The Luc (Luciferase) Reporter Cell Line in 4T1 cells is a model that uses the bioluminescent enzyme luciferase to measure gene expression and cellular activity. Luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin, producing light that can be detected and quantified, making it a sensitive and versatile reporter gene.
The 4T1 cell line, derived from a murine mammary carcinoma, is widely used for studying cancer biology and for drug development. When 4T1 cells are engineered to express a luciferase reporter, they provide a sensitive assay for studying the effects of various treatments on gene expression and cellular activity. This cell line is particularly useful for high-throughput screening and for studying the mechanisms of action of potential cancer therapies.
Hypoxia is one of cancer's hallmarks. Using a miR-210-specific reporter system, the researchers observed the transfer of miR-210 from hypoxic breast cancer cells to surrounding cells. Exosomes containing miR-210 were transported throughout the tumor microenvironment, according to both in vitro and in vivo studies. MiR-210 modulated the expression of vascular remodeling genes such as Ephrin A3 and PTP1B, encouraging angiogenesis. This study demonstrates how exosome-mediated communication promotes the transmission of miRNAs from hypoxic cancer cells to neighboring cells, which influences tumor growth.
Figure 1. The researchers designed a miR-210 reporter construct to image miR-210 expression in 4T1-luc cells. Luciferase signals from these cells were modulated by miR-210 binding. Bioluminescence imaging and luciferase assays demonstrated dose-dependent signal reduction upon DFO treatment (400 μM). In vivo imaging of 4T1/miR-210 tumors confirmed decreased luciferase signals post-DFO injection, correlating with altered HIF-1α expression. These findings highlight the utility of 4T1-luc2/miR-210 cells in studying miR-210 regulation under hypoxic conditions. (Jung KO, et al., 2017)
The Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 is a breast cancer cell line engineered to express the luciferase enzyme, which allows for the bioluminescent measurement of gene expression and cellular activity. This cell line is particularly useful for studying the effects of various treatments on cancer cell behavior and for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
(1)Cancer Therapy Research:
The 4T1 cell line can be utilized to test the efficacy of new cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or targeted therapies, by measuring changes in luciferase activity, which correlates with cell viability and proliferation.
(2)Gene Expression Profiling:
Researchers can use this cell line to study the regulation of gene expression in response to different stimuli, such as hormonal or environmental factors, which can provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of cancer development.
(3)In Vivo Imaging Studies:
The 4T1 Luc Reporter Cell Line is suitable for in vivo imaging studies, where the bioluminescent signal from luciferase can be used to track tumor growth and metastasis in animal models, aiding in the understanding of cancer progression and the evaluation of therapeutic interventions.
Customer Q&As
In what types of research studies is the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 most effectively employed, and what specific advantages does it offer?
A: The Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 is optimally utilized in cancer research, specifically for studying breast cancer metastasis and tumor immunology. It offers the significant advantage of allowing real-time, non-invasive monitoring of tumor progression and metastasis in live animals through bioluminescence imaging. This capability enables researchers to quantitatively measure tumor burden over time without euthanizing the animals, facilitating longitudinal studies on tumor growth and regression in response to treatments.
What are the essential considerations for ensuring accurate and reproducible results when using the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 in bioluminescence imaging?
A: Key considerations include ensuring consistent luciferin substrate administration, maintaining the animals under appropriate conditions to avoid stress-induced variability, and standardizing imaging protocols (e.g., timing post-luciferin injection and camera settings). Additionally, it's vital to use an appropriate control group and calibrate the imaging system to account for background luminescence and signal attenuation due to tissue depth.
How does the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 enable the evaluation of anti-cancer drug efficacy in vivo, and what are the implications for personalized medicine?
A: By incorporating the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 into animal models, researchers can non-invasively track tumor response to therapeutic agents in real-time. This approach allows for the dynamic assessment of drug efficacy, enabling the identification of the most promising therapeutic agents for further development. The implications for personalized medicine are profound, as this methodology can be adapted to screen for drugs that are most effective against the specific genetic makeup of a patient's tumor, potentially leading to more targeted and effective treatments.
Could you elaborate on the potential limitations researchers might encounter when using the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 for tracking tumor metastasis and how these might be mitigated?
A: Potential limitations include the challenge of detecting very small metastatic sites due to the sensitivity limits of bioluminescence imaging, and the potential for variability in luciferase expression among cells. To mitigate these issues, researchers can employ imaging systems with enhanced sensitivity, use multimodal imaging approaches to validate findings, and perform rigorous quantification of luciferase expression levels to ensure consistency. Additionally, advancing the imaging technology and developing more sensitive luciferase substrates could further improve detection capabilities.
What methods should be considered when designing experiments using the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 to investigate the tumor microenvironment's role in cancer progression?
A: When designing experiments to explore the tumor microenvironment with the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1, it's crucial to consider co-culturing the luciferase-expressing 4T1 cells with other cell types relevant to the tumor microenvironment, such as immune cells or fibroblasts. This can help elucidate interactions between tumor cells and their surroundings. Additionally, employing imaging techniques that can spatially resolve the bioluminescent signal within the tumor can provide insights into how different regions of the tumor microenvironment influence cancer progression. Combining the Luc Reporter Cell Line-4T1 with other reporter systems that can mark different cell types or physiological states (e.g., hypoxia) can also enrich the data and provide a more comprehensive understanding of the tumor microenvironment.
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Customer Reviews
Quantitative Signal Detection
The 4T1 Luc Reporter Cell Line provides a highly sensitive and quantitative measure of reporter gene expression, which is valuable for assessing subtle changes in gene regulation.
Homogeneous Reporter Activity
The stable nature of the luciferase reporter in 4T1 cells ensures a uniform response, which is critical for obtaining consistent and reliable data across experiments.
Low Background Signal
The 4T1 Luc Reporter Cell Line has minimal background signal, which reduces noise and increases the dynamic range for detecting luciferase activity.
Transfection Efficiency Assessment
The 4T1 Luc Reporter Cell Line can be used to assess transfection efficiency and optimize transfection protocols, which is essential for gene function studies.
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