All animal experiments conformed to national and institutional guidelines, including the Council Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament, and had full Home Office ethical approval (University of Heidelberg Animal Welfare Office and Regierungspraesidium Karlsruhe, licenses T14/21 and T13/21). Primary hippocampal and cortical neurons were prepared from newborn mouse or rat pups according to standard procedures and were maintained for 12-14 days as previously described13.
1. Preparation of solutions
Component | MW | Concentration (M) | Amount (g) | Volume (mL) |
NaCl | 58.44 | 5 | 14.61 | 50 |
KCl | 74.55 | 3 | 1.12 | 5 |
MgCl2·6H2O | 203.3 | 1.9 | 2 | 5 |
CaCl2·2H2O | 147.01 | 1 | 1.47 | 10 |
Glycine | 75.07 | 0.1 | 0.375 | 50 |
Sucrose | 342.3 | 1.5 | 25.67 | 50 |
Sodium pyruvate | 110.04 | 0.1 | 0.55 | 50 |
HEPES | 238.3 | 1 | 11.9 | 50 |
Glucose | 180.15 | 2.5 | 45 | 100 |
Table 1: Stock solutions for imaging buffer.
Component | Stock solution (M) | Final concentration (mM) | Volume (mL) |
NaCl | 5 | 114 | 2.3 |
KCl | 3 | 5.29 | 0.176 |
MgCl2 | 1.9 | 1 | 0.053 |
CaCl2 | 1 | 2 | 0.2 |
Glycine | 0.1 | 0.005 | 0.005 |
Sucrose | 1.5 | 52 | 3.5 |
Sodium pyruvate | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
HEPES | 1 | 10 | 1 |
Glucose | 2.5 | 5 | 0.2 |
Table 2: Composition of imaging buffer. The indicated volumes are used for the preparation of 100 mL of imaging buffer.
2. Loading of cells with TMRE
NOTE: In this protocol, TMRE is used in non-quench mode15 at a final concentration of 20 nM. In general, the lowest possible concentration of TMRE that still provides sufficient signal intensity on the microscope of choice should be used. Due to uneven evaporation, the volume of medium in different wells can differ in long-term primary cultures. To ensure a consistent TMRE concentration in all wells, do not add TMRE directly to the wells. Instead, replace the medium in each well with the same amount of TMRE-containing medium. The protocol below is designed for primary neurons in 24-well plates containing ~1 mL of medium per well.
3. Optimization of scanning confocal microscope settings
NOTE: This step aims to find the best compromise between image quality and cell viability during live imaging. This section describes the optimization of settings for roGFP imaging. If multiparametric imaging is performed, similar optimization, including checking for a stable baseline without signs of bleaching or phototoxicity, needs to be performed for the additional indicators.
4. Assessment of basal redox status
5. Live imaging of acute treatments
NOTE: The protocol below describes imaging of the mitochondrial redox response to NMDA treatment. Image intervals and duration of the experiment might need to be adjusted for other treatments.
6. Data analysis
Quantification of differences in steady-state mitochondrial redox state after growth factor withdrawal
To demonstrate the quantification of steady-state differences in mitochondrial redox state, primary neurons grown in standard medium were compared to neurons cultured without growth factors for 48 h before imaging. Growth factor withdrawal results in apoptotic neuronal cell death after 72 h16. Cells were imaged after 48 h to test if this is preceded by changes in mitochondrial redox state. Primary rat cortical neurons grown on poly-L-ornithine-coated coverslips were infected with rAAV-mito-Grx1-roGFP2 on days in vitro 6 (DIV6) and were imaged on DIV12. Live imaging was performed at room temperature according to section 4 of this protocol on an inverted laser scanning confocal microscope equipped with a 40x/1.10 water immersion objective. Confocal settings were pinhole 7 airy units, pixel size 568.7 nm (512 x 512 pixels), scan speed 600 Hz, laser power 405 nm 3%, laser power 488 nm 1%, emission bandwidth 505-550 nm, and frame average 4. There was no major difference between the raw 405:488 nm ratios of the two conditions (Figure 3B). After data normalization, a subset of cells with an increased 405:488 nm ratio was detectable in the growth factor withdrawal group (Figure 3C). This indicates that mitochondrial redox changes might precede neuronal cell death, and it underscores the relevance of max/min data normalization for the comparison of basal redox states between groups.
Dynamic changes in mitochondrial redox state upon treatment of neurons with NMDA
The NMDA-type glutamate receptor (NMDAR) plays a central role in neuronal plasticity but can also mediate neuronal damage and cell death. Pathological activation of the NMDAR leads to several adverse effects on mitochondria that include matrix calcium overload, mitochondrial oxidation and fragmentation, and mitochondrial permeability transition. In a previous study, the above-described protocol was used to investigate a causal relationship between NMDA-induced mitochondrial calcium overload and mitochondrial oxidation13. Primary rat hippocampal neurons grown on poly-D-lysine/laminin-coated coverslips were infected with rAAV-mito-Grx1-roGFP2 on DIV4 and imaged on DIV12. Live imaging was performed at 37 °C on an inverted spinning disc confocal microscope equipped with a 20x/0.75 multi immersion objective (water immersion was used) and an on-stage incubation system. Mito-Grx1-roGFP2 was sequentially excited every 20 s using the 405 nm and 488 nm laser lines, and emission was collected with a 527/55 nm emission filter for both excitation wavelengths. Treatment of neurons with 30 µM NMDA caused oxidation of mitochondria within a few minutes (Figure 4A,B). Notably, NMDA-induced mitochondrial acidosis caused significant quenching of roGFP2 fluorescence, in line with its well-known pH-sensitivity8. To confirm that this pH-dependent quenching did not affect the 405:488 ratio9, mitochondria were fully oxidized by DA before the addition of NMDA in a control experiment. Pretreatment with DA precludes any further oxidation of mitochondria by NMDA and, accordingly, the 405:488 ratio did not change in this experiment despite a considerable quenching of roGFP2 fluorescence intensity (Figure 4C).
Multiparametric analysis of NMDA-induced changes of dendritic mitochondria
To assess the temporal sequence of NMDA-induced changes in mitochondrial morphology, membrane potential, and redox state, parallel imaging of TMRE- and mito-Grx1-roGFP2 fluorescence was performed at high spatial and temporal resolution. Primary rat cortical neurons grown on poly-L-ornithine-coated coverslips were infected with rAAV-mito-Grx1-roGFP2 on DIV6 and imaged on DIV12. Live imaging was performed at room temperature on an inverted confocal laser scanning microscope using a 63x/1.40 oil immersion objective, a scan speed of 600 Hz, a pixel size of 90.2 nm (1024 x 1024 pixels at 2x scan zoom), a pinhole size of 3 airy units, and a frame average of 2. Every 30 s, three images were recorded in sequential mode: 405 nm excitation/505-550 nm emission; 488 nm excitation/505-550 nm emission; 552 nm excitation/560-600 nm emission. Treatment of neurons with 60 µM NMDA resulted in a loss of TMRE signal and an increase in the 405:488 nm roGFP ratio, followed by some delayed rounding up of mitochondria (Figure 5).
Figure 1: Schematic representation of Grx1-roGFP2 function and roGFP2 excitation spectra. (A) Oxidative stress and the action of antioxidant defense systems oxidize the cellular glutathione pool. Grx1 in the Grx1-roGPF2 fusion protein promotes the rapid equilibration of the roGFP2 redox state with the redox state of the glutathione pool. The redox status of the roGFP2 pool can be assessed by monitoring the ratio of GFP-fluorescence emission at 510 nm after excitation at 405 nm and 488 nm. Reduced species are shown in blue; oxidized species are shown in red. (B) Excitation spectra of fully reduced (blue) and oxidized (red) roGFP2. Upon oxidation of roGFP2, fluorescence emission at 400 nm excitation increases, whereas emission at 490 nm excitation decreases. This figure has been modified from a previous publication13. Excitation spectra in B were drawn based on Figure 1B from 8. Dotted lines in B indicate the wavelengths of commonly used 405 nm and 488 nm laser lines. Abbreviations: GSH = glutathione; GSSG = oxidized glutathione; Grx = glutaredoxin; roGFP = redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein variant. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 2: Workflow of the method. Expression of the excitation-ratiometric redox-sensitive fluorescent protein roGFP2 in neurons can be achieved through several methods that include transfection, lipofection, viral gene transfer, and transgenic animals. The sensor can be used to study the neuronal redox state in cultured primary neurons, ex vivo tissue explants, and intact animals. roGFP2 imaging can be performed on a variety of microscopes that include widefield fluorescent microscopes, confocal microscopes, and 2-photon microscopes. Analysis of roGFP2 imaging data can be performed with the freely available software ImageJ/FIJI. Abbreviation: roGFP = redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein variant. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 3: Growth factor withdrawal causes oxidation of neuronal mitochondria. (A) Representative 405:488 nm ratio images of neurons cultured in the presence (+ GF) or absence (- GF) of growth factors for 48 h before imaging. Color-coded scales represent non-normalized 405:488 nm ratios (lower ratios correspond to a reduced state; higher ratios correspond to an oxidized state). Scale bars = 50 µm. (B) Quantification of the 405:488 nm ratio in individual neurons. (C) Max/min calibrated 405:488 nm ratio of individual neurons. Round symbols represent single cells; bar represents mean. N = 40-44 cells from 3 coverslips from one preparation. Abbreviation: GF = growth factor. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 4: NMDA-induced oxidation of neuronal mitochondria. (A) Representative 405:488 nm ratio images before and after treatment with 30 µM NMDA and after max/min calibration with DA and DTT. At this magnification, roGFP signal is mostly detected in the soma and proximal dendrites. The color-coded scale represents non-normalized 405:488 nm ratios (lower ratios correspond to a reduced state; higher ratios correspond to an oxidized state). Scale bars = 50 µm. (B) Quantification of the imaging run shown in A. NMDA induces a rapid and sustained mitochondrial oxidation that can be calibrated using DA and DTT. (C) NMDA-induced mitochondrial acidosis causes a drop of GFP fluorescence upon both 405 nm and 488 nm excitation (upper panel). To isolate the pH-driven effect and confirm that the 405:488 nm ratio is pH-insensitive, neurons were first maximally oxidized using DA and subsequently challenged with NMDA in the presence of DA (lower panel). Under these conditions, NMDA still causes mitochondrial acidosis but no further mitochondrial oxidation. Accordingly, although both the 405 nm and 488 nm trace show a pH-driven drop in fluorescence intensity, the 405:488 nm ratio remains stable. This figure is modified from 13. Abbreviations: GFP = green fluorescent protein; roGFP = redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein variant; NMDA = N-methyl-D-aspartate; DA = diamide; DTT = dithiothreitol. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 5: NMDA-induced changes in membrane potential, redox state, and morphology of dendritic mitochondria. (A) Three high-magnification images from a time-lapse experiment, acquired at t = 1, 4, and 9 min, showing dendritic and axonal mitochondria. Colorization represents TMRE intensity (see calibration bar). (B) 405:488 nm roGFP ratio images from the same time-lapse experiment as in (A) at t = 1, 4, and 9 min. Note that due to limited AAV infection efficiency, only a subset of neurons expresses mito-Grx1-roGFP2, and therefore, not all TMRE-positive mitochondria are roGFP-positive. The color-coded calibration bar represents non-normalized 405:488 nm ratios (lower ratios correspond to a reduced state; higher ratios correspond to an oxidized state). (C) Quantification of TMRE intensity, roGFP 405:488 nm ratio, and roundness of a single mitochondrion (indicated by arrows in A, B). After 1 min of baseline recording, 60 µM NMDA was added to the bath solution. Scale bars = 5 µm. The y-axis in C depicts the 405:488 nm roGFP ratio relative to baseline T0 (green dashed line), the TMRE fluorescence intensity relative to baseline T0 (red dotted line), and the FIJI/ImageJ shape descriptor "roundness" (black solid line). Abbreviations: GFP = roGFP = redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein variant; mito-Grx1-roGFP2 = Glutaredoxin-1 fused to N-terminus of roGFP; AAV = adeno-associated virus; TMRE = tetramethylrhodamine, ethyl ester; NMDA = N-methyl-D-aspartate. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
reagents | |||
Calcium chloride (CaCl2·2H2O) | Sigma-Aldrich | C3306 | |
Diamide (DA) | Sigma-Aldrich | D3648 | |
Dithiothreitol (DTT) | Carl Roth GmbH | 6908.1 | |
Glucose (2.5 M stock solution) | Sigma-Aldrich | G8769 | |
Glucose | Sigma-Aldrich | G7528 | |
Glycine | neoFroxx GmbH | LC-4522.2 | |
HEPES (1 M stock solution) | Sigma-Aldrich | 15630-080 | |
HEPES | Sigma-Aldrich | H4034 | |
Magnesium chloride (MgCl2·6H2O) | Sigma-Aldrich | 442611-M | |
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) | Sigma-Aldrich | M3262 | |
Potassium chloride (KCl) | Sigma-Aldrich | P3911 | |
Sodium chloride (NaCl) | neoFroxx GmbH | LC-5932.1 | |
Sodium pyruvate (0.1 M stock solution) | Sigma-Aldrich | S8636 | |
Sodium pyruvate | Sigma-Aldrich | P8574 | |
Sucrose | Carl Roth GmbH | 4621.1 | |
Tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester perchlorate (TMRE) | Sigma-Aldrich | 87917 | |
equipment | |||
imaging chamber | Life Imaging Services (Basel, Switzerland) | 10920 | Ludin Chamber Type 3 for Ø12mm coverslips |
laser scanning confocal microscope, microscope | Leica | DMI6000 | |
laser scanning confocal microscope, scanning unit | Leica | SP8 | |
peristaltic pump | VWR | PP1080 181-4001 | |
spinning disc confocal microscope, camera | Hamamatsu | C9100-02 EMCCD | |
spinning disc confocal microscope, incubationsystem | TokaiHit | INU-ZILCF-F1 | |
spinning disc confocal microscope, microscope | Nikon | Ti microscope | |
spinning disc confocal microscope, scanning unit | Yokagawa | CSU-X1 | |
software | |||
FIJI | https://fiji.sc | ||
StackReg plugin | https://github.com/fiji-BIG/StackReg/blob/master/src/main/java/StackReg_.java | ||
TurboReg plugin | https://github.com/fiji-BIG/TurboReg/blob/master/src/main/java/TurboReg_.java |
Mitochondrial redox homeostasis is important for neuronal viability and function. Although mitochondria contain several redox systems, the highly abundant thiol-disulfide redox buffer glutathione is considered a central player in antioxidant defenses. Therefore, measuring the mitochondrial glutathione redox potential provides useful information about mitochondrial redox status and oxidative stress. Glutaredoxin1-roGFP2 (Grx1-roGFP2) is a genetically encoded, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based ratiometric indicator of the glutathione redox potential that has two redox-state-sensitive excitation peaks at 400 nm and 490 nm with a single emission peak at 510 nm. This article describes how to perform confocal live microscopy of mitochondria-targeted Grx1-roGFP2 in primary hippocampal and cortical neurons. It describes how to assess steady-state mitochondrial glutathione redox potential (e.g., to compare disease states or long-term treatments) and how to measure redox changes upon acute treatments (using the excitotoxic drug N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) as an example). In addition, the article presents co-imaging of Grx1-roGFP2 and the mitochondrial membrane potential indicator, tetramethylrhodamine, ethyl ester (TMRE), to demonstrate how Grx1-roGPF2 can be multiplexed with additional indicators for multiparametric analyses. This protocol provides a detailed description of how to (i) optimize confocal laser scanning microscope settings, (ii) apply drugs for stimulation followed by sensor calibration with diamide and dithiothreitol, and (iii) analyze data with ImageJ/FIJI.
Mitochondrial redox homeostasis is important for neuronal viability and function. Although mitochondria contain several redox systems, the highly abundant thiol-disulfide redox buffer glutathione is considered a central player in antioxidant defenses. Therefore, measuring the mitochondrial glutathione redox potential provides useful information about mitochondrial redox status and oxidative stress. Glutaredoxin1-roGFP2 (Grx1-roGFP2) is a genetically encoded, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based ratiometric indicator of the glutathione redox potential that has two redox-state-sensitive excitation peaks at 400 nm and 490 nm with a single emission peak at 510 nm. This article describes how to perform confocal live microscopy of mitochondria-targeted Grx1-roGFP2 in primary hippocampal and cortical neurons. It describes how to assess steady-state mitochondrial glutathione redox potential (e.g., to compare disease states or long-term treatments) and how to measure redox changes upon acute treatments (using the excitotoxic drug N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) as an example). In addition, the article presents co-imaging of Grx1-roGFP2 and the mitochondrial membrane potential indicator, tetramethylrhodamine, ethyl ester (TMRE), to demonstrate how Grx1-roGPF2 can be multiplexed with additional indicators for multiparametric analyses. This protocol provides a detailed description of how to (i) optimize confocal laser scanning microscope settings, (ii) apply drugs for stimulation followed by sensor calibration with diamide and dithiothreitol, and (iii) analyze data with ImageJ/FIJI.
Mitochondrial redox homeostasis is important for neuronal viability and function. Although mitochondria contain several redox systems, the highly abundant thiol-disulfide redox buffer glutathione is considered a central player in antioxidant defenses. Therefore, measuring the mitochondrial glutathione redox potential provides useful information about mitochondrial redox status and oxidative stress. Glutaredoxin1-roGFP2 (Grx1-roGFP2) is a genetically encoded, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based ratiometric indicator of the glutathione redox potential that has two redox-state-sensitive excitation peaks at 400 nm and 490 nm with a single emission peak at 510 nm. This article describes how to perform confocal live microscopy of mitochondria-targeted Grx1-roGFP2 in primary hippocampal and cortical neurons. It describes how to assess steady-state mitochondrial glutathione redox potential (e.g., to compare disease states or long-term treatments) and how to measure redox changes upon acute treatments (using the excitotoxic drug N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) as an example). In addition, the article presents co-imaging of Grx1-roGFP2 and the mitochondrial membrane potential indicator, tetramethylrhodamine, ethyl ester (TMRE), to demonstrate how Grx1-roGPF2 can be multiplexed with additional indicators for multiparametric analyses. This protocol provides a detailed description of how to (i) optimize confocal laser scanning microscope settings, (ii) apply drugs for stimulation followed by sensor calibration with diamide and dithiothreitol, and (iii) analyze data with ImageJ/FIJI.