Electroporation is a technique that creates transient pores in cell membranes. It is mostly used for transfection, and applied to suspensions of cells. Single-cell electroporation is also used for transfection but on single cells, typically in suspension. This project addresses the need to do analytical chemistry on single cells without sacrificing them. As single-cell electroporation creates transient ports in cell membranes, it is an excellent approach to obtaining samples of cytoplasmic contents. Cells taken out of their context, e.g. suspensions of naturally adherent cells may not be representative of their natural state, so the project focuses on adherent cells and tissues, not on suspended cells. We have recently found that adherent cells in culture are remarkably robust. Cells survive even after losing a significant fraction of the low-molecular weight solutes in the cytoplasm. We have also found that we can control single-cell electroporation conditions so that a desired fraction of the low-molecular weight solutes in the cytoplasm, e.g., 20%, diffuses through the transient pores. This observation provides the foundation for obtaining samples from single cells without killing them. In this project, we will develop significant tools for single-cell biochemical investigations. One tool will be able to perfuse single adherent cells with high spatial resolution and simultaneously electroporate the perfused cell. We can then learn in detail the mass transport rates for solutes entering or leaving single cells. Another method will be developed for making measurements on single cells in cultured hippocampal tissue. It will be applied to an important question related to stroke and similar incidents in which blood flow to a region of the brain is temporarily lost. We will establish this method for determining the status of the important glutathione redox system in a single neuron in a hippocampal culture. This includes obtaining cytoplasmic contents by electroporation and microfluidic-based derivatization, separation, and quantitation. We also will develop a means to diminish the astrocytes'ability to communicate with each other through gap junctions based on focal electroporation of siRNA for the protein that creates the gap junctions. We will test the hypothesis that solute transport between adjacent astrocytes is important for maintenance of neuronal glutathione levels following oxygen/glucose deprivation.

Public Health Relevance

New tools for controlling and measuring the chemical composition of the intra- and extracellular space of single cells are required for understanding biochemical responses to injury, especially ischemia. Our approach to making measurements of the glutathione status of single cells has far-reaching implications not only for studying ischemia/reperfusion, but also in a number of widespread conditions, namely Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Making measurements on single cells in tissue cultures will lead to a clarification of the role of astrocytes on neuronal health in ischemia/reperfusion.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM066018-11
Application #
8523905
Study Section
Enabling Bioanalytical and Imaging Technologies Study Section (EBIT)
Program Officer
Edmonds, Charles G
Project Start
2003-07-01
Project End
2015-07-31
Budget Start
2013-08-01
Budget End
2014-07-31
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$260,478
Indirect Cost
$58,689
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Chemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Tecuatl, Carolina; Herrrera-López, Gabriel; Martín-Ávila, Alejandro et al. (2018) TrkB-mediated activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt cascade reduces the damage inflicted by oxygen-glucose deprivation in area CA3 of the rat hippocampus. Eur J Neurosci 47:1096-1109
Yin, Bocheng; Barrionuevo, Germán; Weber, Stephen G (2018) Mitochondrial GSH Systems in CA1 Pyramidal Cells and Astrocytes React Differently during Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation and Reperfusion. ACS Chem Neurosci 9:738-748
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Redman, Erin A; Mellors, J Scott; Starkey, Jason A et al. (2016) Characterization of Intact Antibody Drug Conjugate Variants Using Microfluidic Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 88:2220-6
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Yin, Bocheng; Barrionuevo, Germán; Weber, Stephen G (2015) Optimized real-time monitoring of glutathione redox status in single pyramidal neurons in organotypic hippocampal slices during oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion. ACS Chem Neurosci 6:1838-48
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