Floating Immunomagnetic Microspheres for Highly Efficient Circulating Tumor Cell Isolation under Facile Magnetic...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Immunomagnetic beads (IMBs) are effective for circulating tumor cell (CTC) enrichment but often require mechanical stirring, risking cell damage.
• Existing methods necessitate additional equipment for mixing, posing challenges for cell viability during CTC capture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, cell-friendly strategy for highly efficient CTC capture.
• To introduce floating immunomagnetic microspheres (FIMMs) and a rotary magnetic manipulation device for improved CTC enrichment.

Main Methods:

• FIMMs were fabricated using a layer-by-layer assembly approach.
• A rotary magnetic manipulation device controlled the FIMMs' stress state (buoyancy/magnetic force) for cell-friendly capture.
• CTC recognition and recovery were achieved through external magnetic manipulation.

Main Results:

• High CTC enrichment efficiencies were achieved: 92.93% for MCF-7, 79.93% for A549, and 92.57% for HepG2.
• A low detection limit of 5 cells/mL was demonstrated, even in whole blood samples.
• FIMMs successfully enriched 23-56 CTCs from 1.5 mL of patient blood samples.

Conclusions:

• The proposed FIMM system provides a highly efficient and cell-friendly method for CTC enrichment.
• This technology offers a promising advancement for CTC detection and analysis in cancer diagnostics.