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High content analysis at single cell level identifies different cellular responses dependent on nanomaterial concentrations.

ABSTRACT: A mechanistic understanding of nanomaterial (NM) interaction with biological environments is pivotal for the safe transition from basic science to applied nanomedicine. NM exposure results in varying levels of internalized NM in different neighboring cells, due to variances in cell size, cell cycle phase and NM agglomeration. Using high-content analysis, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of fluorescent quantum dots on cultured cells, where all effects were correlated with the concentration of NMs at the single cell level. Upon binning the single cell data into different categories related to NM concentration, this study demonstrates, for the first time, that quantum dots activate both cytoprotective and cytotoxic mechanisms, resulting in a zero net result on the overall cell population, yet with significant effects in cells with higher cellular NM levels. Our results suggest that future NM cytotoxicity studies should correlate NM toxicity with cellular NM numbers on the single cell level, as conflicting mechanisms in particular cell subpopulations are commonly overlooked using classical toxicological methods.

SUBMITTER: Manshian BB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4561960 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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High content analysis at single cell level identifies different cellular responses dependent on nanomaterial concentrations.

Manshian Bella B BB Munck Sebastian S Agostinis Patrizia P Himmelreich Uwe U Soenen Stefaan J SJ

Scientific reports 20150908

A mechanistic understanding of nanomaterial (NM) interaction with biological environments is pivotal for the safe transition from basic science to applied nanomedicine. NM exposure results in varying levels of internalized NM in different neighboring cells, due to variances in cell size, cell cycle phase and NM agglomeration. Using high-content analysis, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of fluorescent quantum dots on cultured cells, where all effects were correlated with the concentration o ...[more]

PMID: 26345238

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Project description:BackgroundThe EWSR1/FLI1 gene fusion is the most common rearrangement leading to cell transformation in Ewing sarcoma (ES). Previous studies have indicated that expression at the cellular level is heterogeneous, and that levels of expression may oscillate, conferring different cellular characteristics. In ES the role of EWSR1/FLI1 in regulating subpopulation dynamics is currently unknown.MethodsWe used siRNA to transiently suppress EWSR1/FLI1 expression and followed population dynamics using both single cell expression profiling, CyTOF and functional assays to define characteristics of exponentially growing ES cells and of ES cells in which EWSR1/FLI1 had been downregulated. Novel transcriptional states with distinct features were assigned using random forest feature selection in combination with machine learning. Cells isolated from ES xenografts in immune-deficient mice were interrogated to determine whether characteristics of specific subpopulations of cells in vitro could be identified. Stem-like characteristics were assessed by primary and secondary spheroid formation in vitro, and invasion/motility was determined for each identified subpopulation. Autophagy was determined by expression profiling, cell sorting and immunohistochemical staining.ResultsWe defined a workflow to study EWSR1/FLI1 driven transcriptional states and phenotypes. We tracked EWSR1/FLI1 dependent proliferative activity over time to discover sources of intra-tumoral diversity. Single-cell RNA profiling was used to compare expression profiles in exponentially growing populations (si-Control) or in two dormant populations (D1, D2) in which EWSR1/FLI1 had been suppressed. Three distinct transcriptional states were uncovered contributing to ES intra-heterogeneity. Our predictive model identified ~1% cells in a dormant-like state and ~ 2-4% cells with stem-like and neural stem-like features in an exponentially proliferating ES cell line and in ES xenografts. Following EWSR1/FLI1 knockdown, cells re-entering the proliferative cycle exhibited greater stem-like properties, whereas for those cells remaining quiescent, FAM134B-dependent dormancy may provide a survival mechanism.ConclusionsWe show that time-dependent changes induced by suppression of oncogenic EWSR1/FLI1 expression induces dormancy, with different subpopulation dynamics. Cells re-entering the proliferative cycle show enhanced stem-like characteristics, whereas those remaining dormant for prolonged periods appear to survive through autophagy. Cells with these characteristics identified in exponentially growing cell populations and in tumor xenografts may confer drug resistance and could potentially contribute to metastasis.

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High content analysis at single cell level identifies different cellular responses dependent on nanomaterial concentrations.

Publications

High content analysis at single cell level identifies different cellular responses dependent on nanomaterial concentrations.

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