K. Blomberg et al., TIME-RESOLVED FLUOROMETRIC ASSAY FOR NATURAL-KILLER ACTIVITY USING TARGET-CELLS LABELED WITH A FLUORESCENCE ENHANCING LIGAND, Journal of immunological methods, 193(2), 1996, pp. 199-206
A time-resolved fluorometric assay for the measurement of natural kill
er cell activity against target cells labelled with the acetoxymethyl
ester of the fluorescence enhancing ligand 2,2':6',2N-terpyridine-6,6'
'-dicarboxylic acid (TDA) is described. The hydrophobic esterified for
m of TDA (bis(acetoxymethyl)2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridine-6,6 ''-dicarboxyl
ate, BATDA) diffuses readily through the cell membrane of viable cells
. BATDA is hydrolysed by intracellular esterases resulting in accumula
tion of membrane impermeable TDA inside the target cells. After incuba
tion of labelled K-562 cells with effector cells the TDA released from
lysed cells into the supernatant is chelated with Eu3+. The natural k
iller cell activity is then quantified by measuring the intense fluore
scence of the EuTDA chelates formed. Target cells are rapidly labelled
when incubated with BATDA, TDA is released from target cells faster t
han Cr-51, the spontaneous release permits a short-term release assay
to be set up and the detection of EuTDA is fast (5 min/96 well plate).
Furthermore, this non-radioactive method permits the use of complex c
ulture media since, in contrast to methods based on prompt fluorometry
, the problem with autofluorescence can be avoided by the use of time-
resolved fluorometry.