Surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based identification of breast cancer progression using extracellular...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Early detection of breast cancer progression is critical for patient treatment and outcomes.
• Current diagnostic technologies face limitations in sensitivity and specificity for early-stage progression.
• Extracellular vesicles (EVs)-derived integrin α6β4 are identified as key facilitators of breast cancer progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, highly selective, and sensitive detection tool for EVs-derived integrin α6β4.
• To establish a non-invasive method for early breast cancer progression diagnosis using blood plasma.
• To overcome the challenges posed by EV size heterogeneity and background interference in protein detection.

Main Methods:

• Development of a silver-coated gold nanorods Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) probe (Au@Ag@IDA-B/4MSTP) utilizing DNA aptamers.
• Validation of the probe using cell-culture-derived EVs and in vivo mouse models (subcutaneous tumor and lung metastasis).
• Analysis of blood plasma samples with a simplified Raman spectroscopy process.

Main Results:

• The Au@Ag@IDA-B/4MSTP probe demonstrated a Limit of Detection (LOD) of 23 particles/μL for EVs.
• The method achieved 85.7% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity in detecting breast cancer progression markers in blood plasma.
• The developed tool successfully mimicked cancer states in preclinical mouse models.

Conclusions:

• The Au@Ag@IDA-B/4MSTP SERS probe is a promising tool for the efficient and selective detection of EVs integrin α6β4.
• This non-invasive approach offers a simplified and expedited method for early breast cancer progression diagnosis.
• The findings suggest a potential advancement in liquid biopsy techniques for improved cancer management.