Visualization of Caspase Activation in Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophages

Published: August 31, 2023

Abstract

Source: Bolívar, B. E., et. al., Visualization of Inflammatory Caspases Induced Proximity in Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophages. J. Vis. Exp. (2022).

This video demonstrates the activation of caspase proteins in human macrophages using bimolecular fluorescence complementation reporter proteins. The pro-domains of caspase-1 are fused with non-fluorescent fragments of Venus proteins, which are recruited to inflammasome complexes. The proximity of inflammasomes induces the refolding and fluorescence of Venus fragments, confirming caspase activation in the macrophages.

Protocol

All procedures involving human participants have been performed in compliance with the institutional, national, and international guidelines for human welfare and have been reviewed by the local institutional review board. 1. Isolation of human monocytes and differentiation into macrophages Obtain anticoagulated blood from de-identified healthy individuals at a regional blood bank and isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as indicated below. <st…

Representative Results

Figure 1: Schematic overview of the experimental workflow. Figure 2: Differentiation of CD14-monocytes and transfection of human MDM. (A) Representative bright-field images of CD14+ monocytes from peripheral…

Materials

48-well tissue culture2:34 plates Genesee Scientific 25-108
10 cm Tissue Culture Dishes VWR 25382-166
2 Mercaptoethanol 1000x Thermo Fisher Scientific 21985023
8-well chambered coverglass with 1.5 HP coverglass Cellvis c8-1.5H-N
AutoMACS columns Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-021-101 For automated separation using AutoMACS Pro Separator only
AutoMACS Pro Separator Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-092-545 For automated separation using AutoMACS Pro Separator only
AutoMACS Pro Washing Solution Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-092-987 For automated separation using AutoMACS Pro Separator only
AutoMACS Rinsing Solution Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-091-222 For automated separation using AutoMACS Pro Separator only
AutoMacs running buffer Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-091-221 For manual or automated separation using QuadroMACS or AutoMACS pro Separator
Axio Observer Z1 motorized inverted microscope equipped with a CSU-X1A 5000 spinning disk unit Zeiss Any confocal microscope equipped with a laser module fitted with laser lines of 568 nm (RFP) and 488 or 512 nm (GFP or YFP) wavelengths can be used
AxioObserver A1, Research-Grade Inverted Microscope Zeiss Any epifluorescence microscope with fluorescence filters capable of exciting 568 nm (RFP) and 488 or 512 nm (GFP or YFP) wavelengths can be used
CD14+ MICROBEADS Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-050-201 For manual or automated separation using QuadroMACS or AutoMACS pro Separator
DPBS without calcium chloride and magnesium chloride Sigma D8537-6x500ML
DsRed mito plasmid Clontech 632421 Similar plasmids that can be used as fluorescent reporters can be found on Addgene
Fetal Bovine Serum Thermo Fisher Scientific 10437028
Ficoll-Paque PLUS 6 x 100 mL Sigma GE17-1440-02
GlutaMAX Supplement (100x) Thermo Fisher Scientific 35050079
GM-CSF Thermo Fisher Scientific PHC2011
Hemin BioXtra, from Porcine, INSERT CHARACTR96.0% (HPLC) Sigma 51280-1G
HEPES Thermo Fisher Scientific 15630106
Inflammatory caspase BiFC plasmids Available by request from LBH lab
LPS-EB Ultrapure Invivogen TLRL-3PELPS
LS Columns Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-042-401 For manual separation using QuadroMACS Separator only
MACS 15 mL Tube Rack Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-091-052 For manual separation using QuadroMACS Separator only
MACS MultiStand Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-042-303 For manual separation using QuadroMACS Separator only
mCherry plasmid Yungpeng Wang Lab Similar plasmids that can be used as fluorescent reporters can be found on Addgene
Neon Transfection System Thermo Fisher Scientific MPK5000 Includes Neon electroporation device, pipette and pipette station
Neon Transfection System 10 µL Kit Thermo Fisher Scientific MPK1096 Includes resuspension buffer R, resuspension buffer T, electrolytic buffer E, 96 x 10 µL Neon tips and Neon electroporation tubes
Nigericin sodium salt, ready made solution Sigma SML1779-1ML
Penicillin-Streptomycin (10,000 U/mL) Thermo Fisher Scientific 15140122
Poly-D-Lysine Hydrobromide Sigma P7280-5mg
QuadroMACS Separator Miltenyi (Biotec) 130-090-976 For manual separation using QuadroMACS Separator only
qVD-OPh Fisher (ApexBio) 50-101-3172
RPMI 1640 Medium Thermo Fisher Scientific 11875119
Trypsin-EDTA (0.25%), phenol red Thermo Fisher Scientific 25200072
UltraPure 0.5 M EDTA, pH 8.0 Thermo Fisher Scientific 15575020

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Citer Cet Article
Visualization of Caspase Activation in Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophages. J. Vis. Exp. (Pending Publication), e21616, doi: (2023).

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