AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra Human Total Caspase-3 Detection Kit, 100 Assay Points

Total-AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra two-plate assay protocol

The two-plate protocol involves culturing and treating the cells in a 96-well plate before lysis, then transferring lysates into a 384-well OptiPlate™ plate before the addition of Total-AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra detection reagents. This protocol permits the cells viability and confluence to be monitored. In addition, lysates from a single well can be used to measure multiple targets.

Total-AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra one-plate assay protocol

Detection of Total target protein with AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra reagents can be performed in a single plate used for culturing, treatment, and lysis. No washing steps are required. This HTS designed protocol allows for miniaturization while maintaining AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra quality.

Caspase 3 cleavage in cells treated with Staurosporine

HeLa cells were seeded in a 96-well plate (40,000 cells/well) in complete medium and incubated overnight at 37°C, 5% CO2. The cells were treated with increasing concentrations of Staurosporine for 4 hours.

After treatment, the cells were lysed with 100 µL of Lysis Buffer for 10 minutes at RT with shaking (350 rpm). Caspase 3 Total and cleaved (D175) levels were evaluated using respective AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra assays. For the detection step, 10 µL of cell lysate (approximately 4,000 cells) was transferred into a 384-well white OptiPlate, followed by 5 µL of Acceptor mix and incubated for 1 hour at RT. Finally, 5 µL of Donor mix was then added to each well and incubated for 1 hour at RT in the dark. The plate was read on an Envision using standard AlphaLISA settings.

Staurosporine triggered a dose-dependent activation of caspase 3, causing cleavage of the pro-caspase form (Total) into the active (cleaved) form.

Expression of Caspase 3 in various cell lines

Adherent cells were seeded at 40,000 cells/well in a 96-well culture plate in complete medium and incubated overnight at 37°C, 5% CO2. Cells were lysed with 100 µL of Lysis Buffer.

Suspension cells were seeded at 400,000 cells/well in a 96-well culture plate in HBSS + 0.1% BSA, cells were spun down and lysed with 100 µL of Lysis Buffer.

Caspase 3 Total levels were evaluated by AlphaLISA SureFire Ultra. For the detection step, 10 µL of cell lysate (approximately 4,000 adherent cells or 40,000 suspension cells) was transferred into a 384-well white OptiPlate, followed by 5 µL of Acceptor Mix and incubated for 1 hour at RT. Finally, 5 µL of Donor Mix was then added to each well and incubated for 1 hour at RT in the dark. The plate was read on an Envision using standard AlphaLISA settings.

As expected, high Caspase 3 expression was observed in HEK293, Hep G2 and RT4 cells while expression was lower in MCF7 cells.