Lentiviral microarrays for real-time monitoring of gene expression dynamics

Lab Chip. 2010 Aug 7;10(15):1967-75. doi: 10.1039/c003153d. Epub 2010 Jun 2.

Abstract

We developed scalable live-cell microarrays to measure gene expression dynamics in real time and in a high-throughput manner. To this end, we generated dual-promoter lentiviral vectors harboring a transcriptional regulatory element encoding for green fluorescence protein to monitor cell activation in response to exogenous stimuli and a constitutive promoter driving red fluorescence protein for internal signal normalization. Lentivirus preparations were immobilized in a microarray format and after transduction on the array surface target cells were treated with cytokines and interrogated in real time using automated fluorescence microscopy, providing rich dynamic information over a period of several days. Data normalization by red fluorescence intensity eliminated errors due to spot-to-spot variability in transduction efficiency or changes in cell proliferation upon cytokine treatment. These results suggest that the lentivirus microarray can monitor gene expression in real-time and high-throughput manner thereby providing a useful tool for quantitative measurements of gene expression dynamics.

MeSH terms

  • Cytokines / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Profiling / instrumentation
  • Gene Expression Profiling / methods
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices*
  • Lentivirus / genetics
  • Lentivirus / metabolism*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / instrumentation
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / instrumentation
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / methods*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins