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Multimodal Optical Imaging Platform for Studying Cellular Metabolism
Published on: June 6, 2025
Second-harmonic generation in collagen as a potential cancer diagnostic parameter
Tord Hompland1, Arne Erikson, Mikael Lindgren
1The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Physics, Hogskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
Journal of Biomedical Optics
|November 22, 2008
Summary
Tumor tissues show altered collagen structure compared to normal tissues. Analyzing collagen using second-harmonic generation (SHG) reveals distinct patterns, suggesting collagen signatures as potential diagnostic markers for cancer.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Oncology
Background:
- Extracellular matrix remodeling occurs during cancer development.
- Fibrillar collagen type I exhibits properties suitable for second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging.
- Differences in collagen networks exist between tumor and normal tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the collagen content and structure in tumor versus normal tissues.
- To evaluate the potential of collagen signatures as diagnostic markers for cancer.
Main Methods:
- Utilized second-harmonic generation (SHG) imaging on frozen tissue sections.
- Analyzed collagen density by quantifying SHG signal pixels.
- Characterized collagen structure using nonlinear optical susceptibility (d22 coefficient) and anisotropy parameters.
- Compared SHG imaging data from osteosarcoma, breast carcinoma, and melanoma with corresponding normal tissues (bone, breast, skin).
Main Results:
- Normal tissues generally exhibited higher collagen density than tumor tissues.
- Tumor tissues displayed a peripheral collagen 'cap' with sparse, heterogeneous internal distribution.
- Normal tissues showed a two-fold higher d22 coefficient and lower anisotropy compared to tumor tissues.
- Significant differences in collagen content, distribution, and structure were observed between cancerous and healthy tissues.
Conclusions:
- The distinct collagen signatures in tumor tissues offer potential as diagnostic markers.
- SHG imaging provides a valuable method for assessing collagen network alterations in malignancy.
- Quantitative analysis of collagen structure can differentiate between normal and cancerous tissues.
