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Updated: Aug 27, 2025
Digital Spatial Profiling for Characterization of the Microenvironment in Adult-Type Diffusely Infiltrating Glioma
Published on: September 13, 2022
Nondestructive protein sampling with electroporation facilitates profiling of spatial differential protein expression
Edward Vitkin1, Amrita Singh2, Julia Wise2
1School of Computer Science, Reichman University (IDC Herzliya), Herzliya, Israel.
Abstract:
Excision tissue biopsy, while central to cancer treatment and precision medicine, presents risks to the patient and does not provide a sufficiently broad and faithful representation of the heterogeneity of solid tumors. Here we introduce e-biopsy-a novel concept for molecular profiling of solid tumors using molecular sampling with electroporation. As e-biopsy provides access to the molecular composition of a solid tumor by permeabilization of the cell membrane, it facilitates tumor diagnostics without tissue resection. Furthermore, thanks to its non tissue destructive characteristics, e-biopsy enables probing the solid tumor multiple times in several distinct locations in the same procedure, thereby enabling the spatial profiling of tumor molecular heterogeneity.We demonstrate e-biopsy in vivo, using the 4T1 breast cancer model in mice to assess its performance, as well as the inferred spatial differential protein expression. In particular, we show that proteomic profiles obtained via e-biopsy in vivo distinguish the tumors from healthy breast tissue and reflect spatial tumor differential protein expression. E-biopsy provides a completely new molecular sampling modality for solid tumors molecular cartography, providing information that potentially enables more rapid and sensitive detection at lesser risk, as well as more precise personalized medicine.
Insights
Introducing e-biopsy, a novel method for molecular profiling of solid tumors. This technique uses electroporation for non-invasive sampling, enabling precise tumor diagnostics and spatial heterogeneity analysis without tissue resection.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Molecular Oncology
- Cancer Diagnostics
Background:
- Excision tissue biopsy is crucial for cancer treatment but poses risks and inadequately represents tumor heterogeneity.
- Current methods lack comprehensive molecular profiling of solid tumors, hindering personalized medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate e-biopsy, a novel molecular sampling technique for solid tumors.
- To demonstrate e-biopsy's capability for non-invasive tumor diagnostics and spatial molecular profiling.
- To assess e-biopsy's potential for improving cancer detection and personalized treatment.
Main Methods:
- Developed e-biopsy, a technique utilizing electroporation for molecular sampling of solid tumors.
- Demonstrated e-biopsy in vivo using a 4T1 breast cancer mouse model.
- Analyzed proteomic profiles obtained from e-biopsy samples.
Main Results:
- E-biopsy successfully accessed the molecular composition of solid tumors via cell membrane permeabilization.
- Proteomic profiles from e-biopsy distinguished tumors from healthy tissue.
- E-biopsy revealed spatial differential protein expression within tumors, reflecting molecular heterogeneity.
Conclusions:
- E-biopsy offers a non-tissue-destructive approach for molecular profiling of solid tumors.
- This technique enables repeated sampling and spatial profiling of tumor heterogeneity.
- E-biopsy holds potential for rapid, low-risk tumor detection and enhanced personalized medicine.
