A label-free indicator for tumor cells based on the CH2-stretch ratio

In this paper, we assess the potential of a label-free infrared absorbance based measurement method for determination of the CH(2)-symmetric to CH(2)-antisymmetric stretch ratio, to aid in the detection of the presence of cancer cells and to differentiate between various cancer cells. For this study a normal epithelial kidney cell line, two carcinoma epithelial kidney cell lines, an adult primary human melanocyte cell line, and three human melanoma cell lines were investigated. For the measurements we used a self-designed IR sensor which has the potential to be further developed in a point-of-care instrument. To investigate the mechanism influencing the CH(2)-stretch ratio of mammalian cell membranes, a normal epithelial kidney cell line was exposed to the plasma membrane bound cholesterol reducing agent methyl-β-cyclodextrin. This methodology yielded statistically significant CH(2)-stretch ratio differences between the individual cell lines, normal and tumorous, of both epithelial kidney and melanocyte origin. Measurement results of normal epithelial kidney cells exposed to methyl-β-cyclodextrin indicate that an increase in the CH(2)-stretch ratio arises when there is a decrease in, or redistribution of, the membrane stabilizing agent cholesterol. This study proves that the proposed cell type discrimination method, based on the CH(2)-symmetric to CH(2)-antisymmetric stretch ratio, allows the discrimination between normal and tumor cells. In addition, the method shows high potential for improvement of staging of suspicious tissues.