2. Academic Validation
  3. Real-Time Monitoring of Glutathione in Living Cells Reveals that High Glutathione Levels Are Required to Maintain Stem Cell Function

Real-Time Monitoring of Glutathione in Living Cells Reveals that High Glutathione Levels Are Required to Maintain Stem Cell Function

  • Stem Cell Reports. 2018 Feb 13;10(2):600-614. doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.12.007.
Eui Man Jeong 1,  Ji-Hye Yoon 2,  Jisun Lim 3,  Ji-Woong Shin 4,  A Young Cho 2,  Jinbeom Heo 5,  Ki Baek Lee 4,  Jin-Haeng Lee 4,  Won Jong Lee 4,  Hyo-Jun Kim 4,  Young Hoon Son 4,  Seok-Jin Lee 4,  Sung-Yup Cho 4,  Dong-Myung Shin 6,  Kihang Choi 7,  In-Gyu Kim 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea.
  • 2 Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
  • 3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
  • 4 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea.
  • 5 Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
  • 6 Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7 Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 8 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 29307581 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.12.007
Abstract

The core functions of stem cells (SCs) are critically regulated by their cellular redox status. Glutathione is the most abundant non-protein thiol functioning as an antioxidant and a redox regulator. However, an investigation into the relationship between glutathione-mediated redox capacity and SC activities is hindered by lack of probe. Here, we demonstrate that cyanoacrylamide-based coumarin derivatives are ratiometric probes suitable for the real-time monitoring of glutathione levels in living SCs. These probes revealed that glutathione levels are heterogeneous among subcellular organelles and among individual cells and show dynamic changes and heterogeneity in repopulating SCs depending on oxidative stress or culture conditions. Importantly, a subpopulation of SCs with high glutathione levels exhibited increased stemness and migration activities in vitro and showed improved therapeutic efficiency in treating asthma. Our results indicate that high glutathione levels are required for maintaining SC functions, and monitoring glutathione dynamics and heterogeneity can advance our understanding of the cellular responses to oxidative stress.

Keywords

asthma; fluorescent probe; glutathione; heterogeneity; migration; oxidative stress; pluripotency; real-time monitoring; self-renewal; stem cell.

Figures
Products
  • Cat. No.
    Product Name
    Description
    Target
    Research Area
  • HY-131013
    98.06%, GSH Probe