A pore-forming protein-induced surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic strategy for dynamic tracing of cell membrane repair

• Published in: iScience Vol. 24; no. 9; p. 102980
• Main Authors: Yang, Yuanjiao, Chen, Yunlong, Guo, Jingxing, Liu, Huipu, Ju, Huangxian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 24-09-2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bioengineering; Biophysics; Cell biology; Membranes; Bioengineering; Cell biology; Membranes; Biophysics
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102980

The plasma membrane repair holds significance for maintaining cell survival and homeostasis. To achieve the sensitive visualization of membrane repair process for revealing its mechanism, this work designs a perforation-induced surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) strategy by conjugating Raman reporter (4-mercaptobenzoic acid) loaded gold nanostars with pore-forming protein streptolysin O (SLO) to induce the SERS signal on living cells. The SERS signal obviously decreases with the initiation of membrane repair and the degradation of SLO pores due to the departure of gold-nanostar-conjugated SLO. Thus, the designed strategy can dynamically visualize the complete cell membrane repair and provide a sensitive method to demonstrate the SLO endocytosis- and exocytosis-mediated repairing mechanism. Using DOX-resistant MCF-7 cells as a model, a timely repair-blocking technology for promoting the highly efficient treatment of drug-resistant cancer cells is also proposed. This work opens an avenue for probing the plasma membrane repairing mechanisms and designing the precision therapeutic schedule.
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•SERS strategy demonstrates the endocytosis- and exocytosis-mediated repairing mechanism•The SLO endocytosis and exocytosis predominate at different repair stages•SERS strategy possesses versatile applicability for monitoring the repairing process•Prompt blocking of the repair process can promote effective treatment of cancer cells
Membranes; Cell biology; Biophysics; Bioengineering