Immortalized cell lines that constitutively express different fluorescent proteins, in vitro angiogenesis assays, and a software application have been developed.

Understanding the biological processes that underlie cellular organization and communication has become a vital element in the discovery of new therapeutics, and in evaluating the efficiency of existing therapeutic approaches.  One frequently-studied example of a system in which multiple cell types function together and influence each other is angiogenesis, which is fundamentally important in tissue development, vascular disease, and cancer.  The availability of high-throughput, simple assays for the study of multiple-cell biological processes, such as angiogenesis, is essential for the development of therapeutics and diagnostics for disorders governed by these complex processes.

 

The inventors have developed a series of immortalized cell lines, selected to represent the different cell types found in angiogenesis in vivo, that constitutively express different fluorescent proteins.  Based on these cell lines, the inventors have developed several in vitro angiogenesis assays and a software application that can be used to investigate the relationships between different cells involved in angiogenesis, to develop new combinatorial approaches to boost the efficiency of existing therapeutics, and to facilitate the discovery of new potential single or combination drugs.  These assays have several advantages over currently-available kits, such as the capability for real-time monitoring of cellular interaction and activity, shortened and simplified protocols, and no added detection reagents to disrupt assay results.  The inventors have also developed a cytotoxicity assay using these cells that would be suitable for screening libraries of potential new drugs.

 

Applications:
This technology could potentially be used to develop a high-throughput screening assay for angiogenesis or anti-angiogenesis drugs, or to screen compounds for cytotoxicity.  A diagnostic test based on this technology could be used to monitor levels of angiogenic factors in the blood, to aid in personalized therapies for cancer and other angiogenesis-dependent diseases.

 

Development Status:
The inventors have already demonstrated proof of concept for this technology by developing a high-throughput screen for potential angiogenic drugs, and they have also recently developed a cytotoxicity assay.  They are in the process of identifying further uses for this technology, and have also developed a software application for analysis of tube formation assays. 

U.S. Patent Application No. 12/060,752 filed 01 Apr 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-281-2007/0-US-02)

Inventors:
Enrique Zudaire and Frank Cuttitta (NCI) 

Licensees Sought:
Available for non-exclusive licensing.

 

Collaborative Research Opportunity: 
The National Cancer Institute Angiogenesis Core Facility is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize multicolored fluorescent cell lines for high-throughput angiogenesis and cytotoxicity screening.  Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.