Upconversion of light for use in optogenetic methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9522288-B2
Application number	US-201113882703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2011
Priority date	Nov 5, 2010
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

Provided herein are compositions comprising lanthanide-doped nanoparticles which upconvert electromagnetic radiation from infrared or near infrared wavelengths into the visible light spectrum. Also provided herein are methods activating light-responsive opsin proteins expressed on plasma membranes of neurons and selectively altering the membrane polarization state of the neurons using the light delivered by the lanthanide-doped nanoparticles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to depolarize the plasma membrane of a neural cell in an individual comprising:
(a) placing a plurality of lanthanide-doped nanoparticles in proximity to the neural cell; and
(b) exposing the plurality of nanoparticles to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared (IR) or near infrared (NIR) spectrum, wherein the nanoparticles comprise NaYF 4 :Ytterbium/X/Gadolinium, wherein X is Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), or Er/Tm, wherein the electromagnetic radiation in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light in the visible spectrum by the nanoparticles, and wherein a light-responsive opsin is expressed on the plasma membrane of the neural cells and activation of the opsin by the light in the visible spectrum induces the depolarization of the plasma membrane.

2. A method to depolarize the plasma membrane of a neural cell in an individual comprising:
(a) administering a polynucleotide encoding a light-responsive opsin to an individual, wherein the light-responsive protein is expressed on the plasma membrane of a neural cell in the individual and the opsin is capable of inducing membrane depolarization of the neural cell when illuminated with light;
(b) administering a plurality of lanthanide-doped nanoparticles in proximity to the neural cell, wherein the nanoparticles comprise NaYF 4 :Ytterbium/X/Gadolinium, wherein X is Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), or Er/Tm; and
(c) exposing the plurality of nanoparticles to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared (IR) or near infrared (NIR) spectrum, wherein the electromagnetic radiation in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light in the visible spectrum and the activation of the opsin by the light in the visible spectrum induces the depolarization of the plasma membrane.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light-responsive opsin comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:5 or 8.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light-responsive opsin comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:6, 7, 9, 10, or 11.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein X is Tm.

6. The method of claim 1 , X is Er.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light having a wavelength of about 450 nm to about 550 nm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic energy in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light having a wavelength corresponding to red, yellow, or amber light.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic energy in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light having a wavelength corresponding to green or blue light.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the individual is a non-human animal.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the individual is a human.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neural cell is a neural cell in the central nervous system.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neural cell is a neural cell in the peripheral nervous system.

14. A method to hyperpolarize the plasma membrane of a neural cell in an individual comprising:
(a) placing a plurality of lanthanide-doped nanoparticles in proximity to the neural cell; and
(b) exposing the plurality of nanoparticles to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared (IR) or near infrared (NIR) spectrum, wherein the nanoparticles comprise NaYF 4 :Ytterbium/X/Gadolinium, wherein X is Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), or Er/Tm, wherein the electromagnetic radiation in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light in the visible spectrum by the nanoparticles, and wherein a light-responsive opsin is expressed on the plasma membrane and activation of the opsin by the light in the visible spectrum induces the hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane.

15. A method to hyperpolarize the plasma membrane of a neural cell in an individual comprising:
(a) administering a polynucleotide encoding a light-responsive opsin to an individual, wherein the light-responsive protein is expressed on the plasma membrane of a neural cell in the individual and the opsin is capable of inducing membrane hyperpolarization of the neural cell when illuminated with light;
(b) administering a plurality of lanthanide-doped nanoparticles in proximity to the neural cell, wherein the nanoparticles comprise NaYF 4 :Ytterbium/X/Gadolinium, wherein X is Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), or Er/Tm; and
(c) exposing the plurality of nanoparticles to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared (IR) or near infrared (NIR) spectrum, wherein the electromagnetic radiation in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light in the visible spectrum and the activation of the opsin by the light in the visible spectrum induces the hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the light-responsive opsin comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein X is Tm.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein X is Er.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electromagnetic energy in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light having a wavelength of about 450 nm to about 550 nm.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electromagnetic energy in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light having a wavelength corresponding to red, yellow, or amber light.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electromagnetic energy in the IR or NIR spectrum is upconverted into light having a wavelength corresponding to green or blue light.

22. The method of claim 14 , wherein the individual is a non-human animal.

23. The method of claim 14 , wherein the individual is a human.

24. The method of claim 14 , wherein the neural cell is a neural cell in the central nervous system.

25. The method of claim 14 , wherein the neural cell is a neural cell in the peripheral nervous system.

26. A system comprising:
a) lanthanide-doped nanoparticles comprising NaYF 4 :Ytterbium/X/Gadolinium, wherein X is Erbium (Er), Thulium (Tm), or Er/Tm;
b) a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a light-responsive polypeptide; and
c) a source of infrared or near infrared electromagnetic radiation.

27. The method of claim 2 , wherein the light-responsive protein comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.

28. The method of claim 2 , wherein X is Tm.

29. The method of claim 2 , wherein X is Er.

30. The method of claim 15 , wherein the light-responsive opsin comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4.

31. The method of claim 15 , wherein X is Tm.

32. The method of claim 15 , wherein X is Er.

33. The system of claim 26 , wherein the light-responsive polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11.

34. The system of claim 26 , wherein the light-responsive polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 85% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4.

35. The system of claim 26 , wherein X is Tm.

36.

Assignees

• Deisseroth Karl
• Anikeeva Polina
• Univ Leland Stanford Junior

Inventors

• Deisseroth Karl
• Anikeeva Polina

Classifications

• A61N2005/0663

  Coloured light · CPC title

• A61K41/008

  Two-Photon or Multi-Photon PDT, e.g. with upconverting dyes or photosensitisers · CPC title

• A61K41/00

  Medicinal preparations obtained by treating materials with wave energy or particle radiation {; Therapies using these preparations} · CPC title

• A61N5/0622

  Optical stimulation for exciting neural tissue · CPC title

• C12N2750/14143

  viral genome or elements thereof as genetic vector · CPC title