Quantifying drug tissue biodistribution by integrating high content screening with deep-learning analysis

Sci Rep. 2020 Sep 1;10(1):14408. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-71347-6.

Abstract

Quantitatively determining in vivo achievable drug concentrations in targeted organs of animal models and subsequent target engagement confirmation is a challenge to drug discovery and translation due to lack of bioassay technologies that can discriminate drug binding with different mechanisms. We have developed a multiplexed and high-throughput method to quantify drug distribution in tissues by integrating high content screening (HCS) with U-Net based deep learning (DL) image analysis models. This technology combination allowed direct visualization and quantification of biologics drug binding in targeted tissues with cellular resolution, thus enabling biologists to objectively determine drug binding kinetics.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cadherins / immunology*
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Carbocyanines*
  • Colon / metabolism
  • Deep Learning*
  • Drug Discovery / methods
  • Fluorescent Dyes*
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays / methods*
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Immunoconjugates / metabolism*
  • Intestine, Small / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Alexa Fluor 647
  • Cadherins
  • Carbocyanines
  • Cdh17 protein, mouse
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Immunoconjugates