Utility of large-scale transiently transfected cells for cell-based high-throughput screens to identify transient receptor potential channel A1 (TRPA1) antagonists.
Despite increasing use of cell-based assays in high-throughput screening (HTS) and lead optimization, one challenge is the adequate supply of high-quality cells expressing the target of interest. To this end, cell lines stably expressing targets are often established, maintained, and scaled up by cell culture. These steps require large investments of time and resources. Moreover, significant variability invariably occurs in cell yield, viability, expression levels, and target activities. In particular, stable expression of targets such as transient receptor potential A1 (TRPA1) causes toxicity, cell line degeneration, and loss of functional activity. Therefore, in an effort to identify TRPA1 antagonists, the authors used large-scale transiently transfected (LSTT) cells, enabling rapid establishment of assays suitable for HTS. LSTT cells, which could- be stored frozen for a long period of time (e.g., at least 42 weeks), retained TRPA1 protein expression and could be easily revived to produce robust and consistent signals in calcium influx and electrophysiological assays. Using cells from a single transfection, a chemical library of 700,000 compounds was screened, and TRPA1 antagonists were identified. The use of LSTT circumvented issues associated with stable TRPA1 expression, increased flexibility and consistency, and greatly reduced labor and cost. This approach will also be applicable to other pharmaceutical targets.
Chen
Jun
J
Neuroscience Research, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL 60064-6125, USA. jun.x.chen@abbott.com
Lake
Marc R
MR
Sabet
Reza S
RS
Niforatos
Wende
W
Pratt
Steve D
SD
Cassar
Steven C
SC
Xu
Jing
J
Gopalakrishnan
Sujatha
S
Pereda-Lopez
Ana
A
Gopalakrishnan
Murali
M
Holzman
Thomas F
TF
Moreland
Robert B
RB
Walter
Karl A
KA
Faltynek
Connie R
CR
Warrior
Usha
U
Scott
Victoria E
VE
D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D002999:Clone Cells; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005453:Fluorescence; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D000074025:TRPA1 Cation Channel; D014162:Transfection; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism
D015220:Calcium Channels; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D000074025:TRPA1 Cation Channel; C473350:TRPA1 protein, human; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels; D002118:Calcium