Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic
Fluorescence microscopy is commonly used for imaging live mammalian cells. Here, we describe studies aimed at revealing the potential genotoxic effects of standard fluorescence microscopy. To assess DNA damage, a high throughput platform for single cell gel electrophoresis is used (e.g., the CometCh...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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John Wiley & Sons, Inc
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89158 |
| _version_ | 1826208732550266880 |
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| author | Ge, Jing Wood, David K. Weingeist, David M. Prasongtanakij, Somsak Navasummrit, Panida Ruchirawat, Mathuros Engelward, Bevin P. |
| author2 | Harvard University--MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology |
| author_facet | Harvard University--MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology Ge, Jing Wood, David K. Weingeist, David M. Prasongtanakij, Somsak Navasummrit, Panida Ruchirawat, Mathuros Engelward, Bevin P. |
| author_sort | Ge, Jing |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Fluorescence microscopy is commonly used for imaging live mammalian cells. Here, we describe studies aimed at revealing the potential genotoxic effects of standard fluorescence microscopy. To assess DNA damage, a high throughput platform for single cell gel electrophoresis is used (e.g., the CometChip). Light emitted by three standard filters was studied: (a) violet light [340–380 nm], used to excite DAPI and other blue fluorophores, (b) blue light [460–500 nm] commonly used to image green fluorescent protein (GFP) and Calcein AM, and (c) green light [528–553 nm], useful for imaging red fluorophores. Results show that exposure of samples to light during imaging is indeed genotoxic even when the selected wavelengths are outside the range known to induce significant damage levels. Shorter excitation wavelengths and longer irradiation times lead to higher levels of DNA damage. We have also measured DNA damage in cells expressing enhanced GFP or stained with Calcein AM, a widely used green fluorophore. Data show that Calcein AM leads to a synergistic increase in the levels of DNA damage and that even cells that are not being directly imaged sustain significant DNA damage from exposure to indirect light. The nature of light-induced DNA damage during imaging was assessed using the Fpg glycosylase, an enzyme that enables quantification of oxidative DNA damage. Oxidative damage was evident in cells exposed to violet light. Furthermore, the Fpg glycosylase revealed the presence of oxidative DNA damage in blue-light exposed cells for which DNA damage was not detected using standard analysis conditions. Taken together, the results of these studies call attention to the potential confounding effects of DNA damage induced by standard imaging conditions, and identify wavelength, exposure time, and fluorophore as parameters that can be modulated to reduce light-induced DNA damage. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T14:11:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/89158 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T14:11:12Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | John Wiley & Sons, Inc |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/891582022-09-28T19:04:18Z Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic Ge, Jing Wood, David K. Weingeist, David M. Prasongtanakij, Somsak Navasummrit, Panida Ruchirawat, Mathuros Engelward, Bevin P. Harvard University--MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering Ge, Jing Wood, David K. Weingeist, David M. Engelward, Bevin P. Fluorescence microscopy is commonly used for imaging live mammalian cells. Here, we describe studies aimed at revealing the potential genotoxic effects of standard fluorescence microscopy. To assess DNA damage, a high throughput platform for single cell gel electrophoresis is used (e.g., the CometChip). Light emitted by three standard filters was studied: (a) violet light [340–380 nm], used to excite DAPI and other blue fluorophores, (b) blue light [460–500 nm] commonly used to image green fluorescent protein (GFP) and Calcein AM, and (c) green light [528–553 nm], useful for imaging red fluorophores. Results show that exposure of samples to light during imaging is indeed genotoxic even when the selected wavelengths are outside the range known to induce significant damage levels. Shorter excitation wavelengths and longer irradiation times lead to higher levels of DNA damage. We have also measured DNA damage in cells expressing enhanced GFP or stained with Calcein AM, a widely used green fluorophore. Data show that Calcein AM leads to a synergistic increase in the levels of DNA damage and that even cells that are not being directly imaged sustain significant DNA damage from exposure to indirect light. The nature of light-induced DNA damage during imaging was assessed using the Fpg glycosylase, an enzyme that enables quantification of oxidative DNA damage. Oxidative damage was evident in cells exposed to violet light. Furthermore, the Fpg glycosylase revealed the presence of oxidative DNA damage in blue-light exposed cells for which DNA damage was not detected using standard analysis conditions. Taken together, the results of these studies call attention to the potential confounding effects of DNA damage induced by standard imaging conditions, and identify wavelength, exposure time, and fluorophore as parameters that can be modulated to reduce light-induced DNA damage. National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant 5-UO1-ES016045) National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant P30-ES002109) National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant 1-R21-ES019498) National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R43-ES021116-01) National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS Training Grant in Environmental Toxicology number T32-ES007020) 2014-09-03T18:23:16Z 2014-09-03T18:23:16Z 2013-06 2013-03 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 15524922 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89158 Ge, Jing, David K. Wood, David M. Weingeist, Somsak Prasongtanakij, Panida Navasumrit, Mathuros Ruchirawat, and Bevin P. Engelward. “Standard Fluorescent Imaging of Live Cells Is Highly Genotoxic.” Cytometry 83A, no. 6 (May 6, 2013): 552–560. en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cyto.a.22291 Cytometry Part A Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ application/pdf John Wiley & Sons, Inc PMC |
| spellingShingle | Ge, Jing Wood, David K. Weingeist, David M. Prasongtanakij, Somsak Navasummrit, Panida Ruchirawat, Mathuros Engelward, Bevin P. Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic |
| title | Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic |
| title_full | Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic |
| title_fullStr | Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic |
| title_short | Standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic |
| title_sort | standard fluorescent imaging of live cells is highly genotoxic |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89158 |
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