Signal amplification cytosensor for evaluation of drug-induced cancer cell apoptosis

Apoptosis is involved in the pathology of a variety of diseases. The measurement of apoptosis will help us to evaluate the onset of disease and the effect of therapeutic interventions. In addition, the increased demand for understanding the early stages of apoptosis is pushing the envelope for solutions in early instance real-time monitoring of death kinetics. Here we present a novel electrochemiluminescent cytosensing strategy to quantitate apoptotic cell numbers, screen some anticancer drugs, and evaluate their effects on hepatocarcinoma cell line (HepG2) cells by utilizing the human antiphosphatidyl serine antibody (APSA) conjugated Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)-encapsulated silica nanoparticle (APSA-SiO(2)@Ru) as the detection probe. HepG2 cells were easily immobilized on the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-serine (RGDS)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (RGDS-MWCNTs) nanocomposite by the specific combination of RGD domains with integrin receptors on the cell surface. Then APSA-SiO(2)@Ru was introduced to the surface of apoptosis cells through the specific interaction between APSA and phosphatidylserine (PS) that distributed on the outer membrane of apoptotic cells. On the basis of the signal amplification of the APSA-SiO(2)@Ru nanoprobe, the cytosensor could respond as low as 800 cells mL(-1), showing very high sensitivity. In addition, the dynamic alterations of surface PS expression on HepG2 cells in response to drugs and the cell heterogeneity were also demonstrated. The strategy presented a promising platform for highly sensitive cytosensing and convenient screening of some clinically available anticancer drugs.