National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Research resultsPublications > AIST TODAY > 2010-2 No.36
AIST TODAYNo.36 2010-2 [ PDF:3.3MB ]


Development of a far-red luminescence imaging technology
- Imaging technology of a cancer cell based on chemical reactions in Cypridina bioluminescence -

[ PDF:276KB ]

We have developed a far-red luminescence imaging technology for visualization of disease specific antigens on cell surfaces in a living body. First, we conjugated a far-red fluorescent dye to biotinylated Cypridina (sea-firefly Umihotaru) luciferase. This conjugate produced a bimodal spectrum that has long-wavelength bioluminescence emission in the far-red region as a result of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer. To generate a far-red luminescent probe with targeting and imaging capabilities of tumors, we then linked this conjugate to an anti-human Dlk-1 monoclonal antibody. This far-red luminescent probe enabled us to obtain high-resolution microscopic images of live, Dlk-1-expressing Huh-7 cells without an external light source, and to monitor the accumulation of this probe in tumor-bearing mice. Thus this far-red luminescent probe is a convenient analytical tool for the evaluations of monoclonal antibody localization in a living body.

Figure
Principle of far-red luminescent probe and imaging of the location of tumor tissues in living mice

Relational Information

AIST TODAY Vol.10, No.1, p.20 (2010)



 back