon insertion in the plasma membrane (PM) but not when confined to a trafficking vesicle or other organelles such as the Golgi. The extracellular pH can be adjusted to dictate the fluorescence of receptors on the plasma membrane. The difference in fluorescence between TIRF images at neutral and acidic extracellular pH for the same cell corresponds to a relative number of receptors on the plasma membrane. This allows a simultaneous measurement of intracellular and plasma membrane resident receptors. Single vesicle insertion events can also be measured when the extracellular pH is neutral, corresponding to a low pH trafficking vesicle fusing with the plasma membrane and transitioning into a fluorescent state. This versatile technique can be exploited to study localization, expression, and trafficking of membrane proteins.

Introduction

Changes in receptor expression, distribution, and assembly have been connected to a wide variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cystic fibrosis, and drug addiction^1,2,3,4,5. For example, nicotine and other nicotinic ligands influence the trafficking of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) leading to changes in trafficking, expression, and upregulation^1,2,5,....

Protocol

1. Cell Culture and Transfection

1. Maintain mouse neuroblastoma 2a (N2a) cells in growth media.
   1. Make 500 ml N2a growth media from 200 ml Dulbecco's Eagle medium (DMEM) with high glucose, 250 ml reduced serum media, 50 ml fetal bovine serum (FBS), and 5 ml penicillin/streptomycin (100x).
   2. Maintain cells in a T75 flask at 37 °C in a 5% CO₂ incubator.
   3. Split cells 1:15 when necessary, or at approximately 80-90% confluency. This is typically 2-3 times a week.
2. Coat 35 mm glass bottom dish with poly-D-lysine.
   1. In a laminar flow biosafety cabinet....

Results

SEP incorporation into a receptor allows direct detection of that receptor in a live cell. Coupled with TIRFM, this allows the evaluation of the relative expression levels on the plasma membrane and the distribution of receptors within the subcellular locations in the region of TIRF excitation. Single vesicle trafficking events can also be resolved.

Relative Expression Levels of SEP-labeled Receptors on Plasma Membrane

Discussion

The pH sensitivity of SEP enables receptors residing on the plasma membrane to be distinguished from intracellular receptors in the endoplasmic reticulum, and it can be used to resolve insertion events of receptor-carrying vesicles^{5,7,8,9,18,19,20}. Several techniques including surface biotin.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Reagent/Material
Cell Culture Flasks with Filter Cap, Sterile, Greiner Bio One, 75 cm2	VWR	82050-856
35 mm glass bottom Petri dishes, sterile	Cell E&G	GBD00002-200
Poly-D-lysine	vwr	215017510
Dulbecco Modified Eagle Medium‎ (DMEM), High Glucose	Fisher Scientific	11-965-084
Opti-MEM I Reduced Serum Medium	Gibco / Fisher Scientific	31-985-088
Fetal Bovine Serum, Certified, US Origin, Standard (Sterile-Filtered)	Gibco / Fisher Scientific	16-000-044
TrypLE Express Enzyme (1x), no phenol red	Fisher Scientific	12604-021
Penicillin-Streptomycin Solution	VWR	45000-652
Leibovitz's L-15 Medium, no phenol red	Gibco / Fisher Scientific	21083027	Optional
Lipofectamine	Fisher Scientific	11668030	Gently mix; Do not vortex
Sodium chloride	Fisher Scientific	BP358-1
Potassium chloride	Fisher Scientific	P217-10
Magnesium chloride	Fisher Scientific	BP214-500
Calcium chloride	Fisher Scientific	C79-500
HEPES	Fisher Scientific	BP310-500
D-Glucose	Fisher Scientific	D16-1
Objective immersion oil	Olympus	Type F
Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Equipment
Microscope	Olympus	IX81
Camera	Andor	iXon Ultra 897
60X, 1.49 NA oil immersion objective	Olympus	APON 60XOTIRF
Motorized stage	Prior	IXPROXY
Motorized actuator (stepper motor)	Thorlabs	ZST213
MetaMorph (or other imaging program)	Metamorph
488 nm laser	Market Tech
Single mode fiber	Thorlabs	SM450
Mirrors	Thorlabs	BB1-E01
Dichroic 488 nm LP	Semrock	Di02-R488-25x36
Bandpass filter, 488 nm	Semrock	LL01-488-12.5
Bandpass filter, 525/50	Semrock	FF03-525/50-25