Abstract 3883: Miniaturizing the GloSensor™ cAMP assay for MC4R screening using the Echo® acoustic liquid handler

Abstract As biological assays used for HTS and uHTS are miniaturized, it is critical to maintain assay sensitivity while minimizing reagent volumes and maximizing throughput. The GloSensor™ cAMP Assay provides an extremely sensitive and easy to use, real-time luminescent assay format for the interrogation of over expressed or endogenous GPCRs that signal via changes in the intracellular concentration of cAMP. Tipless, touchless transfers with the Echo® liquid handler eliminate the need for costly disposable tips and greatly simplify assay development efforts. Precise and accurate drop placement eliminates cross-contamination. In this work, we demonstrate optimization of the GloSensor cAMP Assay in low-volume format using a stably transfected HEK293 cell line model expressing the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and a cAMP-sensing variant of firefly luciferase. We show that the Echo liquid handler is able to titrate small molecule and peptide agonists and antagonists, as well as transfer the GloSensor cAMP Reagent, providing robust assay results that are achieved with significantly reduced volumes of cells and compound. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3883. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3883