Label-free cell-based dynamic mass redistribution assays

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Label-free cell-based assays are crucial for drug discovery and compound profiling.
• Endogenously expressed receptors in diverse cell types, including primary and stem cells, are key targets.
• Dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) offers a label-free method to assess cellular responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide protocols for obtaining DMR response profiles in both adherent and suspension cells.
• To demonstrate the use of tool compounds for delineating signaling pathway biology.
• To leverage information-rich kinetic traces for evaluating compound pharmacology.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing label-free cell-based assays to measure dynamic mass redistribution (DMR).
• Implementing protocols for DMR analysis in adherent and suspension cell formats.
• Employing known tool compounds to stimulate receptors and record kinetic traces.

Main Results:

• DMR responses provide phenotypic activity profiles for evaluating compound pharmacology.
• Kinetic traces offer detailed insights into cellular signaling pathways.
• The methodology is applicable to a wide range of cell types.

Conclusions:

• Label-free DMR assays are a powerful tool for drug discovery and compound profiling.
• The described protocols facilitate the analysis of receptor pharmacology in various cell models.
• DMR kinetic data enables comprehensive understanding of signaling pathway biology.