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Application of parallel liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for high throughput microsomal stability screening of compound libraries.

Solution-phase and solid-phase parallel synthesis and high throughput screening have enabled biologically active and selective compounds to be identified at an unprecedented rate. The challenge has been to convert these hits into viable development candidates. To accelerate the conversion of these hits into lead development candidates, early assessment of the physicochemical and pharmacological properties of these compounds is being made. In particular, in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) assays are being conducted at earlier and earlier stages of discovery with the goal of reducing the attrition rate of these potential drug candidates as they progress through development. In this report, we present an eight-channel parallel liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) system in combination with custom Visual Basic and Applescript automated data processing applications for high throughput early ADME. The parallel LC/MS system was configured with one set of gradient LC pumps and an eight-channel multiple probe autosampler. The flow was split equivalently into eight streams before the multiple probe autosampler and recombined after the eight columns and just prior to the mass spectrometer ion source. The system was tested for column-to-column variation and for reproducibility over a 17 h period (approximately 500 injections per column). The variations in retention time and peak area were determined to be less than 2 and 10%, respectively, in both tests. The parallel LC/MS system described permits time-course microsomal incubations (t(o), t5, t15, t30) to be measured in triplicate and enables estimations of t 1/2 microsomal stability. The parallel LC/MS system is capable of analyzing up to 240 samples per hour and permits the complete profiling up to two microtiter plates of compounds per day (i.e., 176 test substrate compounds + sixteen controls).

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

High-throughput assays of phagocytosis, phagosome maturation, and bacterial invasion.

Ingestion of foreign particles by macrophages and neutrophils and the fate of the vacuole that contains the ingested material are generally monitored by optical microscopy. Invasion of host cells by pathogenic bacteria and their intracellular proliferation are similarly studied by microscopy or by plating assays. These labor-intensive and time-consuming methods limit the number of assays that can be performed. The effort required to test multiple reagents or conditions can be prohibitive. We describe high-throughput assays of phagocytosis and of phagosomal maturation. An automated fluorescence microscope-based platform and associated analysis software were used to study Fcgamma receptor-mediated phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized particles by cultured murine macrophages. Phagosomal acidification was measured as an index of maturation. The same platform was similarly used to implement high-throughput assays of invasion of mammalian cells by pathogenic bacteria. The invasion of HeLa cells by Salmonella and the subsequent intracellular proliferation of the bacteria were measured rapidly and reliably in large populations of cells. These high-throughput methods are ideally suited for the efficient screening of chemical libraries to select potential drugs and of small interference RNA libraries to identify essential molecules involved in critical steps of the immune response.

Animals↗

High-throughput analysis of protein/peptide complexes by immunoprecipitation and automated LC-MS/MS.

BACKGROUND: The identification of interacting proteins within protein complexes is key to understanding the transduction and regulation of cell signaling pathways, and is also a useful tool for identifying novel disease markers. Immunoprecipitation of protein complexes followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been used to identify targets that bind to a protein of interest. Here, we report a high-throughput nanoflow LC-MS/MS method for analysis of protein/peptide complexes. APPROACH: To overcome the large dwell volume from connecting lines and the injector when using an autosampler in microcapillary LC-MS/MS, we employed a valve-controlled variable flow method with a peptide trap. This method enables fast trapping of peptides from samples injected by an autosampler within minutes followed by a split-controlled nanoflow of acetonitrile gradient through a microcapillary C18 column to separate and elute peptides into the ion-trap MS/MS. Over 40 protein/peptide samples at femtomole levels could be analyzed continuously using the same in-house packed microcapillary C18 column. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAP kinase) is a signaling protein that is involved in transduction of extracellular signals including oxidative stress, growth factors, and cytokines, with diverse cellular consequences such as cell proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis. Immunocomplex of monoclonal anti-p38 beta antibodies from 2 mg total lysates from the OCI LY-1 lymphoma cell line was resolved in 1D-PAGE gel followed by silver staining of the gel. Protein bands were excised and digested with trypsin. Peptides were extracted and analyzed using the automated LC-MS/MS method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: From 37 excised protein bands in the 1D-PAGE gel, we identified more than 50 proteins, including cytoskeletal proteins, ribosomal proteins, transcription factors, and KIAA potential signaling proteins. These proteins are the potential targets that may interact directly or indirectly with the p38 MAP kinase proteins. Our studies demonstrate the utility of automated nanoflow LC-MS/MS for sensitive and high-throughput analysis of protein/peptide complexes. Utilization of methods based on this principle would greatly facilitate peptide interaction mapping and other proteomic studies requiring high-throughput pre-analytical sample preparation.

Actins↗

High-throughput approaches for evaluating absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion properties of lead compounds.

Combinatorial chemistry methods and high-throughput screening for leads in industrial drug discovery have generated a potential bottleneck in the optimisation processes that seek to align potency with good pharmacokinetics in order to produce good medicines. This has resulted in the need for higher throughput methods of screening for absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion properties. Significant progress has been made in throughput of in vivo pharmacokinetic studies, with the introduction of cassette, or multiple-in-one, protocols. In this technique, typically up to ten compounds are administered in one dose and analysed concomitantly on the mass spectrometer. High-throughput methods in in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion are less well-developed as yet, and current approaches comprise automation of well-established methods for absorption using cell lines and metabolism using liver microsomes.

Animals↗

An Escherichia coli biosensor strain for amplified and high throughput detection of antimicrobial agents.

We report here the construction of a bacterial reporter system for high-throughput screening of antimicrobial agents. The test organism is the Escherichia coli K-12 strain carrying luciferase genes luxC, luxD, luxA, luxB, and luxE from the bioluminescent bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens in a runaway replication plasmid. The replication of the plasmid can be induced, resulting in a change of the plasmid copy number from 1-2/cell to several hundreds per cell within tens of minutes. This increase in plasmid copies is independent of the replication of the host cells. The system will therefore amplify the effects of antibiotics inhibiting bacterial replication machinery, such as fluoroquinolones, and the inhibitory effects can be measured in real time by luminometry. The biosensor was compared with a strain engineered to emit light constitutively, and it was shown to be much more sensitive to various antibiotics than conventional overnight cultivation methods. The approach shows great potential for high-throughput screening of new compounds.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

High-throughput microplate phosphorylation assays based on DevR-DevS/Rv2027c 2-component signal transduction pathway to screen for novel antitubercular compounds.

DevR-DevS (Rv3133c-Rv3132c) and DevR-Rv2027c have been established through their autophosphorylation and phospho-transfer properties to constitute bonafide regulatory 2-component systems of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. DevR has also been shown by others to play a key regulatory role in the expression of M. tuberculosis genes comprising the dormancy regulon. The authors describe high-throughput phosphorylation assays in a microplate format using DevS and Rv2027c histidine kinases and DevR response regulator proteins from M. tuberculosis. The assays were designed to measure [gamma-(32)P]ATP-dependent autophosphorylation of DevS/Rv2027c and also the phosphotransfer reaction to DevR. First, the optimal reaction conditions were established using the conventional method of radiolabeling the 2-component proteins by [gamma-(32)P]ATP and followed by gel electrophoresis-based analysis. Next, the assays were converted to a high-throughput format in which the radiolabeled protein retained on a filter using mixed cellulose ester-based 96-well filter plates was analyzed for radioactivity retention by scintillation counting. The utility of these assays to screen for inhibitors is illustrated using 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, ethidium bromide, and EDTA. The high quality and flexibility of these assays will enable their use in high-throughput screening for new antitubercular compounds directed against 2-component systems that comprise a novel target in dormant mycobacteria.

Antitubercular Agents↗

A versatile high-throughput screen for inhibitors of lipid kinase activity: development of an immobilized phospholipid plate assay for phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma.

The family of phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) regulates fundamental cellular responses such as proliferation, apoptosis, motility, and adhesion. In particular, the PI3K gamma isoform plays a critical role in the control of cell migration. Despite the attractiveness of PI3-kinases as drug targets, drug discovery efforts have been hampered by the lack of appropriate lipid kinase assay formats suitable for high-throughput screening. The authors report the development of a simple and robust 384-well plate assay that is based on(33) P-phosphate transfer from radiolabeled [gamma(33) P]ATP to phosphatidylinositol immobilized on Maxisorp plates. The established assay format for PI3K gamma was easily adapted to the automated screening platform and was successfully employed for high-throughput screening. Enzymatic and inhibition characteristics of recombinant human PI3K gamma determined with the plate assay are in very good agreement with previously reported values determined in other assay formats. Maximal catalytic activity of PI3K gamma was observed at pH 7.0. The apparent K(m) value for ATP using a 1:1 mixture of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine was determined to be 7.3 microM (6.0-8.6 microM, 95% confidence interval [CI]). IC(50) values for known PI3-kinase inhibitors were determined to be 1.45 nM (1.17-1.80 nM, 95% CI) for wortmannin and estimated from partial inhibition data to be 1400, 2830, and 21,400 nM for quercetin, LY294002, and staurosporine, respectively. This novel assay approach allows for screening of inhibitors of lipid kinases in high-throughput mode and thereby may facilitate the identification of novel inhibitory structures for drug development.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Cell-based screening: a high throughput flow cytometry platform for identification of cell-specific targeting molecules.

Targeting of drugs and genes to specific cell types is an emerging paradigm in the treatment of many medical conditions. However, targeting structures such as peptides are susceptible to rapid inactivation in vivo. To address this problem, novel targeting molecules can now be rapidly synthesized using a combinatorial approach. Methods to screen the large libraries created in this process are often lacking or compatible only with solution-based screening. This report describes a high-throughput cell-based method utilizing flow cytometry, capable of rapidly screening large libraries of molecules simultaneously for biological functionality and stability. In this method, each library molecule is attached to a microsphere exhibiting a unique set of optical properties, or "fingerprint", conferring modularity and multiplex capability. We investigated the multiplex capability of our flow cytometric method to determine its capacity for high-throughput screening. Current instrumentation in our laboratory allows the screening of at least 75 unique compounds in a single well, a number comparable to available solution-based assays. In state-of-the-art configuration, however, this methodology can support the screening of up to 1875 compounds per well, achieving high-throughput potential in a single multiwell plate. We also investigated the binding capability of targeted microspheres to adherent target cells. These microspheres exhibited a 12-fold increase in binding over control, untargeted microspheres. Competitive inhibition experiments with soluble ligand confirmed the specificity of microsphere binding. Overall, the methodology proposed here is capable of quickly and effectively screening large libraries of targeting molecules using instrumentation readily available to the greater research community.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Inverted repeat of a heterologous 3'-untranslated region for high-efficiency, high-throughput gene silencing.

This report describes a method for the easy generation of inverted repeat constructs for the silencing of genes of unknown sequence which is applicable to high-throughput studies. This improved procedure for high-efficiency gene silencing is specific for a target gene, but does not require inverted repeat DNA of the target gene in the construct. The method employs an inverted repeat of the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of a heterologous gene, and has been demonstrated using the 3'-UTR region of the nopaline synthase (nos) gene from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which is often used as the 3'-UTR for transgene constructs. In a population of independent tomato primary transformants harboring a stably integrated polygalacturonase (PG) transgene driven by a constitutive promoter and linked to an inverted repeat of the nos 3'-UTR, 51 of 56 primary transformants (91% of the population) showed highly effective post-transcriptional silencing of the PG gene, with PG mRNA abundance in ripe fruit reduced by 98% or more. The method was also effective in Arabidopsis, where two different, relatively uncharacterized plant transcription factors were also targeted effectively. This method has the advantage of ease and rapidity in preparation of the constructs, since a gene of interest can be inserted into a binary vector already containing the promoter and the inverted nos domain in a single-cloning step, and does not require any knowledge of the DNA sequence. The approach is suitable for high-throughput gene silencing studies, where it is necessary to investigate the function of hundreds to thousands of uncharacterized genes.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Development of a high-throughput quantitative assay for detecting herpes simplex virus DNA in clinical samples.

We have developed a high-throughput, semiautomated, quantitative fluorescence-based PCR assay to detect and type herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in clinical samples. The detection assay, which uses primers to the type-common region of HSV glycoprotein B (gB), was linear from <10 to 10(8) copies of HSV DNA/20 microl of sample. Among duplicate samples in reproducibility runs, the assay showed less than 5% variability. We compared the fluorescence-based PCR assay with culture and gel-based liquid hybridization system with 335 genital tract specimens from HSV type 2 (HSV-2)-seropositive persons attending a research clinic and 380 consecutive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples submitted to a diagnostic virology laboratory. Among the 162 culture-positive genital tract specimens, TaqMan PCR was positive for 157 (97%) specimens, whereas the quantitative-competitive PCR was positive for 144 (89%) specimens. Comparisons of the mean titer of HSV DNA detected by the two assays revealed that the mean titer detected by the gel-based system was slightly higher (median, 1 log). These differences in titers were in part related to the fivefold difference in the amount of HSV DNA used in the amplicon standards with the two assays. Among the 380 CSF samples, 42 were positive by both assays, 13 were positive only by the assay with the agarose gel, and 3 were positive only by the assay with the fluorescent probe. To define the subtype of HSV DNA detected in the screening assay, we also designed one set of primers which amplifies the gG regions of both types of HSV and probes which are specific to either HSV-1 (gG1) or HSV-2 (gG2). These probes were labeled with different fluorescent dyes (6-carboxyfluorescein for gG2 and 6-hexachlorofluorescein for gG1) to enable detection in a single PCR. In mixing experiments the probes discriminated the correct subtype in mixtures with up to a 7-log-higher concentration of the opposite subtype. The PCR typing results showed 100% concordance with the results obtained by assays with monoclonal antibodies against HSV-1 or HSV-2. Thus, while the real-time PCR is slightly less sensitive than the gel-based liquid hybridization system, the high throughput, the lack of contamination during processing, the better reproducibility, and the better ability to type the isolates rapidly make the real-time PCR a valuable tool for clinical investigation and diagnosis of HSV infection.

DNA, Viral↗

One step further towards real high-throughput functional genomics.

In a recent paper by Michiels et al. an important step was made towards genuine high throughput functional genomics. The authors produced an arrayed adenoviral library containing >120000 cDNAs isolated from human placenta. This library can be used for arrayed transduction of cell lines in phenotypic assays and to screen for genes involved in the induction of any phenotype for which a robust high-throughput assay can be designed.

Adenoviridae↗

From cDNA microarrays to high-throughput proteomics. Implications in the search for preventive initiatives to slow the clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease dementia.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting as many as four million elderly people. lt results from abnormal changes in the brain that most likely begin long before cognitive impairment and other clinical symptoms become apparent. Little is known about the changes preceding or accompanying initiation of the disease. Using cDNA microarray, we previously reported candidate gene products whose expression is altered in the cerebral cortex of cases at risk for AD dementia. However, it is possible that the cDNA microarray evidence might have underestimated post-transcriptional modifications, and as a result, provided only a partial view of the biological problem of interest. Based on this hypothesis, we initiated a series of parallel high-throughput proteomic studies. We found that, consistent with the cDNA microarray evidence, the expression of proteins involved in synaptic activities was also altered in the brains of early AD cases. These studies support the feasibility and usefulness of high-throughput cDNA and protein microarray techniques to examine the sequential changes of distinctive gene expression patterns in the brain as a function of the progression of AD dementia. Our preliminary results also support the utility of high-throughput proteomic methodologies as a means to identify novel AD biomarkers from cerebral spinal fluid and/or from serum.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Development of a quality, high throughput DNA analysis procedure for skeletal samples to assist with the identification of victims from the World Trade Center attacks.

The attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) Towers on September 11, 2001, represented the single largest terrorist-related mass fatality incident in the history of the United States. More than 2,700 individuals of varied racial and ethnic background lost their lives that day. Through the efforts of thousands of citizens, including recovery workers, medical examiners, and forensic scientists, the identification of approximately 1,500 victims had been accomplished through June 2003 (the majority of these identifications were made within the first 8-12 months). The principal role of The Bode Technology Group (Bode) in this process was to develop a quality, high throughput DNA extraction and short tandem repeat (STR) analysis procedure for skeletal elements, and to provide STR profiles to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in New York City to be used for identification of the victims. A high throughput process was developed to include electronic accessioning of samples, so that the numbering system of the OCME was maintained; rapid preparation and sampling of skeletal fragments to allow for the processing of more than 250 fragments per day; use of a 96-well format for sample extraction, DNA quantification, and STR analysis; and use of the Applied Biosystems 3100 and 3700 instrumentation to develop STR profiles. Given the highly degraded nature of the skeletal remains received by Bode, an advanced DNA extraction procedure was developed to increase the quantity of DNA recovery and reduce the co-purification of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification inhibitors. In addition, two new STR multiplexes were developed specifically for this project, which reduced the amplicon size of the STR loci, and therefore, enhanced the ability to obtain results from the most challenged of samples. In all, the procedures developed allowed for the analysis of more than 1,000 skeletal samples each week. Approximately 13,000 skeletal fragments were analyzed at least once, for a total of more than 18,000 analyses, and greater than 8,000 of the skeletal samples produced STR results (65%). The percentage of successful results was low in relation to previous mass fatality incidents involving airline disasters. However, when this same process was applied to the analysis of skeletal remains from the American Airlines Flight 587 disaster that occurred on November 12, 2001, the success rate was in line with expected results (ie, greater than 92% of the skeletal remains produced results). This illustrated the quality aspects of the procedure and the degree of degradation that had occurred for the remains of the WTC victims. For future mass fatality incidents, the quality, high throughput procedures developed by Bode will allow for more rapid DNA analysis of victim remains, more rapid identification of victims, and thus more rapid return of remains to family members.

Bone and Bones↗

A streamlined approach to high-throughput proteomics.

Proteomics has rapidly become an important tool for life science research, allowing the integrated analysis of global protein expression from a single experiment. To accommodate the complexity and dynamic nature of any proteome, researchers must use a combination of disparate protein biochemistry techniques, often a highly involved and time-consuming process. Whilst highly sophisticated, individual technologies for each step in studying a proteome are available, true high-throughput proteomics that provides a high degree of reproducibility and sensitivity has been difficult to achieve. The development of high-throughput proteomic platforms, encompassing all aspects of proteome analysis and integrated with genomics and bioinformatics technology, therefore represents a crucial step for the advancement of proteomics research. ProteomIQ (Proteome Systems) is the first fully integrated, start-to-finish proteomics platform to enter the market. Sample preparation and tracking, centralized data acquisition and instrument control, and direct interfacing with genomics and bioinformatics databases are combined into a single suite of integrated hardware and software tools, facilitating high reproducibility and rapid turnaround times. This review will highlight some features of ProteomIQ, with particular emphasis on the analysis of proteins separated by 2D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Automation↗

A high-throughput nonisotopic protein truncation test.

Nonsense or frameshift mutations, which result in a truncated gene product, are prevalent in a variety of disease-related genes, including APC (implicated in colorectal cancer), BRCA1 and BRCA2 (breast and ovarian cancer), PKD1 (polycystic kidney disease), NF1 and NF2 (neurofibromatosis), and DMD (Duchenne muscular dystrophy). Such chain-truncating mutations can be detected using the protein truncation test (PTT). This test is based on cell-free transcription and translation of either PCR-amplified portions of the target gene or RT-PCR amplified target mRNA, followed by analysis of the product(s) for shortened polypeptide fragments. However, conventional PTT is not easily adapted to high-throughput applications because it involves SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography or western blotting. It is also subject to human error, as it relies on visual inspection to detect the mobility of shifted bands. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a high-throughput solid-phase protein truncation test (HTS-PTT). HTS-PTT uses a combination of misaminoacylated tRNAs, which incorporate affinity tags for surface capture of the cell-free expressed protein fragments, and specially designed PCR primers, which introduce N- and C-terminal markers for measuring the relative level of shortened polypeptides produced by the chain-truncation mutation. After cell-free translation of the protein fragments, capture and detection are accomplished in a single well using a standard 96-well microtiter plate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format and chemiluminescence readout. We demonstrate the use of the technique to detect chain-truncation mutations in the APC gene using DNA or RNA from cancer cell lines as well as DNA of individuals diagnosed with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). HTS-PTT can also provide a high-throughput method for noninvasive colorectal cancer screening when used in conjunction with methods of enriching and amplifying low-abundance mutant DNA.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

High-throughput screening of pKa values of pharmaceuticals by pressure-assisted capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry.

A high-throughput pKa screening method based on pressure-assisted capillary electrophoresis (CE) and mass spectrometry (MS) is presented. Effects of buffer type and ionic strength on sensitivity and pKa values were investigated. Influence of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) concentration present in the sample on effective mobility measurement was examined. A series of ten volatile buffers, covering a pH range from 2.5 to 10.5 with the same ionic strength, was employed. The application of volatile background electrolytes resulted in significant signal increase as compared with commonly used non-volatile phosphate buffers. In general, the CE/MS system provided a ten-fold higher sensitivity than conventional UV detection. The newly developed CE/MS method offers high-throughput capacity by pooling a number of compounds into a single sample. Simultaneous measurement of more than 50 compounds was readily achieved in less than 150 min. The measured pKa values are consistent with the published data obtained from the CE/UV method and are also in good agreement with data generated by other methods. Other advantages of using CE/MS for pKa screening are illustrated with typical examples, including poorly soluble compounds and non-UV-absorbing compounds.

Algorithms↗

High-throughput measurements of biochemical responses using the plate::vision multimode 96 minilens array reader.

The plate::vision is a high-throughput multimode reader capable of reading absorbance, fluorescence, fluorescence polarization, time-resolved fluorescence, and luminescence. Its performance has been shown to be quite comparable with other readers. When the reader is integrated into the plate::explorer, an ultrahigh-throughput screening system with event-driven software and parallel plate-handling devices, it becomes possible to run complicated assays with kinetic readouts in high-density microtiter plate formats for high-throughput screening. For the past 5 years, we have used the plate::vision and the plate::explorer to run screens and have generated more than 30 million data points. Their throughput, performance, and robustness have speeded up our drug discovery process greatly.

Absorption↗

High-throughput enzyme assay on a multichannel microchip using optically gated sample introduction.

To meet the requirements for high-throughput screening for drug discovery research, it is very important to develop techniques with the ability of performing multiple enzyme assays simultaneously. Using optically gated sample introduction on a multichannel microchip, multiple enzyme assays have been demonstrated in four parallel channels. The hydrolysis of fluorescein mono-beta-D-galactopyranoside by beta-galactosidase and the inhibition of this reaction by the competitive inhibitor phenylethyl beta-D-thiogalactoside were initially studied to determine the effect of system movement using the voice coil actuator on the enzyme assay reaction. The results from these two studies are consistent with the results from the assay using a single-channel microchip, and they demonstrate that the system using optically gated sample introduction on multichannel microchip can be used to perform multiple enzyme assays. Three unique enzyme assays were also performed in different channels, which show this technique could be competitive for high-throughput screening in drug discovery with other traditional techniques.

Animals↗