Utilizing Magnetic Levitation to Detect Lung Cancer-Associated Exosomes

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles, especially exosomes, have attracted attention in the last few decades as novel cancer biomarkers. Exosomal membrane proteins provide easy-to-reach targets and can be utilized as information sources of their parent cells. In this study, a MagLev-based, highly sensitive, and versatile biosensor platform for detecting minor differences in the density of suspended objects is proposed for exosome detection. The developed platform utilizes antibody-functionalized microspheres to capture exosomal membrane proteins (ExoMPs) EpCAM, CD81, and CD151 as markers for cancerous exosomes, exosomes, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-derived exosomes, respectively. Initially, the platform was utilized for protein detection and quantification by targeting solubilized ExoMPs, and a dynamic range of 1−100 nM, with LoD values of 1.324, 0.638, and 0.722 nM for EpCAM, CD81, and CD151, were observed, respectively. Then, the sensor platform was tested using exosome isolates derived from NSCLC cell line A549 and MRC5 healthy lung fibroblast cell line. It was shown that the sensor platform is able to detect and differentiate exosomal biomarkers derived from cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines. Overall, this innovative, simple, and rapid method shows great potential for the early diagnosis of lung cancer through exosomal biomarker detection.

Advancements and trends in exosome research in lung cancer from a bibliometric analysis (2004-2023)

“…Alper B et al. used a novel sensor platform with magnetic levitation to capture exosomal membrane proteins (ExoMPs) EpCAM, CD81, and CD151 using antibody-functionalized microspheres as markers for cancer exosomes, exosomes, and NSCLC-derived exosomes, respectively, which shows promise in detecting and differentiating lung cancer-associated exosomes and offers new pathways for biomarker-based diagnosis, providing a new avenue for biomarker-based diagnosis ( 80 ). Hayato K et al.…”

The prospective trajectory of exosomes‐based cancer nanomedicine

“…[9] Another nano-sensing platform called the Mag-Lev detects exosomes based on the density of the suspension while utilizing micro-spheric functionalized antibodies to record membrane proteins to differentiate between cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines. [10] Stem cell-derived exosomes show promising cancer healing properties (but the duel nature of stem cell-derived exosomes causes complications, a modified version of it is a more effective approach in cancer targeting). [11] Treatments in the form of exosome nano-vehicles can be used to target cancer inflammatory pathways including NF-κB, MAPK, JAK-STAT and PI3K/AKT.…”