Nanoplatform to Investigate Tumor-Initiating Cancer Stem Cells: Breaking the Diagnostic Barrier

Abstract

Drug-resistant capacity in a small population of tumor-initiating cancer stem cells (tiCSCs) can be due to aberrant epigenetic changes. However, currently available conventional detection methods are inappropriate and cannot be applied to investigate the scarce population (tiCSCs). In addition, selective inhibitor drugs are shown to reverse epigenetic changes; however, each cancer type is discrete. Hence, it is essential to probe the resultant changes in tiCSCs even after therapy. Therefore, we have developed a multimode nanoplatform to investigate tiCSCs, detect epigenetic changes, and subsequently explore their transformation signals following drug therapy. We performed this by developing a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active nanoplatform integrated with n-dopant using an ultrafast laser ionization technique. The dopant functionalization enhances Raman scattering ability and permits label-free analysis of biomarkers in tiCSCs with the resolution down to the cellular level. Here, we investigated epigenetic biomarkers of tiCSCs in pancreatic and lung cancers. An extended study using inhibitor drugs demonstrates an unexpected increase of tiCSCs from lung cancer; this difference can be attributed to transformation changes in lung tiCSC. Thus, our work brings new insight into the differentiation abilities of CSCs upon epigenetic reversal, emphasizing unique perceptions in cancer treatment.

Exploring the relationship between epigenetic DNA methylation and cardiac fibrosis through Raman microspectroscopy

“…In contrast, cardiomyopathies exhibited increased spectral features located at 1,257, 1,342 cm −1 and representatives for cytosine and guanine ( 31 , 46 ). Alternatively, the peak at 1,257 cm −1 could be attributed to methylations as the peaks located at 1,379 and 1,442 cm −1 ( 39 , 40 , 47 ). Furthermore, an increased signal in cardiomyopathies was shown in the amide I region at 1,667 cm −1 , which in the case of the nuclei could indicate a change in the histone structure.…”

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for studying the interaction of organometallic compound bis(1,3-dihexylimidazole-2-yl) silver(i) hexafluorophosphate (v) with the biofilm of Escherichia coli

“…Its practical applications have diversied, encompassing environmental monitoring, 29,30 food safety analysis, 31,32 national security surveillance, 33 and biomedical research. [34][35][36][37][38] SERS has also been employed to investigate the interaction mechanism between ASOs and SARS-CoV-2 RNA in combination with machine learning techniques. 39 SERS employs nanoparticles as the substrate to boost the Raman signal and has different applications in bacterial analysis, including the identication of drug-sensitive/drug-resistant bacterial strains and foodprocessing bacteria.…”

Triangular Silver Nanoplates/Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids on Flexible Substrates for Detection of Bacteria via Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

“…Raman spectroscopy is not limited to low concentrations and low sensitivity when using SERS. It has a wider range of practical application and has been gradually applied to environmental detection, , food safety analysis, , national security monitoring, and biomedical fields. − Recently, many precious metals (such as Ag, Au, Cu, Pt, and Pd) have been used to prepare SERS substrates, especially silver nanoparticles, following the advances reported in nanotechnology. , This is due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excited on the surface of the metal nanoparticles, strongly enhancing the electric field around these nanoparticles. Consequently, these metal nanoparticles have been widely used to enhance SERS signals.…”