A genetically encoded bioluminescent indicator for illuminating proinflammatory cytokines

We introduce a method to evaluate the activities of cytokines based on the nuclear transport of NF-κB. A pair of bioluminescent indicators was made for conferring cytokine sensitivity to cervical carcinoma-derived HeLa cells. The principle is based on reconstitution of split fragments of Renilla reniformis luciferase (RLuc) by protein splicing with a DnaE intein from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803. The bioluminescence intensity of thus reconstituted RLuc in the HeLa cells was used as a measure of the activities for cytokines. With the present method, we evaluated the activities of various cytokines based on the nuclear transport of NF-κB in human cervical carcinoma-derived HeLa cells carrying the indicators. The present approach to evaluating the activities of cytokines may provide a potential clinical value in monitoring drug activity and directing treatment for various diseases related with NF-κB. The method highlights the experimental procedure from our original publications, Anal. Biochem. 2006, 359, 147-149 and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2004, 101, 11542. The summary of the method is: •Cytokine activities are determined within 2 h after stimulation.•Temporarily inactivated split-luciferase fragments are reconstituted by protein splicing.•Nucleartrafficking of NF-κB was illuminated for gauging the ligand-driven activity.