Enabling Indium Channels for Mass Cytometry by Using Reinforced Cyclam-Based Chelating Polylysine

The synthesis of a polylysine polymer functionalized with the previously reported astonishingly inert [In­(cb-te2pa)]+ chelate was performed. A biotin end group allowed the conjugation to biotinylated beads by the intermediary of a fluorescein isothiocyanate/neutravidin receptor. High quality imaging mass cytometry trials, based on 115In detection were performed to highlight the behavior of the material. Anti-CD20 antibody was labeled by the so-obtained In­(III)-modified polylysine using the biotin/neutravidin interaction. Ramos (CD20­[+]) and HL-60 (CD20[−]) cell lines were costained with the In­(III)-modified bioconjugate by finding the best staining conditions. Both immunofluorescence microscopy (IF-M) and mass cytometry analyses confirmed the specific binding of anti-CD20 onto Ramos cells. CyTOF histograms constructed on the 115In detection allowed us to define and to separate, with a good signal-to-noise ratio, two populations (Ramos and HL-60). The inertness of In­(III)-MCP-NAv over a three-month storage period was proved by performing new functionality tests involving Jurkat cells (CD20[−]) and multiparametric trials involving the 115In channel. The results ensure a promising future use of the previously announced [In­(cb-te2pa)]+ complex-based polymers for mass cytometry.