Multiparametric High Content Analysis for assessment of neurotoxicity in differentiated neuronal cell lines and human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons

• A novel multiparametric HCA assay for neurotoxicity screening is described.
• 36 compounds tested in differentiated SH-SY5Y, PC-12, and hES-derived neurons.
• HCA data compared with data from MTT and LDH assays.
• HCA assay distinguishes between neurotoxic and cytotoxic drug effects.
• Multiparametric HCA enables generation of detailed and novel neurotoxicity data.

The potential for adverse neurotoxic reactions in response to therapeutics and environmental hazards continues to prompt development of novel cell-based assays to determine neurotoxic risk. A challenge remains to characterize and understand differences between assays and between neuronal cellular models in their responses to neurotoxicants if scientists are to determine the optimal model, or combination of models, for neurotoxicity screening. Most studies to date have focused on developmental neurotoxicity applications. This study reports the development of a robust multiparameter High Content Analysis (HCA) assay for neurotoxicity screening in three differentiated neuronal cell models – SH-SY5Y, PC12 and human embryonic stem cell-derived hN2™ cells. Using a multiplexed detection reagent panel (Hoechst nuclear stain; antibodies against βIII-Tubulin and phosphorylated neurofilament subunit H, and Mitotracker® Red CMXRos), a multiparametric HCA assay was developed and used to characterize a test set of 36 chemicals. HCA data generated were compared to data generated using MTT and LDH assays under the same assay conditions. Data showed that multiparametric High Content Analysis of differentiated neuronal cells is feasible, and represents a highly effective method for obtaining large quantities of robust data on the neurotoxic effects of compounds compared with cytotoxicity assays like MTT and LDH. Significant differences were observed between the responses to compounds across the three cellular models tested, illustrating the heterogeneity in responses to neurotoxicants across different cell types. This study provides data strongly supporting the use of cellular imaging as a tool for neurotoxicity assessment in differentiated neuronal cells, and provides novel insights into the neurotoxic effects of a test set of compounds upon differentiated neuronal cell lines and human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons.