SmartFlares fail to reflect their target transcripts levels

SmartFlare probes have recently emerged as a promising tool for visualisation and quantification of specific RNAs in living cells. They are supposed to overcome the common drawbacks of current methods for RNA analysis: the need of cell fixation or lysis, or the requirements for genetic manipulations. In contrast to the traditional methods, SmartFlare probes are also presumed to provide information on RNA levels in single cells. Disappointingly, the results of our comprehensive study involving probes specific to five different transcripts, HMOX1, IL6, PTGS2, Nrg1, and ERBB4, deny the usefulness of SmartFlare probes for RNA analysis. We report a total lack of correlation between fluorescence intensities of SmartFlare probes and the levels of corresponding RNAs assessed by RT-qPCR. To ensure strong differences in the levels of analysed RNAs, their expression was modified via: (i) HMOX1-knockdown generated by CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, (ii) hemin-mediated stimulation of HMOX1- and IL1β-mediated stimulation of IL6- and PTGS2 transcription, (iii) lentiviral vector-mediated Nrg1 overexpression. Additionally, ERBB4-specific SmartFlare probe failed to distinguish between ERBB4-expressing and non-expressing cell lines. Finally, we demonstrated that fluorescence intensity of HMOX1-specific SmartFlare probe corresponds to the efficacy of its uptake and/or accumulation.