Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy of Intracellular Glucose Dynamics

Abstract

This work enables continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) within living cells using FD-FLIM and a biosensor protein. The sensor protein developed offers a new means for quantitatively analyzing glucose homeostasis at the cellular level. Data accumulated from these studies will help increase our understanding of the pathology of diabetes.

Recent advances in nanotechnology for diabetes treatment

“…A wide variety of glucose sensing modalities have been reported in the last two decades, and commonly employ Concanavalin A (Con A), phenylboronic acid (PBA), or most commonly, Glucose Oxidase (GOx) as a sensor for detecting glucose in solution. Common interfering species in blood and other bodily fluids include Uric and Acetic acids, as well as other carbohydrates such as Fructose, Lactose, and Sucrose 6, 11, 15 . Specificity for measuring only Glucose in solution requires the use of glucose specific enzymes, or the use of chemical or physical barriers with other detection modalities 16 .…”

“…The sensor could accurately detect glucose in the range of 25–800 μM 9 . Recently, this group reported expressing a similar mutant GBP protein within murine myoblast cells by transfecting the mutant GBP DNA into the cell’s DNA 15 . The mutant GBP protein was synthesized within the cells, and could be used to analyse the glucose concentration within the cells 15 .…”

“…Recently, this group reported expressing a similar mutant GBP protein within murine myoblast cells by transfecting the mutant GBP DNA into the cell’s DNA 15 . The mutant GBP protein was synthesized within the cells, and could be used to analyse the glucose concentration within the cells 15 . The resulting ability to see real time glucose metabolism within the cell is important for understanding diabetes pathology and may be useful in understanding possible intracellular therapies 15 .…”

“…The mutant GBP protein was synthesized within the cells, and could be used to analyse the glucose concentration within the cells 15 . The resulting ability to see real time glucose metabolism within the cell is important for understanding diabetes pathology and may be useful in understanding possible intracellular therapies 15 . Furthermore, this approach may be especially useful for studying the pathology of type 2 diabetes 15 .…”

“…The resulting ability to see real time glucose metabolism within the cell is important for understanding diabetes pathology and may be useful in understanding possible intracellular therapies 15 . Furthermore, this approach may be especially useful for studying the pathology of type 2 diabetes 15 . Within the cell, elevated glucose concentrations were found close to the cell membrane, and low glucose concentrations were found close to the nucleus 15 .…”