Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40234651›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

An optimized luciferin formulation for NanoLuc-based in vivo bioluminescence imaging.

Chao Gao, Yan Wu, Connor Fitzgerald, Hui Wang, Tim Ugo, Tetsuo Uyeda, Wenhui Zhou, Yichi Su, Thomas A Kirkland, Michael Z Lin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Chao Gao *Promega Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.
Yan Wu *Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Connor FitzgeraldPromega Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.
Hui WangPromega Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.
Tim UgoPromega Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.
Tetsuo UyedaPromega Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.
Wenhui ZhouPromega Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.
Yichi SuDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Institute for Translational Brain Research, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. yichisu@fudan.edu.cn.
Thomas A KirklandPromega Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA. thomas.kirkland@promega.com.
Michael Z LinDepartment of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. mzlin@stanford.edu.

Funding

Noninvasive bioluminescent imaging of neuronal activity in freely behaving animalsR21DA048252 · NIDA · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI LIN, MICHAEL Z. · 2019 to 2020
$435k
Bioluminescent indicators for noninvasive imaging of acetylcholine releaseR21NS122055 · NINDS · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI LIN, MICHAEL Z. · 2021 to 2021
$434k
NIDA NIH HHS R21 DA048252NINDS NIH HHS R21 NS122055
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is widely used in preclinical biomedical research for noninvasive tracking of cell populations and biochemical events in vivo. With recent improvements in BLI brightness from the engineering of bioluminescent enzymes (luciferases) and substrates (luciferins), optimizing luciferin formulations to maximize delivery and minimize toxicity becomes important, especially for marine coelenterazine-type luciferins with limited solubility. Here, we complete the characterization of a previously reported NanoLuc substrate, designated cephalofurimazine-9 (CFz9), and optimize its formulation with water-soluble excipients. We report a pH-controlled formulation of CFz9 enabling high-dose delivery to achieve peak brightness comparable to other furimazine analogs both inside and outside the brain while reducing toxicity. Thus, an optimized CFz9 formulation improves the performance and tolerability of whole-animal BLI with NanoLuc-based reporters.

Indexed as

LuciferasesLuminescent AgentsLuminescent MeasurementsNanoparticlesAnimalsMiceLuciferasesLuminescent Agents

Identifiers

PMID40234651
PMCPMC12000296

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.