Applying NV center-based quantum sensing to study intracellular free radical response upon viral infections
Kaiqi Wu,
Thea A. Vedelaar,
Viraj G. Damle,
Aryan Morita,
Julie Mougnaud,
Claudia Reyes San Martin,
Yue Zhang,
Denise P.I. van der Pol,
Heidi Ende-Metselaar,
Izabela Rodenhuis-Zybert,
Romana Schirhagl
Affiliations
Kaiqi Wu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Thea A. Vedelaar
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Viraj G. Damle
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Aryan Morita
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands; Department of Dental Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jalan Denta 1, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
Julie Mougnaud
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands; The University of Poitiers, Bât. B2, 2 rue Charles-Claude Chenou TSA 51106, F-86073, Poitiers, Cédex 9, France
Claudia Reyes San Martin
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Yue Zhang
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Denise P.I. van der Pol
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Heidi Ende-Metselaar
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Izabela Rodenhuis-Zybert
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands
Romana Schirhagl
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, 9713AV, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.
Although viruses are known to modify the free radical concentration in infected cells, the exact location and concentrations of such changes remain unknown. Although this information is important to understand the virus pathogenesis and design better anti-viral drugs or vaccines, obtaining it with the conventional free radical/ROS detection techniques is impossible. Here, we elucidate the utility of diamond magnetometry for studying the free radical response of baby hamster kidney-21 cells upon Semliki Forest virus infection. Specifically, we optically probe the alterations in free radical concentration near infectious viruses via measuring the spin–lattice relaxation (T1) of NV defect ensembles embedded in intracellular nanodiamonds. We performed measurements both at random locations as well as close to the virus entry by conjugating viruses to nanodiamond sensors. We observed alterations of T1, which represent the intracellular free radical concentration during the viral replication process. Moreover, relaxometry is also used to monitor real-time free radical variation during the early infectious process.
