Molecular imaging of protein kinases

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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Visualizing Protein Kinase A Activity In Head-fixed Behaving Mice Using In Vivo Two-photon Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy
10:41

Visualizing Protein Kinase A Activity In Head-fixed Behaving Mice Using In Vivo Two-photon Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy

Published on: June 7, 2019

Limin Zhang1, Mahaveer S Bhojani, Brian D Ross

  • 1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.

Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)
|February 1, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Researchers developed a novel firefly luciferase reporter system to monitor serine/threonine kinase (Akt) activity in real time. This tool aids in developing new cancer therapies by enabling in vivo imaging and drug screening.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Protein kinases regulate crucial cellular signaling pathways.
  • Aberrant kinase activity is implicated in diseases like cancer, driving therapeutic development.
  • Molecular imaging offers dynamic, non-invasive visualization of kinase activity in vivo.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a novel reporter platform for monitoring serine/threonine kinase (Akt) activity.
  • To demonstrate the utility of this reporter system for drug discovery and development.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a conformation-dependent complementation assay using firefly luciferase.
  • Application of the reporter system for in vivo imaging of kinase activity.
  • Utilizing the platform for cell-based high-throughput drug screening.

Main Results:

  • The reporter system enables real-time, non-invasive imaging of Akt kinase activity.
  • The system provides insights into drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
  • Successful application in cell-based screening for kinase modulators.

Conclusions:

  • The firefly luciferase reporter platform is a valuable tool for studying kinase activity in vivo.
  • This technology facilitates the development of targeted molecular therapies for diseases like cancer.
  • The platform supports efficient drug screening for kinase modulators.

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