A Fluorescence-based Lymphocyte Assay Suitable for High-throughput Screening of Small Molecules

The study introduced a novel fluorescence-based assay using lymphocytes from a transgenic mouse, designed for high-throughput screening (HTS) of small molecules that can modulate lymphocyte activation. This assay utilized T or B cells from a transgenic mouse where GFP expression is driven by the Nur77 promoter upon receptor stimulation, allowing the assessment of cellular activation through GFP intensity. A primary screening of 4,398 compounds identified 160 potential hits with immunomodulatory activities, demonstrating the assay's utility in drug discovery programs targeting large chemical libraries.