Light sheet fluorescence microscopy guided MALDI-imaging mass spectrometry of cleared tissue samples

Sci Rep. 2020 Sep 2;10(1):14461. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-71465-1.

Abstract

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) of optically cleared biological samples represents a powerful tool to analyze the 3-dimensional morphology of tissues and organs. Multimodal combinations of LSFM with additional analyses of the identical sample help to limit the consumption of restricted specimen and reduce inter-sample variation. Here, we demonstrate the proof-of-concept that LSFM of cleared brain tissue samples can be combined with Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MALDI-MSI) for detection and quantification of proteins. Samples of freshly dissected murine brain and of archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human brain tissue were cleared (3DISCO). Tissue regions of interest were defined by LSFM and excised, (re)-embedded in paraffin, and sectioned. Mouse sections were coated with sinapinic acid matrix. Human brain sections were pre-digested with trypsin and coated with α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid matrix. Subsequently, sections were subjected to MALDI-time-of-flight (TOF)-MSI in mass ranges between 0.8 to 4 kDa (human tissue sections), or 2.5-25 kDa (mouse tissue sections) with a lateral resolution of 50 µm. Protein- and peptide-identities corresponding to acquired MALDI-MSI spectra were confirmed by parallel liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The spatial abundance- and intensity-patterns of established marker proteins detected by MALDI-MSI were also confirmed by immunohistochemistry.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / ultrastructure*
  • Formaldehyde / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Paraffin Embedding
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / isolation & purification*
  • Proteins / chemistry
  • Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*
  • Tissue Fixation
  • Trypsin / chemistry

Substances

  • Peptides
  • Proteins
  • Formaldehyde
  • Trypsin