GEM-IL: A highly responsive fluorescent lactate indicator

Cell Rep Methods. 2021 Oct 21;1(7):100092. doi: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2021.100092. eCollection 2021 Nov 22.

Abstract

Lactate metabolism has been shown to have increasingly important implications in cellular functions as well as in the development and pathophysiology of disease. The various roles as a signaling molecule and metabolite have led to interest in establishing a new method to detect lactate changes in live cells. Here we report our development of a genetically encoded metabolic indicator specifically for probing lactate (GEM-IL) based on superfolder fluorescent proteins and mutagenesis. With improvements in its design, specificity, and sensitivity, GEM-IL allows new applications compared with the previous lactate indicators, Laconic and Green Lindoblum. We demonstrate the functionality of GEM-IL to detect differences in lactate changes in human oncogenic neural progenitor cells and mouse primary ventricular myocytes. The development and application of GEM-IL show promise for enhancing our understanding of lactate dynamics and roles.

Keywords: cancer; cardiac metabolism; cellular metabolism; genetically encoded fluorescent indicators; lactate; metabolite indicator.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Lactic Acid* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Myocytes, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Neural Stem Cells* / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Lactic Acid