Combining Multiplex Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization with Fluorescent Immunohistochemistry on Fresh Frozen or Fixed Mouse Brain Sections

Summary

This protocol describes a method for combining fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and fluorescence immunohistochemistry (IHC) in both fresh frozen and fixed mouse brain sections, with the goal of achieving multilabel FISH and fluorescence IHC signal. IHC targeted cytoplasmic and membrane attached proteins.

Abstract

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) is a molecular technique that identifies the presence and spatial distribution of specific RNA transcripts within cells. Neurochemical phenotyping of functionally identified neurons usually requires concurrent labelling with multiple antibodies (targeting protein) using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and optimization of in situ hybridization (targeting RNA), in tandem. A "neurochemical signature" to characterize particular neurons may be achieved however complicating factors include the need to verify FISH and IHC targets before combining the methods, and the limited number of RNAs and proteins that may be targeted simultaneously within the same tissue section.

Here we describe a protocol, using both fresh frozen and fixed mouse brain preparations, which detects multiple mRNAs and proteins in the same brain section using RNAscope FISH followed by fluorescence immunostaining, respectively. We use the combined method to describe the expression pattern of low abundance mRNAs (e.g., galanin receptor 1) and high abundance mRNAs (e.g., glycine transporter 2), in immunohistochemically identified brainstem nuclei.

Key considerations for protein labelling downstream of the FISH assay extend beyond tissue preparation and optimization of FISH probe labelling. For example, we found that antibody binding and labelling specificity can be detrimentally affected by the protease step within the FISH probe assay. Proteases catalyze hydrolytic cleavage of peptide bonds, facilitating FISH probe entry into cells, however they may also digest the protein targeted by the subsequent IHC assay, producing off target binding. The subcellular location of the targeted protein is another factor contributing to IHC success following FISH probe assay. We observed IHC specificity to be retained when the targeted protein is membrane bound, whereas IHC targeting cytoplasmic protein required extensive troubleshooting. Finally, we found handling of slide-mounted fixed frozen tissue more challenging than fresh frozen tissue, however IHC quality was overall better with fixed frozen tissue, when combined with RNAscope.

Introduction

Proteins and mRNAs that neurochemically define subpopulations of neurons are commonly identified with a combination of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or in situ hybridization (ISH), respectively. Combining ISH with IHC techniques facilitates the characterization of colocalization patterns unique to functional neurons (neurochemical coding) by maximizing multiplex labelling capacity.

Fluorescent ISH (FISH) methods, including RNAscope, have higher sensitivity and specificity compared to earlier RNA detection methods such as radioactive ISH and non-radioactive chromogenic ISH. FISH enables visualization of single mRNA transcripts as p....

Protocol

A summary of tissue pre-processing steps may be found in Figure 1. All procedures were carried out in compliance with the Animal Care and Ethics Committee of the University of New South Wales in accordance with the guidelines for the use and care of animals for scientific purposes (Australian National Health and Medical Research Council).

1. Sample preparation of fresh frozen brain tissue

1. Transcardial Perfusion
   1. Prepare heparinized (2500 U/L) 0.1 M phosphate buffer (PB), pH 7.5. Make dry ice ethanol slurry by mixing dry ice with ethanol. This will have a temperature of approximately −72 °....

Results

Here, we outline a method for combining multiplex FISH with fluorescent IHC to localize mRNA expression for GalR1 and GlyT2 using fresh-frozen and paraformaldehyde fixed tissues respectively in the mouse NTS. A pipeline of the tissue processing, FISH and IHC procedures described in the methods is displayed in Figure 1 and Figure 2. Table 1 provides a summary of the FISH probe and antibody combinations used in each figure.

Discussion

In the neurosciences, FISH and IHC are routinely used to investigate the spatial organization and functional significance of mRNA or proteins within neuronal subpopulations. The protocol described in this study enhances the capacity for simultaneous detection of mRNAs and proteins in brain sections. Our combined multiplex FISH-IHC assay enabled phenotypic identification of distinct neuronal subpopulations in the NTS in both fresh frozen and fixed brain preparations. FISH-IHC in fixed frozen tissue preparations produced r.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
ANIMALS
C57BL/6 mouse	Australian BioResources, Moss Vale	MGI: 2159769
Phox2b-eGFP mouse	Australian BioResources, Moss Vale	MGI: 5776545
REAGENTS
Cyanoacrylate	Loctite
Ethylene Glycol	Sigma-Aldrich	324558
Heparin-Sodium	Clifford Hallam Healthcare	1070760	Consult local veterinary supplier or pharmacy.
Lethabarb (Sodium Pentabarbitol) Euthanasia Injection	Virbac (Australia) Pty Ltd	N/A	Consult a veterinarian for local pharmaceutical regulations regarding Sodium Pentabarbitol
Molecular grade agarose powder	Sigma Aldrich	5077
OCT Compound, 118mL	Scigen Ltd	4586
Paraformaldehyde, prilled, 95%	Sigma-Aldrich	441244-1KG
Polyvinylpyrrolidone, average mol wt 40,000  (PVP-40)	Sigma-Aldrich	PVP40
ProLong Gold Antifade Mountant	Invitrogen	P36930	With or without DAPI
RNAscope Multiplex Fluorescent Reagent Kit (up to 3-plex capability)	Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Inc. (ACD Bio)	ADV320850	Includes 50x Wash buffer and Protease III
RNase Away	Thermo-Fisher Scientific	7003
Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane	Sigma-Aldrich	252859
Tween-20, for molecular biology	Sigma-Aldrich	P9416
EQUIPMENT
Benchtop incubator	Thermoline scientific micro incubator	Model: TEI-13G
Brain Matrix, Mouse, 30g Adult, Coronal, 1mm	Ted Pella	15050
Cryostat	Leica	CM1950
Drawing-up needle (23 inch gauge)	BD	0288U07
Hydrophobic Barrier Pen	Vector labs	H-4000
Kimtech Science Kimwipes Delicate Task Wipes	Kimberley Clark Professional	34120
Olympus BX51	Olympus	BX-51
Peristaltic pump	Coleparmer Masterflex	L/S Series
Retiga 2000R Digital Camera	QImaging	RET-2000R-F-CLR	colour camera
SuperFrost Plus Glass Slides (White)	Thermo-Fisher Scientific	4951PLUS4
Vibrating Microtome (Vibratome)	Leica	VT1200S
Whatman qualitative filter paper, Grade 1, 110 mm diameter	Merck	WHA1001110
SOFTWARES
CorelDRAW	Corel Corporation	Version 7
FIJI (ImageJ Distribution)	Open Source/GNU General Public Licence (GPL)	N/A	ImageJ 2.x: Rueden, C. T.; Schindelin, J. & Hiner, M. C. et al. (2017), "ImageJ2: ImageJ for the next generation of scientific image data", BMC Bioinformatics 18:529, PMID 29187165, doi:10.1186/s12859-017-1934-z   and Fiji: Schindelin, J.; Arganda-Carreras, I. & Frise, E. et al. (2012), "Fiji: an open-source platform for biological-image analysis", Nature methods 9(7): 676-682, PMID 22743772, doi:10.1038/nmeth.2019
PRIMARY ANTIBODIES
Anti-Tyrosine Hydroxylase Antibody	Millipore Sigma	AB1542	Sheep polyclonal (1:1000 dilution), RRID: AB_90755
Anti-Tyrosine Hydroxylase Antibody, clone LNC1	Millipore Sigma	MAB318	Mouse monoclonal (1:1000 dilution), RRID: AB_2201528
Anti-Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter (VAchT) Antibody	Sigma-Aldrich	ABN100	Goat polyclonal (1:1000 dilution), RRID: AB_2630394
GFP Antibody	Novus Biologicals	NB600-308	Rabbit polyclonal (1:1000 dilution), RRID: AB_10003058
Phox2b Antibody (B-11)	Santa Cruz Biotechnology	sc-376997	Mouse monoclonal (1:1000 dilution), RRID: AB_2813765
SECONDARY ANTIBODIES
Alexa Fluor 488 AffiniPure Donkey Anti-Rabbit IgG (H+L) (min X Bov, Ck, Gt, GP, Sy Hms, Hrs, Hu, Ms, Rat, Shp Sr Prot)	Jackson ImmunoResearch	711-545-152	Donkey anti-Rabbit (1:400 dilution), RRID: AB_2313584
AMCA AffiniPure Donkey Anti-Sheep IgG (H+L) (min X Ck, GP, Sy Hms, Hrs, Hu, Ms, Rb, Rat Sr Prot)	Jackson ImmunoResearch	713-155-147	Donkey anti-Sheep (1:400 dilution), RRID: AB_AB_2340725
Cy5 AffiniPure Donkey Anti-Goat IgG (H+L) (min X Ck, GP, Sy Hms, Hrs, Hu, Ms, Rb, Rat Sr Prot)	Jackson ImmunoResearch	705-175-147	Donkey anti-Goat (1:400 dilution), RRID: AB_2340415
Cy5 AffiniPure Donkey Anti-Mouse IgG (H+L) (min X Bov, Ck, Gt, GP, Sy Hms, Hrs, Hu, Rb, Rat, Shp Sr Prot)	Jackson ImmunoResearch	715-175-151	Donkey anti-Mouse (1:400 dilution), RRID: AB_2619678
Cy5 AffiniPure Donkey Anti-Sheep IgG (H+L) (min X Ck, GP, Sy Hms, Hrs, Hu, Ms, Rb, Rat Sr Prot)	Jackson ImmunoResearch	713-175-147	Donkey anti-Sheep (1:400 dilution), RRID: AB_2340730
RNASCOPE PROBES
Galanin Receptor 1 oligonucleotide probe	ACDBio	448821-C1	targets bp 482 - 1669 (Genebank ref: NM_008082.2)
Glycine transporter 2 oligonucleotide probe	ACDBio	409741-C3	targets bp 925 - 2153 (Genebank ref: NM_148931.3)
Phox2b oligonucleotide probe	ACDBio	407861-C2	targets bp 1617 - 2790 (Genebank ref: NM_008888.3)