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Updated: Feb 6, 2026

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Nanosensors to Detect Protease Activity In Vivo for Noninvasive Diagnostics
Published on: July 16, 2018
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Classification of prostate cancer using a protease activity nanosensor library
Jaideep S Dudani1,2, Maria Ibrahim1,3, Jesse Kirkpatrick1,3
1Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139.
Summary
New injectable biosensors detect prostate cancer protease activity, offering a noninvasive alternative to current methods. These nanosensors show promise for improved prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Current prostate cancer biomarkers like prostate-specific antigen (PSA) have limited predictive value and are affected by noncancerous conditions.
- Physical biopsies are invasive, require repetition, and only sample limited prostate tissue, highlighting the need for improved diagnostic tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel injectable biosensors for detecting prostate cancer biomarkers.
- To create a nanosensor library for measuring protease activity in vitro and in vivo for prostate cancer detection and classification.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis identified a panel of prostate cancer-associated proteases.
- A nanosensor library was developed to measure protease activity using fluorescence and urinary readouts.
- Nanosensors were coformulated with integrin-targeting ligands to enhance sensitivity in mouse models.
Main Results:
- The nanosensor library successfully classified aggressive prostate cancer in xenograft mouse models.
- Targeted nanosensors demonstrated robust classification of prostate cancer aggressiveness, outperforming PSA levels.
- The developed nanosensors offer both diagnostic and prognostic utility for prostate cancer management.
Conclusions:
- Injectable activity-based nanosensors represent a new paradigm for prostate cancer biomarker detection.
- These nanosensors provide a noninvasive method for assessing prostate cancer status and aggressiveness.
- The technology holds potential for widespread clinical application throughout prostate cancer management.
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