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Cell-based assays are widely exploited for drug screening and biosensing, providing useful information about bioactivity of target analytes and complex biological samples. It is well recognized that 3D cell models are required to achieve highly valuable information, also from the perspective of replacing animal models. However, bioassays relying on 3D cell models are generally highly demanding in terms of facilities, equipment, and skilled personnel requirements. To reduce cost, increase sustainability, and provide a flexible 3D cell-based platform for bioassays, we here report a novel approach based on a 3D-printed microtissue device. To assess the suitability of this strategy for reporter gene technology, we selected to monitor two molecular pathways which were of interest in several applications, hypoxia signaling and the p53 pathway. The investigation of such pathways is highly relevant in fields spanning from drug screening to bioactivity monitoring for industrial by-product valorization. Microtissues of human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) and human embryonic kidney (Hek293T) cell lines were obtained with a low-cost and sustainable chip platform and bioassays were developed to monitor the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and the p53 tumor suppressor pathway. HepG2 and Hek293T 3D cell models were genetically engineered to express the Luc2P from Photinus pyralis firefly either under the regulation of p53 or HIF response elements. The bioassays allowed quantitative assessment of hypoxia and tumoral activity with 1,10-phenanthroline for HIF and with doxorubicin for p53 pathway activation, respectively, showing good potential for applications of this sustainable and low-cost 3D-printed microfluidic platform for bioactivity analyses, drug screening, and precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell-based assays utilizing reporter gene technology have been widely exploited for biosensing, as they provide useful information about the bioavailability and cell toxicity of target analytes. The long assay time due to gene transcription and translation is one of the main drawbacks of cell biosensors. We report the development of two yeast biosensors stably expressing human estrogen receptors α and β and employing NanoLuc as the reporter protein to upgrade the widely used yeast estrogen screening (YES) assays. A viability control strain was also developed based on a chimeric green-emitting luciferase, PLG2, expressed for the first time in Saccharomycescerevisiae. Thanks to their brightness, NanoLuc and PLG2 provided excellent sensitivity, enabling the implementation of these biosensors into low-cost smartphone-based devices. The developed biosensors had a rapid (1 h) response and reported on (anti)estrogenic activity via human estrogen receptors α and β as well as general sample toxicity. Under optimized conditions, we obtained LODs of 7.1 ± 0.4 nM and 0.38 ± 0.08 nM for E2 with nanoYESα and nanoYESβ, respectively. As a proof of concept, we analyzed real samples from plants showing significant estrogenic activity or known to contain significant amounts of phytoestrogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of chemicals with estrogenic activity in surface, groundwater, and drinking water poses serious concerns for potential threats to human health and aquatic life. At present, no sensitive portable devices are available for the rapid monitoring of such contamination. Here, we propose a cell-based mobile platform that exploits a newly developed bioluminescent yeast-estrogen screen (nanoYES) and a low-cost compact camera as light detector. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were genetically engineered with a yeast codon-optimized variant of NanoLuc luciferase (yNLucP) under the regulation of human estrogen receptor α activation. Ready-to-use 3D-printed cartridges with immobilized cells were prepared by optimizing a new procedure that enables to produce alginate slices with good reproducibility. A portable device was obtained exploiting a compact camera and wireless connectivity enabling a rapid and quantitative evaluation (1-h incubation at room temperature) of total estrogenic activity in small sample volumes (50 μL) with a LOD of 0.08 nM for 17β-estradiol. The developed portable analytical platform was applied for the evaluation of water samples spiked with different chemicals known to have estrogen-like activity. Thanks to the high sensitivity of the newly developed yeast biosensor and the possibility to wireless connect the camera with any smartphone model, the developed configuration is more versatile than previously reported smartphone-based devices, and could find application for on-site analysis of endocrine disruptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision medicine is a new paradigm that combines diagnostic, imaging, and analytical tools to produce accurate diagnoses and therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual patient. This approach stands in contrast to the traditional 'one size fits all' concept, according to which researchers develop disease treatments and preventions for an 'average' patient without considering individual differences. The 'one size fits all' concept has led to many ineffective or inappropriate treatments, especially for pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Now, precision medicine is receiving massive funding in many countries, thanks to its social and economic potential in terms of improved disease prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. Bioanalytical chemistry is critical to precision medicine. This is because identifying an appropriate tailored therapy requires researchers to collect and analyze information on each patient's specific molecular biomarkers (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites). In other words, precision diagnostics is not possible without precise bioanalytical chemistry. This Trend article highlights some of the most recent advances, including massive analysis of multilayer omics, and new imaging technique applications suitable for implementing precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of smartphones with high-performance digital image sensors and processing power has completely reshaped the landscape of point-of-need analysis. Thanks to the high maturity level of reporter gene technology and the availability of several bioluminescent proteins with improved features, we were able to develop a bioluminescence smartphone-based biosensing platform exploiting the highly sensitive NanoLuc luciferase as reporter. A 3D-printed smartphone-integrated cell biosensor based on genetically engineered Hek293T cells was developed. Quantitative assessment of (anti)-inflammatory activity and toxicity of liquid samples was performed with a simple and rapid add-and-measure procedure. White grape pomace extracts, known to contain several bioactive compounds, were analyzed, confirming the suitability of the smartphone biosensing platform for analysis of untreated complex biological matrices. Such approach could meet the needs of small medium enterprises lacking fully equipped laboratories for first-level safety tests and rapid screening of new bioactive products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioluminescence-based analytical tools are suitable for high-throughput and high-content screening assays, finding widespread application in several fields related to the drug discovery process. Cell-based bioluminescence assays, because of their peculiar advantages of predictability, possibility of automation, multiplexing, and miniaturization, seem the most appealing tool for the high demands of the early stages of drug screening. Reporter gene technology and the bioluminescence resonance energy transfer principle are widely used, and receptor binding studies of new agonists/antagonists for a variety of human receptors expressed in different cell lines can be performed. Moreover, bioluminescence can be used for in vitro and in vivo real-time monitoring of pathophysiological processes within living cells and small animals. New luciferases and substrates have recently arrived on the market, further expanding the spectrum of applications. A new generation of probes are also emerging that promise to revolutionize the preclinical imaging market. This formidable toolbox is demonstrated to facilitate the implementation of the three Rs principle in the early drug discovery process, in compliance with ethical and responsible research to reduce cost and improve the reliability and predictability of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of smart supports and bioinspired materials to confine living cells and use them for field-deployable biosensors has recently attracted much attention. In particular, bioluminescent whole-cell biosensors designed to respond to different analytes or classes of analyte have been successfully implemented in portable and cost-effective analytical devices. Significant advances in detection technology, biomaterial science, and genetic engineering of cells have recently been reported. Now the challenge is to move from benchtop traditional cell-based assays to portable biosensing devices. Improvement of the analytical performance of these biosensors depends on the availability of optimized bioluminescent reporters, and promising approaches that go beyond reporter gene technology are emerging. To enable handling of cells as ready-to-use reagents, nature-inspired strategies have been used, with the objective of keeping cells in a dormant state until use. Several issues must still be investigated, for example long-term viability of cells, the possibility of performing real-time analysis, and multiplexing capability. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioassays represent promising complementary techniques to conventional analytical approaches used in doping analysis to detect illicit drugs like anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS). The fact that all AAS share a common mechanism of action via the human androgen receptor (hAR) enables the use of bioassays, relying on the activation of hAR as antidoping screening tools. Previously, we developed a dual-color bioreporter based on yeast cells engineered to express hAR and androgen response elements driving the expression of the bioluminescent (BL) reporter protein Photinus pyralis luciferase. A second reporter protein, the red-emitting luciferase PpyRE8, was introduced in the bioreporter as internal viability control. Here, we report the first forensic application of a straightforward, accurate, and cost-effective bioassay, relying on spectral resolution of the two BL signals, in 96-microwell format. The bioreporter responds to dihydrotestosterone as reference androgen in a concentration-dependent manner from 0.08 to 1,000 nM with intra- and inter-assay variation coefficients of 11.4 % and 13.1 %, respectively. We also demonstrated the suitability of this dual-color bioreporter to assess (anti)-androgenic activity of pure AAS, mixtures of AAS, and other illicit drugs provided by the Scientific Police. Significant anti-androgenic activity was observed in samples labeled as marijuana and hashish, containing Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol as major constituent. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intact living cells, because of their simplicity of use and their ability to provide highly valuable functional information, are well suited to biosensing applications. Cells can be genetically engineered by introduction of reporter proteins, modified to achieve analyte selectivity for their sensing capabilities, and connected to a transducer to obtain whole-cell biosensors. These bioanalytical features are increasingly attracting attention in the pharmaceutical, environmental, medical, and industrial fields. Whole-cell biosensors based on different recognition elements and transduction mechanisms have been also incorporated into portable devices and, with recent advances in micro and nanofabrication and microfluidics technology, miniaturized to achieve single-cell level analysis. Cell immobilization, widely used in, for example, microbial biofermentors or bioremediation systems, is now emerging as an appealing way of integrating whole-cell biosensors into devices, to maintain long-term cell viability, to increase the reproducibility of the cell's response, and to avoid the spread of genetically modified cells into the environment, the latter being very important when devices are used for analysis in the field. A plethora of materials and functionalized surfaces have been proposed for immobilization of microbial or mammalian cells, each one having peculiar advantages and limitations. This critical review highlights and discusses recent trends, together with selected bioanalytical applications of immobilized viable cells. In particular the review focuses on some aspects that seem to hold great promise for future applications of immobilized cells, spanning from microbial biosensors to microbial biofilms, cell microarrays, and single-cell analysis. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whole-cell bioluminescent (BL) bioreporter technology is a useful analytical tool for developing biosensors for environmental toxicology and preclinical studies. However, when applied to real samples, several methodological problems prevent it from being widely used. Here, we propose a methodological approach for improving its analytical performance with complex matrix. We developed bioluminescent Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae bioreporters for copper ion detection. In the same cell, we introduced two firefly luciferases requiring the same luciferin substrate emitting at different wavelengths. The expression of one was copper ion specific. The other, constitutively expressed, was used as a cell viability internal control. Engineered BL cells were characterized using the noninvasive gravitational field-flow fractionation (GrFFF) technique. Homogeneous cell population was isolated. Cells were then immobilized in a polymeric matrix improving cell responsiveness. The bioassay was performed in 384-well black polystyrene microtiter plates directly on the sample. After 2 h of incubation at 37 °C and the addition of the luciferin, we measured the emitted light. These dual-color bioreporters showed more robustness and a wider dynamic range than bioassays based on the same strains with a single reporter gene and that uses a separate cell strain as BL control. The internal correction allowed to accurately evaluate the copper content even in simulated toxic samples, where reduced cell viability was observed. Homogenous cells isolated by GrFFF showed improvement in method reproducibility, particularly for yeast cells. The applicability of these bioreporters to real samples was demonstrated in tap water and wastewater treatment plant effluent samples spiked with copper and other metal ions. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been estimated that over a billion dollars in resources can be consumed to obtain clinical approval, and only a few new chemical entities are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) each year. Therefore it is of utmost importance to obtain the maximum amount of information about biological activity, toxicological profile, biochemical mechanisms, and off-target interactions of drug-candidate leads in the earliest stages of drug discovery. Cell-based assays, because of their peculiar advantages of predictability, possibility of automation, multiplexing, and miniaturization, seem the most appealing tool for the high demands of the early stages of the drug-discovery process. Nevertheless, cellular screening, relying on different strategies ranging from reporter gene technology to protein fragment complementation assays, still presents a variety of challenges. This review focuses on main advantages and limitations of different cell-based approaches, and future directions and trends in this fascinating field. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Conventional in vivo bioluminescence imaging using wild-type green-emitting luciferase is limited by absorption and scattering of the bioluminescent signal through tissues. Imaging methods using a red-shifted thermostable luciferase from Photinus pyralis were optimized to improve the sensitivity and image resolution. In vivo bioluminescence imaging performance of red- and green-emitting luciferases were compared in two different xenograft mouse models for cancer.Methods: Human hepatoblastoma cell line (HepG2) and human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (Thp1) cells were genetically engineered using retroviral vector technology to stably express the red-shifted or the wild-type green luciferase. A xenograft model of liver cancer was established by subcutaneous injection of the HepG2-engineered cells in the flank regions of mice, and a leukemia model was generated by intravenous injection of the engineered Thp1 cells. The cancer progression was monitored with an ultrasensitive charge-coupled device camera. The relative intensities of the green- and red-emitting luciferases were measured, and the resulting spatial resolutions of the images were compared. Imaging was performed with both intact and scarified live animals to quantify the absorption effects of the skin and deep tissue.Results: The red-emitting luciferase was found to emit a bioluminescence signal with improved transmission properties compared to the green-emitting luciferase. By imaging the HepG2 models, which contained tumors just beneath the skin, before and after scarification, the percentage of light absorbed by the skin was calculated. The green bioluminescent signal was 75 +/- 8% absorbed by the skin, whereas the red signal was only 20 +/- 6% absorbed. The Thp1 model, which contains cancer cells within the bones, was likewise imaged before and after scarification to calculate the percentage of light absorbed by all tissue under the skin. This tissue was responsible for 90 +/- 5% absorption of the green signal, but only 65 +/- 6% absorption of the red signal.Conclusion: Two different bioluminescent mouse cancer models demonstrate the utility of a new red-shifted thermostable luciferase, Ppy RE-TS, that improved the in vivo imaging performance when compared with wild-type P. Pyralis luciferase. While wild-type luciferase is currently a popular reporter for in vivo imaging methods, this study demonstrates the potential of red-emitting firefly luciferase mutants to enhance the performance of bioluminescence imaging experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Förster resonance energy transfer-based analytical techniques represent a unique tool for bioanalysis because they allow one to detect protein–protein interactions and conformational changes of biomolecules at the nanometer scale, both “in vitro” and “in vivo” in cells, tissues and organisms. These techniques are applied in diverse fields, from the detection and quantification of ligands able to bind to proteins or receptors to the development of RET-based whole-cell biosensors, microscope imaging techniques and “in vivo” whole-body imaging for the monitoring of physiological and pathological processes. However, their quantitative performances need further improvements and, even though RET measurement principles and procedures have been continuously improved, in some cases only qualitative or semiquantitative information can be obtained. In this review we report recent applications of RET-based analytical techniques and discuss their advantages and limitations. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the controversies surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the production of GM crops is increasing, especially in developing countries. Thanks to new technologies involving genetic engineering and unprecedented access to genomic resources, the next decade will certainly see exponential growth in GMO production. Indeed, EU regulations based on the precautionary principle require any food containing more than 0.9% GM content to be labeled as such. The implementation of these regulations necessitates sampling protocols, the availability of certified reference materials and analytical methodologies that allow the accurate determination of the content of GMOs. In order to qualify for the validation process, a method should fulfil some criteria, defined as “acceptance criteria” by the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL). Several methods have recently been developed for GMO detection and quantitation, mostly based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. PCR (including its different formats, e.g., double competitive PCR and real-time PCR) remains the technique of choice, thanks to its ability to detect even small amounts of transgenes in raw materials and processed foods. Other approaches relying on DNA detection are based on quartz crystal microbalance piezoelectric biosensors, dry reagent dipstick-type sensors and surface plasmon resonance sensors. The application of visible/near-infrared (vis/NIR) spectroscopy or mass spectrometry combined with chemometrics techniques has also been envisaged as a powerful GMO detection tool. Furthermore, in order to cope with the multiplicity of GMOs released onto the market, the new challenge is the development of routine detection systems for the simultaneous detection of numerous GMOs, including unknown GMOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioluminescent (BL) proteins are a promising tool for diverse applications based on reporter gene technology thanks to their high sensitivity and range of linear response. Due to their widespread use in the environmental, medical and agro-food fields, there is a great need for new BL reporter proteins with improved characteristics to provide researches a wide range of suitable reporters. Few efforts have been made in this direction and further improvement of BL reporter features (e.g., thermostability, narrower emission bandwidth, emission at different wavelengths) tailored for specific applications would be a remarkable progress toward the development of ultrasensitive multiplexed assays either in vitro or in vivo. The suitability of using red- and green-emitting thermostable mutants of Photinus pyralis firefly luciferase and two click beetle luciferases in combination with a secreted luciferase from Gaussia princeps was evaluated to develop a triple-color mammalian assay. Two triple-reporter model mammalian systems were developed in a human hepatoblastoma cell line to monitor the transcriptional regulation of cholesterol 7-α hydroxylase (cyp7a1), the enzyme that catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step of the main pathway responsible for cholesterol degradation in humans. These model systems allowed us to evaluate the feasibility of using two intracellular BL reporters and a secreted one in the same cell-based assay. The selection of reporter proteins characterized by similar expression levels was identified as a critical point for the development of a multicolor assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of endocrine-disrupting compounds in influent and effluent water samples from four waste water treatment plants located in Italy was studied. The estrogen-like activity of the water samples was measured using a chemiluminescent recombinant yeast assay which is based on genetically engineered yeast cells that express the human estrogen receptor. This receptor, once activated, elicits the expression of the reporter gene lac-Z and, consequently, the production of β-galactosidase, which is then measured by chemiluminescence. To control and minimize sample matrix effects, an external control based on a modified yeast strain stably expressing β-galactosidase was developed and also used in the assay. Rapid and sensitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays were also developed and validated for the quantification of 17β-estradiol, estrone, and estriol in waste water samples. Results from both methods were compared with a reference high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC ESI-MS-MS) method developed for the quantification of natural estrogens. The recombinant yeast assay revealed a significant estrogenic activity in the influent samples, ranging from 80 to 400 pmol/L 17β-estradiol equivalents (EEQ), which was reduced by 70–95 % in the effluent samples. The yeast assay also showed a systematic 20–30 % overestimation of estrogenic activity relative to the HPLC ESI-MS-MS method, suggesting the presence of other compounds in the samples with estrogenic activity. The chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays showed the presence of estrogens in the influent samples (mean concentrations: 350–450 pmol/L for estrone, 5–100 pmol/L for 17β-estradiol, 25–300 pmol/L for estriol), with significantly lower concentrations detected in the respective effluent samples. The waste water treatment was able to reduce natural estrogen concentrations by 40–95 %, although a high variability was observed. The enzyme immunoassay data correlated well with data obtained by the HPLC ESI-MS-MS method. Although the recombinant yeast assay represents a useful tool for a first-level screening of estrogenic activity due to its simplicity and high analytical throughput, sample matrix effects observed in waste water of industrial origin were found to strongly affect the yeast cells response, even when properly corrected for using the external control, thereby limiting its use to urban waste water. Its integration with chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassays would improve its performance by reducing false negative results, thereby enabling its use in extensive studies monitoring for the presence of endocrine-disrupting compounds in urban treatment plant effluents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes some of the applications of bioanalytical nanotechnology to immunoassays. The miniaturization of analytical immunoassays is important to diagnostic applications, because the reduction of sample volume is important when available samples are minimal. Nanochips, nanoparticles, nanotiter plates and nanobiosensors are the nanoanalytical devices that are use for immunoassays.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various articles within the issue on topics including detection of chemiluminescence with liquid chromatography, reporter gene technology, and applications of nanomaterials and composite materials.