A ”clickable” probe for active MGMT in glioblastoma demonstrates two discrete populations of MGMT

Various pathways can repair DNA alkylation by chemotherapeutic agents such as temozolomide (TMZ). The enzyme O⁶-methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) removes O⁶-methylated DNA adducts, leading to the failure of chemotherapy in resistant glioblastomas. Because of the anti-chemotherapeutic activities of MGMT previously described, estimating the levels of active MGMT in cancer cells can be a significant predictor of response to alkylating agents. Current methods to detect MGMT in cells are indirect, complicated, time-intensive, or utilize molecules that require complex and multistep chemistry synthesis. Our design simulates DNA repair by the transfer of a clickable propargyl group from O⁶-propargyl guanine to active MGMT and subsequent attachment of fluorescein-linked PEG linker via ”click chemistry.” Visualization of active MGMT levels reveals discrete active and inactive MGMT populations with biphasic kinetics for MGMT inactivation in response to TMZ-induced DNA damage.