High-Resolution Respirometry to Assess Bioenergetics in Cells and Tissues Using Chamber- and Plate-Based Respirometers

Summary

Assessing oxidative phosphorylation using high-resolution respirometers has become an integral part of the functional analysis of mitochondria and cellular energy metabolism. Here, we present protocols for the analysis of cellular energy metabolism using chamber and microplate-based high-resolution respirometers and discuss the key benefits of each device.

Abstract

High-resolution respirometry (HRR) allows monitoring oxidative phosphorylation in real-time for analysis of individual cellular energy states and assessment of respiratory complexes using diversified substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration (SUIT) protocols. Here, the usage of two high-resolution respirometry devices is demonstrated, and a basic collection of protocols applicable for the analysis of cultured cells, skeletal and heart muscle fibers, and soft tissues such as the brain and liver are presented. Protocols for cultured cells and tissues are provided for a chamber-based respirometer and cultured cells for a microplate-based respirometer, both encompassing standard respiration protocols. For comparative purposes, CRISPR-engineered HEK293 cells deficient in mitochondrial translation causing multiple respiratory system deficiency are used with both devices to demonstrate cellular defects in respiration. Both respirometers allow for comprehensive measurement of cellular respiration with their respective technical merits and suitability dependent on the research question and model under study.

Introduction

Mitochondria fulfill the key provision of energy and are a compartmentalized organelle contributing to essential cellular bioenergetic and metabolic processes such as anabolism of nucleotides, lipids and amino acids, iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis and are implicated in signaling such as controlled cell death^1,2,3. Mitochondrial bioenergetics through oxidative phosphorylation contributes to almost all cellular processes within the cell, and consequently, mitochondrial dysfunctions of primary or secondary origin are associated with a wide spectrum of disease conditions

Protocol

All animal experimentation is performed in accordance with the National Animal Experiment Review Board and Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland. Male C57BL/6JOlaHsd mice (4-6 months-old) were used in this study. Consent for the use of human cell lines was obtained from the institutional ethics committee of the University of Helsinki.

1. High-resolution respirometry: Chamber-based respirometer (cHRR)

NOTE: The experiments in this section of the protocol were performed using the Oroboros O2k-Core: Oxygraph-2k (Table of Materials)

1. Calibration of oxyg....

Results

Here, we provide protocols to determine the mitochondrial bioenergetics in eukaryotic cells, non-fibrous tissue (e.g., cerebellum), and fibrous tissue (e.g., skeletal muscle). For eukaryotic cells, HEK293 with CRISPR-engineered knockout of two different proteins associated with mitochondrial translation resulting in multiple (CRISPR^KO1) and severe/complete OXPHOS deficiency (CRISPR^KO2) were measured with either cHRR (Figure 3A-C) or mHR.......

Discussion

Traditionally, mitochondrial bioenergetics has been studied with Clark-type oxygen electrodes. A lack of resolution and throughput, however, warranted for technological advancement. To date, the O2k (referred to as cHRR) and Seahorse XF96 Flux Analyzer (referred to as mHRR) have been widely adopted in the field of cellular bioenergetics. Here, we present a comprehensible collection of protocols for the analysis of cellular energy metabolism via assessment of mitochondrial respiration using either cHRR or mHRR, discu.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
2 mL Potter-Elvehjem Glass/PTFE Tissue Grinder/Homogenizer	Omni International	07-358029
95% O2, 5% CO2 medical gas mixture			Potter for tissue grinding
ADP	Sigma	A 4386
Antimycin A	Sigma	A 8674	Chemical
Ascorbate	Merck	PHR1279-1G	Chemical, dissolve in ethanol
BSA (fatty accid free)	Sigma	A 6003	Chemical
CaCO3	Sigma	C 4830	Chemical
Cytochrome c	Sigma	C 7752	Chemical
Digitonin	Sigma	D 5628	Chemical
Dithiothreitol	Sigma	D 0632	Chemical, dissolve in DMSO
D-Sucrose	Roth	4621.1	Chemical
Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (High glucose)	Fisher Scientific	41965-039	Chemical
Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (No Glucose)	Fisher Scientific	A14430-01
EGTA	Sigma	E 4378
Etomoxir	Sigma	E1905	Chemical
Falcon 15 ml Conical Centrifuge Tubes	Fisher Scientific	AM12500	Chemical
Falcon 50 ml Conical Centrifuge Tubes	Fisher Scientific	AM12501
FCCP	Sigma	C 2920
Glucose	Sigma	G7021	Chemical, dissolve in ethanol
Glutamate	Sigma	G 1626	Chemical
GlutaMax (100x) (200 nM L-alanyl-L-glutamine dipeptide)	Fisher Scientific	35050061	Chemical
HEK293 cells	ATTC	CRL-1573
Hemocytometer	Fisher Scientific	0267151B	Instrument for cell counting
Hepes	Sigma	H 7523	Chemical
Imidazole	Fluka	56750	Chemical
KCl	Merck	1.04936	Chemical
L-carnitine	Sigma	C0283	Chemical
Malate	Sigma	M 1000	Chemical
MES hydrate	Sigma	M8250	Chemical
MgCl2	Sigma	M 9272	Chemical
Na2ATP	Sigma	A 2383	Chemical
Na2Phosphocreatine	Sigma	P 7936	Chemical
Na-pyruvate (100 mM) (100x)	Fisher Scientific	11360070
NEAA (Non-essential amino acids) 100x	Fisher Scientific	11140035
Normal FBS (10x)	Fisher Scientific	10500064
O2k-Core: Oxygraph-2k	Oroboros Instruments	10000-02	High-resolution respirometry instrument
O2k-Titration Set	Oroboros Instruments	20820-03	Hamilton syringes for chemical injections
Oligomycin	Sigma	O 4876	Chemical, dissolve in ethanol
Palmitoylcarnitine	Sigma	P 4509	Chemical
Penicillin-Streptomycin	Fisher Scientific	15140122
Pierce BCA Protein Assay Kit	Fisher Scientific	23227
Pyruvate	Sigma	P 2256	Chemical
RIPA-Buffer	Fisher Scientific	89900	Chemical
Rotenone	Sigma	R 8875	Chemical, dissolve in ethanol
Saponin	Sigma	S7900	Chemical
Seahorse XF DMEM assay medium pack, pH 7.4	Agilent, Santa Clara, CA	103680-100
Seahorse XFe96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer	Agilent, Santa Clara, CA		High-throughput respirometry instrument
Seahorse XFe96 FluxPak	Agilent, Santa Clara, CA		Includes assay plates, cartridges, loading guides for transferring compounds to the assay cartridge, and calibrant solution.
Small scissors	Fisher Scientific	08-951-20
Sodium azide	Sigma	S2002	Chemical
Succinate	Sigma	S 2378	Chemical
Taurine	Sigma	T 8691	Chemical
TMPD	Sigma	T 3134	Chemical
Trypan Blue solution	Merck	72-57-1	Chemical
Trypsin 0.25% EDTA	Fisher Scientific	25200056
Two thin-edged forceps	Fisher Scientific	12-000-122
Uridine stock (500x)	Sigma	U3750	Chemical