Single-cell profiling of D-2-hydroxyglutarate using surface-immobilized resazurin analogs

D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG) is over-produced as an oncometabolite due to mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs). Accumulation of D2HG can cause the dysfunction of many enzymes and genome-wide epigenetic alterations, which can promote oncogenesis. Quantification of D2HG at single-cell resolution can help understand the phenotypic signatures of IDH-mutant cancers and identify effective therapeutics. In this study, we developed an analytical method to detect D2HG levels in single cancer cells by adapting cascade enzymatic reactions on a resazurin-based fluorescence reporter. The resazurin probe was immobilized to the sensing surface via biotin-streptavidin interaction. This surface chemistry was rationally optimized to translate the D2HG levels to sensitive fluorescence readouts efficiently. This D2HG assay demonstrated good selectivity and high sensitivity toward D2HG, and it was compatible with the previously developed single-cell barcode chip (SCBC) technology. Using the SCBC platform, we performed simultaneous single-cell profiling of D2HG, glucose uptake, and critical oncogenic signaling proteins in single IDH-mutant glioma cells. The results unveiled the complex interplays between metabolic and oncogenic signaling and led to the identification of effective combination targeted therapy against these IDH-mutant glioma cells.