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SERS as a tool for in vitro toxicology
Kate M Fisher1, Jennifer A McLeish2, Lauren E Jamieson1
1EaStCHEM, School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK. colin.campbell@ed.ac.uk.
Faraday Discussions
|April 2, 2016
Summary
This study developed automated signal processing for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to measure pH and redox potential in toxicology. This method enables efficient comparative analysis of nanoparticle toxicity and oxidative stress.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Biophysics
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- pH and redox potential are key indicators of cellular stress, apoptosis, and viability in in vitro toxicology.
- Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is suitable for measuring these parameters in live cells, but its application is limited by time constraints and complex data analysis.
- Automating SERS signal processing is crucial for broader adoption in biological research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate automated signal processing algorithms for SERS to quantify pH and redox potential.
- To enable a comparative toxicological evaluation of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles using automated SERS.
- To correlate SERS findings with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis to elucidate nanoparticle-induced oxidative stress.
Main Methods:
- Development of signal processing and analysis algorithms for automatic SERS spectral processing.
- Application of automated SERS for real-time measurement of pH and redox potential in cellular models.
- Comparative toxicological assessment of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles.
- Correlation of SERS data with qPCR analysis for oxidative stress markers.
Main Results:
- Successfully automated SERS signal processing to directly output pH and redox potential values.
- Demonstrated a comparative toxicological profile of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles.
- Established correlations between SERS-derived oxidative stress markers and qPCR data.
- Highlighted differences in the toxicological mechanisms of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles.
Conclusions:
- Automated SERS provides an efficient and accessible method for measuring critical cellular stress markers.
- This approach facilitates robust comparative toxicology studies of nanomaterials.
- The combined SERS and qPCR methodology offers a comprehensive understanding of nanoparticle-induced oxidative stress and toxicity.
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