Assay for FGF2 secretion and signaling

A method for identifying the presence of FGF2 secretion modulating compounds, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing SK-N-MC target cells which become apoptotic in the presence of FGF2, wherein the target cells constitutively express a first reporter exciting fluorescence at a first wavelength, wherein the first reporter is only expressed in the nucleus of living target cells;
• b. monitoring the amount of living target cells by measuring the fluorescence of the first reporter;
• c. detecting the presence of DNA from apoptotic SK-N-MC target cells with a second reporter exciting fluorescence at a wavelength that differs from the wavelength of the first reporter by measuring the fluorescence of the second reporter;
• d. co-incubating the target cells with an FGF2 secreting cell line and a test compound and again measuring the fluorescence of the first reporter and the second reporter;
• e. calculating a quotient by dividing the measured second fluorescence of step (c) by the measured first fluorescence of step (b);
• f. calculating a quotient by dividing the measured second fluorescence of step (d) by the measured first fluorescence of step (d);
• and
• g. comparing the quotient of step (e) with the quotient of step (f) where a change of the calculated quotient indicates a change in FGF2 secretion and identifies the test compound as an FGF2 secretion modulating compound.