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Magnetic-optical Nanoparticles for Capture and Detection of Rare Cancer Cells in Whole Blood
S. Bhana, X. Huang
The University of Memphis, US
Keywords: hybrid nanoparticles, cancer detection, circulating tumor cells
Summary:
Sensitive detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) remains a major challenge due to their scarcity in cancer patients. We report a new assay for high sensitivity detection of rare epithelial cancer cells in unprocessed blood, based on innovative application of dually functional magnetic-optical hybrid nanoparticles (NPs). We developed a versatile method to make iron oxide-gold (IO-Au) core-shell NPs in different shapes with dual superparamagnetic properties and optical properties. Using the oval-shaped NPs, we demonstrated that breast cancer cells in whole blood can be dually captured with magnetic separation and detected with surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection on-line, with the detection sensitivity down to 1-2 cells per mL of blood. Our method provides a huge step forward in developing a simple, rapid, quantitative and ultrasensitive technique for clinic detection of CTCs in patients with a variety types of cancers.
