Activity-based CO₂ sensing using CarboSenR2 provides new insights into cellular metabolism

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Physiology

Background:

• Carbon dioxide (CO2) is increasingly recognized for its crucial roles beyond metabolism.
• CO2's involvement in immunometabolism, cell signaling, and clinical medicine is an emerging research area.
• Limited tools exist for real-time CO2 monitoring in living systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate CarboSenR2, a novel CO2-selective fluorescent sensor, for cellular CO2 monitoring.
• To demonstrate CarboSenR2's utility in assessing CO2 dynamics in various cell types.
• To investigate CO2's role in physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized flow cytometry and microscopy to assess CarboSenR2 performance.
• Applied CarboSenR2 in multiple cell systems to monitor CO2 production.
• Correlated sensor readings with physiological and pathophysiological CO2 ranges.

Main Results:

• CarboSenR2 demonstrated sensitivity to CO2 concentrations within the human physiological and pathophysiological range.
• The sensor successfully monitored CO2 production in various cellular models.
• Identified novel mitochondrial-associated R-Dye microdomains within cells.

Conclusions:

• CarboSenR2 is a valuable tool for activity-based CO2 sensing in cellular research.
• The sensor facilitates new investigations into CO2's dynamic roles in physiological systems.
• Findings underscore the importance of CO2 in cellular functions and disease states.