title: Luciferins behave like drugs.
abstract: The light emission chemistry of firefly luciferase can be harnessed to reveal otherwise invisible biological processes occurring in the brains of live animals. Though powerful, the need for the luciferase substrate D-luciferin to traverse the blood-brain barrier poses limitations on the sensitivity and interpretation of these experiments. In this Viewpoint, we discuss bioluminescent imaging probes for the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and the broader implications for optical imaging and drug delivery in the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Mofford
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D061848:Optical Imaging; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases
chemical_list: D000581:Amidohydrolases; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly; D000099252:Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases; C532924:D-luciferin
keywords: FAAH; bioluminescence imaging; blood-brain barrier; drug delivery; luciferase; luciferin