Across a broad array of research applications, virology assays typically monitor changes in the infected host cell over time.  The traditional methods for quantifying these virus-induced cytopathic effects are often labor intensive and only yield endpoint data.  Using gold biosensors that are integrated within microtiter plates, the xCELLigence RTCA family of instruments use impedance to continuously and non-invasively monitor virus-induced changes in host cell number, size, attachment strength, and barrier function.  This composite readout is an exceptionally sensitive means of tracking the entire life cycle of a virus and interrogating virus-host interactions.  In this webinar we will demonstrate how, despite having a simple workflow with minimal hands-on time, xCELLigence RTCA assays yield an abundance of quantitative kinetic information that is being used in both industry and academia for screening and characterizing antiviral drugs.  

The first section of the talk will focus on Agilent’s newest instrument, the xCELLigence RTCA eSight, which couples real-time impedance monitoring with live cell imaging in an information rich assay.  We will subsequently show that once drug candidates have been identified, their cardiac liability can be evaluated from aspects of electrophysiology, contractility and structure using the combined impedance and field potential readouts of the xCELLigence RTCA Cardio ECR instrument in conjunction with human iPSC cardiomyocytes.  

Collectively, this talk will demonstrate a paradigm-shifting workflow that can help populate R&D pipelines with drugs that are well characterized in terms of both efficacy and safety.  

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. 
 

Improved treatments are needed for nearly all forms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Adjunctive host-directed therapies (HDTs) have the potential to shorten tuberculosis (TB) treatment duration, prevent resistance and reduce lung damage by modulating regulatory pathways in dysregulated immune cell populations. In other human diseases such as cancer, diabetes and auto-immunity, HDTs that modulate energy metabolism can improve clinical outcomes. In this study, we looked at TB disease progression and the response to therapy through a metabolic lens. We show that chronic Mtb infection leads to a progressive decline in the metabolic health of T cells that reside in lung lesions, and that metformin HDT can reinvigorate these cells. We also demonstrate that measuring the metabolic health of T cells in subject blood samples can be linked to disease progression as well as to the subject's response to therapy. These findings provide new insights about Mtb pathogenesis that offer unique possibilities for metabolically-targeted immunotherapies to improve current TB treatment outcomes, particularly when standard therapy is no longer an option (i.e., MDR/XDR-TB). 

Since the onset of the current pandemic, COVID-19 has been described largely as a respiratory disease.  While the respiratory tract and alveoli are one of the primary sites of infection and pathology, the disease can affect multiple organ systems and displays a broad range of symptoms and sequelae.  Recent data suggest COVID-19 may be a vascular disease, owing to the direct and indirect impacts of the virus, SARS-CoV-2, to the endothelium.  Vasculature can be studied using numerous in vitro models, however, many platforms lack relevant biological and technical attributes, including barrier function, perfusion, high throughput capabilities, and compatibility with imaging and detection instruments.  With MIMETAS’ Organ-on-a-Chip technology and BioTek Automated Imaging and Detection instrumentation, the direct and indirect vascular impacts of viral infection can be studied using a variety of biologically relevant high-throughput three-dimensional models of the endothelium.  This collaborative webinar will provide a toolbox of MIMETAS products and relevant BioTek imaging and detection applications to dissect and improve our understanding of the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and vasculature.

Equid alpha-herpesviruses (EHV) are responsible for different diseases in equine population. EHV-1 causes respiratory diseases, abortions and nervous disorders, In this presentation, we documented the interest of the Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) technology to monitor the cytopathic effects induced by EHV-1 on equine dermal cells, and established the efficacy of this method to evaluate the antiviral effect of aciclovir and ganciclovir . In addition, the RTCA technology has also been found appropriate for the high-throughput screening of small molecules against EHV. Among the 2891 compounds screened, 22 molecules have been found to be effective in vitro against EHV-1. Decitabine, ganciclovir, and valganciclovir, were the most effective compounds identified, and their antiviral potency was further assessed on E. Derm, RK13 and EEK cells and against 3 different field strains of EHV-1 (ORF30 2254A/G/C) using RTCA technology. We also provide evidences of synergistic interactions between valganciclovir and decitabine in our in vitro antiviral assay as determined by impedance measurement and qPCR assays.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.