Prediction of Cancer Stem Cell Fate by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Functionalized Nanoprobes

Abstract

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are the fundamental building blocks of cancer dissemination, so it is desirable to develop a technique to predict the behavior of CSCs during tumor initiation and relapse. It will provide a powerful tool for pathological prognosis. Currently, there exists no method of such prediction. Here, we introduce nickel-based functionalized nanoprobe facilitated surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for prediction of cancer dissemination by undertaking CSC-based surveillance. SERS profiling of CSCs of various cell lines (breast cancer, cervical cancer, and lung cancer) was compared with their cancer counterparts for the prediction of prognosis, with statistical significance of single-cell sensitivity. The single-cell sensitivity is critical as even a few CSCs are capable of initiating a tumor. Intermediate states of CSC transmutation to cancer cells and its reverse were monitored, and nanoprobe-assisted SERS profiling was undertaken. We experimentally demonstrated that the quasi-intermediate CSC states have dissimilar profiles during the transformation from cancer to CSC and vice versa enabling statistical differentiation without ambiguity. It was also observed that molecular signatures of these opposite pathways are cancer-type specific. This observation provided additional clarity to the current understanding of relatively unfamiliar quasi-intermediate states; making it possible to predict CSC dissemination for variety of cancers with ∼99% accuracy. Nano probe-based prediction of CSC fate is a powerful prediction tool for ultrasensitive prognosis of malignancy in a complex environment. Such CSC-based cancer prognosis has never been proposed before. This prediction technique has potential to provide insights for cancer diagnosis and prognosis as well as for obtaining information instrumental in designing of meaningful CSC-based cancer therapeutics.

DEEP Surveillance of Brain Cancer Using Self-Functionalized 3D Nanoprobes for Noninvasive Liquid Biopsy

“…Moreover, they can be functionalized for label-free SERS detection of analytes present in trace quantities. 23 3. Reproducibility of SERS Spectra Obtained Using the 3D Ni-NiO Brain Cancer Profiler.…”

Intracellular Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoparticles for Monitoring Microalgal Biomass via Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

“…zofingiensis-0.5Au were small and isolated, which resulted in relatively weak SERS “hot spots” among the AuNSs, while the AuNPs in C. zofingiensis-1.0Au grew into large AuHNs, leading to a coupled electromagnetic effect that is responsible for a significant SERS activity. , In terms of the SERS substrates applied in complex biological samples, the enhancement effect of AuHNs (9.7 folds) in this study is still compelling compared to other reported nanostructures (Table S3), such as the liquid-state interfacial AuNP array (16 folds) and the nickel-based functionalized nanoprobe (5–7 folds). , Coupled with the rapid sample preparation of intracellular AuHNs, this microalgae-mediated AuHN would be a powerful Raman substrate to monitor the change of microalgal biomass composition.…”

“…53,54 In terms of the SERS substrates applied in complex biological samples, the enhancement effect of AuHNs (9.7 folds) in this study is still compelling compared to other reported nanostructures (Table S3), such as the liquid-state interfacial AuNP array (16 folds) and the nickel-based functionalized nanoprobe (5−7 folds). 55,56 Coupled with the rapid sample preparation of intracellular AuHNs, this microalgae-mediated AuHN would be a powerful Raman substrate to monitor the change of microalgal biomass composition.…”

Ag Nanorods for Label-Free Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Analysis of Cancer Cells from Cell Lysates

“…13 SERS has been widely employed to detect the biochemical composition inside the cellular environment for the aim of cell identification. 14 This strategy involves the internalization of plasmonic nanoparticles into cells, which is conventionally achieved by endocytosis. However, in this scenario, nanoparticles are generally trapped in endosomes, and functionalization of nanoparticles surfaces is required to escape the endosome pathway and promote their release into the cytoplasm of target organelles.…”

“…To this end, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) appears to be a promising technique because it provides rich chemical fingerprint information with high chemical sensitivity. − The fabrication of a high-quality SERS substrate is crucial for the reproducibility and reliability of SERS experiments, which remains a long-standing bottleneck since its discovery. , Silver (Ag) nanostructures exhibit a high SERS activity due to the superior plasmonic performance from the visible to near-infrared region . SERS has been widely employed to detect the biochemical composition inside the cellular environment for the aim of cell identification . This strategy involves the internalization of plasmonic nanoparticles into cells, which is conventionally achieved by endocytosis.…”