永生化癌细胞系可以种植三维细胞培养物,生物研究的一个有价值的模型。本协议描述的3D细胞培养,包括改进的样品制备平台质谱成像。该协议的目的是为了指导用户以制备三维细胞培养物用于质谱成像分析。
Three dimensional cell cultures are attractive models for biological research. They combine the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of cell culture with some of the spatial and molecular complexity of tissue. For example, many cell lines form 3D structures given appropriate videodan vitro conditions. Colon cancer cell lines form 3D cell culture spheroids, in vitro mimics of avascular tumor nodules. While immunohistochemistry and other classical imaging methods are popular for monitoring the distribution of specific analytes, mass spectrometric imaging examines the distribution of classes of molecules in an unbiased fashion. While MALDI mass spectrometric imaging was originally developed to interrogate samples obtained from humans or animal models, this report describes the analysis of in vitro three dimensional cell cultures, including improvements in sample preparation strategies. Herein is described methods for growth, harvesting, sectioning, washing, and analysis of 3D cell cultures via matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging. Using colon carcinoma 3D cell cultures as a model system, this protocol demonstrates the ability to monitor analytes in an unbiased fashion across the 3D cell culture system with MALDI-MSI.
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful technique to examine the distribution of molecular species across samples of interest. Researchers have imaged biological samples from whole animals down to single cells with this technique.1–4 Using MSI hundreds of analytes may be imaged at a single time, rather than single-substrate techniques requiring the development of additional fluorophores for traditional confocal microscopy, or staining for histology.5–7 Additionally, MSI can be used in either a targeted or a discovery-based fashion, making it an attractive approach to look at the overlap between the distribution of chemical species. Presented within are methods for the growth, preparation, and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization/desorption (MALDI) imaging of small samples (~1 mm in diameter) of three-dimensional multicellular cell cultures.8–11
3D cell cultures are of particular interest to the biological community as an intermediary between traditional monolayer culture and in vivo tumors. As the name implies, 3D cell cultures are heterogeneous cellular aggregates that contain many of the chemical gradients in the microenvironment observed in small avascular tumor nodules, making them a more realistic model system to the native tumor environment than monolayer culture.10 Many human cell lines can be grown as 3D cultures, including cell lines derived from colon, breast, ovary, prostate, kidney and lung tissues.10 There are inherent challenges in imaging three dimensional cell cultures as they are smaller than many samples commonly used for mass spectrometry imaging and therefore require careful sample preparation.7 However, the advantages of these tractable model systems include lower cost and faster growth and analysis time compared to animal models. As a result, studies involving three dimensional cell cultures can be higher throughput than traditional animal studies.12–14
All of these advantages have resulted in increasing popularity for three dimensional cell cultures in biological research; there is a corresponding need to develop new analytical strategies to explore both the composition and spatial distribution of molecules in these systems.12,15–21 The goal of this manuscript is to describe the adaptation of mass spectrometry imaging methods and sample preparation to three dimensional cell cultures.
使用以上概述的方法中,三维细胞培养物可以生长并用MALDI-MSI进行分析。许多永生化细胞系将形成三维结构的培养适当9,10应注意培养,但没有通过次数过多,即,具有低传代数的细胞时。在一般情况下,细胞10和下部的通路数是最佳生长的三维细胞培养物。越来越多的3D细胞培养在传统的琼脂糖支持提供了具有成本效益的方式为有志于3D细胞培养来尝试这个制度的研究小组。此方法利用少数部件尚未在大多数哺乳动物细胞培养实验室。仔细必须注意的琼脂糖板成长的准备,这样的三维细胞培养物的大小和形状相一致;一些方面中,需要小心注意包括检查没有气泡被截留到该混合物中,并且形成在每个孔的底部瓦特适当弯月ELL。如果弯液面不形成正常,细胞可生长在非球体形状或小团块。此外,必须注意不要将PBS与球状体的明胶。如果发生这种情况,使用200微升移液器明胶的顶部取出PBS。如果成本不是一个因素,超低结合圆底板是可商购的,并提供对这些步骤的简化。而其它组织包埋方法也可能是昂贵的和非质谱兼容,明胶包埋已被证明是既便宜和通用性。上述制备的策略已被优化为三维细胞培养物,以获得最高质量的数据。而明胶包埋已被证明是与质谱分析兼容,该方法确实缩小由于共结晶的可用矩阵。一旦冻结,所述三维细胞培养物可稳定几个月,只要它们不冻结 – 解冻。冻结当明胶变得不透明,并且3D细胞文化是一个类似的颜色,所以它是冻结记录三维细胞培养安置切片,以帮助前为宜。
当制备载玻片,基体可以用几种不同的方法被应用,但应注意的是,一些矩阵已经发现共crystalize与明胶,如阿魏酸,使该样品不能使用。较小的矩阵晶体产生更一致的质谱。而handspotting是最简单的矩阵应用的方法,该大的溶剂体积可以导致较大的晶体尺寸和显著分析物的迁移。
在质谱仪,先进的MALDI-MSI技术已经降低了所需的开始分析的专门知识。数据采集和分析是直接在大多数系统上,让即使是新手,以获得ITO涂层幻灯片高质量的信息。仔细选择仪器参数,优化对相邻的非图像值得三维细胞文化性ES,是为了获得高品质的数据的关键。例如,增加激光功率可能会增加峰值强度,但降低激光功率可提高分辨率并给予更对称的峰形。 3D细胞培养应迅速切片,以确保最佳的样品质量后使用。蛋白信号的退化可能在不到一周的时间没有适当的存储(干燥器/ -80℃冷冻器)中可以看出,特别是在高质量区域(高于20 kDa的)。由于不断增长的需求,许多不同的可视化的软件程序已经开发并可以自由地研究公开。大多数成像质谱仪已经安装了必要的可视化单一群众对每台仪器使用的专有格式的软件。这些软件程序可以用于获得单质的图像和导出数据。大多数软件还允许两个或多个群众利益的叠加。此外,许多不同的观众MSI的数据都可以免费下载,如MSiReader的ðBioMap。32,33获得,也可以处理收购后的轻松,带来了更多有用的信息,以最前沿的质谱数据。
从制药到脂质与蛋白质,上面概述的系统允许快速采集的数据,以评估感兴趣分子的整个三维细胞培养结构的分布。连续切片可以通过从三维细胞培养物的一个片段的每个2D图像构建被带到图像整个3D结构。在协议的技术和注意事项将使用以希望开始三维细胞培养为单层培养和动物模型之间的桥梁的研究人员。一旦掌握,这些技术可以应用到多种类型的三维细胞培养物,组织和细胞培养物,使研究人员能够像它们选择任何样品。
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This work was supported by the Walther Cancer Foundation under the Advancing Basic Cancer Research program to the Harper Cancer Research Institute of the University of Notre Dame (DARW) and the 2011 Starter Grant from the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (ABH). Thanks also to the staff of the Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility for useful discussions.
Name of Material/Equipment | Company | Catalog Number | Yorumlar |
HCT116 Cell line | ATCC | ATCC CCL-247 | Potential hazard, handle with care |
McCoy's 5A media | Gibco | 16600-108 | |
Fetal Bovine serum | HyClone | SH30071.03 | |
0.25% Trypsin-EDTA solution | Gibco | 25200-056 | |
Agarose | Sigma-Aldrich | A9539 | |
Phosphate Buffered Saline | Gibco | 10010049 | |
Gelatin, unflavored | Knox | — | Available at most grocery stores in single-packets |
ITO-coated glass slides | Delta Technologies, Limited | CG-90IN-S115 | |
α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) | Sigma-Aldrich | C8982 | |
Sinapic Acid | Sigma-Aldrich | 85429 | |
0.3mm Gravity Feed Dual-Action Airbrush Paint Spray Gun Kit Set | RoyalMax Airbrush | — | Many options available on sites such as Amazon.com |