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Label-Free Imaging of Cell Apoptosis by a Light-Addressable Electrochemical Sensor
Fangming Chen1, Qian Guo2, Qiaoyu Yang1
1Institute of Medical Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
Abstract:
Label-free electrochemical visualization of cancer cell apoptosis is essential for cancer therapies. In this work, we proposed a noninvasive imaging method using a light-addressable electrochemical sensor (LAES) for label-free imaging of drug-induced tumor cell apoptosis. The dynamic AC photocurrent changes on MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells after inducing by tamoxifen were imaged. And the reasons for photocurrent changes on the cells were explored by monitoring the changes in the ζ potentials of cells and Faradic impedance. The results demonstrated that the AC photocurrent on apoptotic MCF-7 cells increased, and the apoptosis degree of each cell was heterogeneous. Moreover, the AC photocurrent increase was attributed to the increased cell membrane permeability and the increased gap between the cell basal surface and the substrate caused by cell apoptosis. This study provides a brand new approach for label-free visualizing cell apoptosis heterogeneity, which has great potential in apoptosis-associated drug screening or drug efficacy evaluation.
Insights
This study introduces a new method to visualize cancer cell apoptosis without labels using a light-addressable electrochemical sensor. The technique reveals heterogeneous apoptosis in drug-treated cells, aiding in cancer therapy evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Electrochemistry
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Label-free visualization of cancer cell apoptosis is crucial for developing effective cancer therapies.
- Current methods may lack the sensitivity or specificity to capture the heterogeneity of apoptosis.
- Noninvasive imaging techniques are needed for real-time monitoring of cellular responses to treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a noninvasive, label-free imaging method for visualizing drug-induced cancer cell apoptosis.
- To investigate the dynamic changes in electrochemical signals during apoptosis.
- To explore the heterogeneity of apoptosis at the single-cell level.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a light-addressable electrochemical sensor (LAES) for imaging.
- Monitored dynamic AC photocurrent changes in MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells treated with tamoxifen.
- Analyzed changes in ζ potential and Faradaic impedance to understand photocurrent variations.
Main Results:
- Observed an increase in AC photocurrent on apoptotic MCF-7 cells.
- Demonstrated heterogeneous degrees of apoptosis among individual cells.
- Correlated photocurrent increase with increased cell membrane permeability and cell-substrate gap widening during apoptosis.
Conclusions:
- The LAES method provides a novel approach for label-free visualization of apoptosis heterogeneity.
- This technique has significant potential for drug screening and evaluating drug efficacy in cancer therapy.
- Understanding apoptosis heterogeneity is key for personalized cancer treatment strategies.
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