Discrimination between Human Colorectal Neoplasms with a Dual-Recognitive Two-Photon Probe

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Molecular Imaging
• Cancer Diagnostics

Background:

• Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality globally.
• Accurate histologic diagnosis of colorectal neoplasms is crucial for treatment but faces limitations.
• Existing diagnostic methods require improvement in accuracy and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a novel dual-recognition two-photon probe for discriminating human colorectal neoplasms.
• To monitor both glucose uptake and beta-gal activity for enhanced cancer detection.
• To evaluate the probe's selectivity and sensitivity in vitro and in human tissues.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a dual-recognition two-photon probe incorporating d-glucosamine and beta-d-galactopyranoside.
• In vitro and cell imaging studies to assess probe selectivity and sensitivity for glucose uptake and beta-gal activity.
• Application of the probe with two-photon microscopy on human colon tissues to discriminate neoplasms.

Main Results:

• The probe demonstrated excellent selectivity and sensitivity for glucose transporter-mediated glucose uptake and beta-gal activity.
• Increased fluorescence intensity indicated cancer-specific glucose uptake.
• Changes in emission ratio, due to higher beta-gal activity, enabled additional screening of cancer cells.
• A plot of intensity versus ratio accurately discriminated between normal, adenoma, and carcinoma tissues.

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-recognition two-photon probe effectively distinguishes colorectal neoplasms based on distinct molecular signatures.
• This probe offers a sensitive and selective method for monitoring glucose uptake and beta-gal activity in cancer diagnosis.
• The probe's ability to discriminate cancer progression stages holds promise for improved colorectal cancer diagnostics.