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Published on: May 26, 2023
Electrochemical antitumor drug sensitivity test for leukemia K562 cells at a carbon-nanotube-modified electrode
1Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science (Education Ministry of China), Department of Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
Abstract:
The change in electrochemical behavior of tumor cells induced by antitumor drugs was detected by using a multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)-modified glass carbon electrode (GCE). Based on the changes observed, a simple, in vitro, electrochemical antitumor drug sensitivity test was developed. MWNTs promoted electron transfer between the electroactive centers of cells and the electrode. Leukemia K562 cells exhibited a well-defined anodic peak of guanine at +0.823 V at 50 mV s(-1). HPLC assay with ultraviolet detection was used to elucidate the reactant responsible for the electrochemical response of the tumor cells. The guanine content within the cytoplasm of each K562 cell was detected to be 920 amol. For the drug sensitivity tests, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and several clinical antitumor drugs, such as vincristine, adriamycin, and mitomycin C, were added to cell culture medium. As a result, the electrochemical responses of the K562 cells decreased significantly. The cytotoxicity curves and results obtained corresponded well with the results of MTT assays. In comparison to conventional methods, this electrochemical test is highly sensitive, accurate, inexpensive, and simple. The method proposed could be developed as a convenient means to study the sensitivity of tumor cells to antitumor drugs.
Insights
This study introduces a novel electrochemical method using multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to detect antitumor drug sensitivity in leukemia cells. The test offers a sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective alternative to conventional drug sensitivity assays.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Electrochemistry
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Antitumor drug sensitivity testing is crucial for personalized cancer treatment.
- Conventional methods can be time-consuming and expensive.
- Electrochemical techniques offer potential for rapid and sensitive biological analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple, in vitro, electrochemical method for assessing antitumor drug sensitivity in tumor cells.
- To utilize multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)-modified electrodes for enhanced electrochemical detection.
- To evaluate the efficacy of the developed method using leukemia K562 cells and various antitumor drugs.
Main Methods:
- Modification of a glass carbon electrode (GCE) with MWNTs to enhance electron transfer.
- Electrochemical detection of guanine in leukemia K562 cells as a biomarker.
- Application of standard antitumor drugs (5-fluorouracil, vincristine, adriamycin, mitomycin C) to cell cultures.
- Comparison of electrochemical results with standard MTT assays for cytotoxicity.
Main Results:
- MWNTs-modified GCE facilitated efficient electron transfer, enabling detection of guanine in K562 cells.
- Exposure to antitumor drugs significantly decreased the electrochemical responses of K562 cells.
- Electrochemical drug sensitivity test results correlated well with MTT assay outcomes.
- The method demonstrated high sensitivity, accuracy, and simplicity.
Conclusions:
- An electrochemical method using MWNTs-modified GCE provides a sensitive and accurate platform for antitumor drug sensitivity testing.
- This approach offers a cost-effective and simple alternative to conventional cytotoxicity assays.
- The proposed method has potential for clinical application in guiding cancer therapy decisions.
