Rational Design of Materials Interface for Efficient Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells

Abstract

Originating from primary tumors and penetrating into blood circulation, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a vital role in understanding the biology of metastasis and have great potential for early cancer diagnosis, prognosis and personalized therapy. By exploiting the specific biophysical and biochemical properties of CTCs, various material interfaces have been developed for the capture and detection of CTCs from blood. However, due to the extremely low number of CTCs in peripheral blood, there exists a need to improve the efficiency and specificity of the CTC capture and detection. In this regard, a critical review of the numerous reports of advanced platforms for highly efficient and selective capture of CTCs, which have been spurred by recent advances in nanotechnology and microfabrication, is essential. This review gives an overview of unique biophysical and biochemical properties of CTCs, followed by a summary of the key material interfaces recently developed for improved CTC capture and detection, with focus on the use of microfluidics, nanostructured substrates, and miniaturized nuclear magnetic resonance‐based systems. Challenges and future perspectives in the design of material interfaces for capture and detection of CTCs in clinical applications are also discussed.

Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Hydrogel for Specific Recognition and Photothermal Site-Release of Circulating Tumor Cells

“…14,15,58 An individual fluorescently stained CTC with a strong fluorescence signal could be clearly identified under the microscope (Figure 5d). …”

Isolation of Circulating Plasma Cells in Multiple Myeloma Using CD138 Antibody-Based Capture in a Microfluidic Device

“…It also offers a distinct advantage over molecular techniques since the downstream processing can include both genotypic and phenotypic analysis of intact single cells as well as cell culture, drug testing, and other assays1213. Although CTCs are rare cells (typically ~1–100 per mL) and therefore challenging to detect, microfluidics has emerged as an important tool for CTC isolation that potentially enables detection, diagnosis, prognosis, drug screening, and understanding of cancer biology121314151617. A very recent study showed that automated slide-based immunofluorescence has potential to detect MM cells with a sensitivity of better than 1 in 10 6 nucleated cells in blood (below 10 cells/mL blood)18, but it requires sample preparation and staining of slides and a high-throughput fluorescence scanner.…”

Recent Advances in Microfluidic Platforms Applied in Cancer Metastasis: Circulating Tumor Cells' (CTCs) Isolation and Tumor‐On‐A‐Chip

“…Nanomaterials, due to high surface‐area‐to‐volume ratio, compatible capture, and release capabilities, have drawn much attentions in CTCs' isolation since they can improve sensitivity and specificity for capture efficiency . Until now, carbon nanotubes, silicone, gold, and graphene oxide nanoparticles have been extensively utilized in the affinity‐based capture methods . It has been demonstrated that porous microposts fabricated by carbon nanotubes can reduce hydrodynamic obstruction and ameliorate fluid flow near the surface leading to enhanced targeted CTCs and antibody interactions .…”