title: Dual-color immunofluorescent labeling with quantum dots of the diabetes-associated proteins aldose reductase and Toll-like receptor 4 in the kidneys of diabetic rats.
abstract: Diabetes is one of the major chronic diseases diagnosed worldwide with a common complication of diabetic nephropathy (DN). There are multiple possible mechanisms associated with DN. Aldose reductase (AR) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) may be involved in the occurrence and development of DN. Here, we describe the distribution of AR and TLR4 in cells and renal tissues of diabetic rats through a quantum dot (QD)-based immunofluorescence technique and conventional immunohistochemistry. As a new type of nanosized fluorophore, QDs have been recognized in imaging applications and have broad prospects in biomedical research. The results of the reported study demonstrate that both the AR and the TLR4 proteins were upregulated in the renal tissues of diabetic rats. Further, to explore the relationship between AR and TLR4 in the pathogenesis of DN, a dual-color immunofluorescent labeling technique based on QDs was applied, where the expressions of AR and TLR4 in the renal tissues of diabetic rats were simultaneously observed - for the first time, as far as we are aware. The optimized QD-based immunofluorescence technique has not only shown a satisfying sensitivity and specificity for the detection of biomarkers in cells and tissues, but also is a valuable supplement of immunohistochemistry. The QD-based multiplexed imaging technology provides a new insight into the mechanistic study of the correlation among biological factors as well as having potential applications in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Aging and Geriatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Aging and Geriatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China ; Department of Emergency Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Aging and Geriatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Aging and Geriatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Lab of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guimiao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Science, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Aging and Geriatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaojian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ken-Tye
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing Key Lab of Aging and Geriatrics, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C495347:Tlr4 protein, rat; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D000449:Aldehyde Reductase
keywords: TLR4; diabetic nephropathy; immunofluorescence; immunohistochemistry