Assay of the multiple energy-producing pathways of mammalian cells

To elucidate metabolic changes that occur in diabetes, obesity, and cancer, it is important to understand cellular energy metabolism pathways and their alterations in various cells. Here we describe a technology for simultaneous assessment of cellular energy metabolism pathways. The technology employs a redox dye chemistry specifically coupled to catabolic energy-producing pathways. Using this colorimetric assay, we show that human cancer cell lines from different organ tissues produce distinct profiles of metabolic activity. Further, we show that murine white and brown adipocyte cell lines produce profiles that are distinct from each other as well as from precursor cells undergoing differentiation. This technology can be employed as a fundamental tool in genotype-phenotype studies to determine changes in cells from shared lineages due to differentiation or mutation.