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Updated: Jun 18, 2025
Clinical Microfluidic Chip Platform for the Isolation of Versatile Circulating Tumor Cells
Published on: October 13, 2023
Combining hybrid cell membrane modified magnetic nanoparticles and inverted microfluidic chip for in situ CTCs
Jiao Sun1, Songrui Han2, Rui Yang2
1State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, 130012, China; Department of Cell Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China.
Abstract:
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) serve as crucial indicators for tumor occurrence, progression, and prognosis monitoring. However, achieving high sensitivity and high purity capture of CTCs remains challenging. Additionally, in situ capture and synchronous clearance hold promise as methods to impede tumor metastasis, but further exploration is needed. In this study, biomimetic cell membrane-coated magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) were designed to address the issue of nonspecific adsorption of capture probes by the immune system during blood circulation. Membranes from human breast cancer cells (tumor cell membranes, TMs) and leukocytes (white blood cell membranes, WMs) were extracted and fused to form a hybrid membrane (HM), which was further modified onto the surface of porous magnetic NPs loaded with indocyanine green (ICG). The incorporation of TM enhanced the material's target specificity, thus increasing capture efficiency, while WM coating reduced interference from homologous white blood cells (WBCs), further enhancing capture purity. Additionally, in conjunction with our novel inverted microfluidic chip, this work introduces the first use of polymer photonic crystals as the capture interface for CTCs. Besides providing an advantageous surface structure for CTC attachment, the 808 nm photonic bandgap effectively amplifies the 808 nm excitation light at the capture surface position. Therefore, upon capturing CTCs, the ICG molecules in the probes facilitate enhanced photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) synergistic effects, directly inactivating the captured CTCs. This method achieves capture efficiency and purity exceeding 95% and permits in situ inactivation post-capture, providing an important approach for future research on impeding tumor metastasis in vivo.
Insights
Researchers developed biomimetic nanoparticles for highly sensitive and pure capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). This innovative method also enables in situ inactivation of captured CTCs, offering a new strategy to combat tumor metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Cancer Research
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are vital biomarkers for cancer monitoring, but their isolation with high sensitivity and purity is challenging.
- Current methods struggle with nonspecific adsorption, hindering effective CTC capture and analysis.
- In situ capture and clearance of CTCs are promising strategies to prevent tumor metastasis, requiring further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel biomimetic nanoplatform for efficient and specific capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
- To enable simultaneous in situ inactivation of captured CTCs to impede metastasis.
- To overcome challenges associated with nonspecific adsorption and low purity in CTC isolation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of hybrid membrane-coated magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) using tumor cell membranes (TMs) and white blood cell membranes (WMs).
- Loading porous magnetic NPs with indocyanine green (ICG) for photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) therapy.
- Utilizing an inverted microfluidic chip with polymer photonic crystals as the capture interface for CTCs.
Main Results:
- The hybrid membrane coating significantly enhanced target specificity and reduced interference from white blood cells, achieving high capture efficiency and purity (>95%).
- The polymer photonic crystal interface amplified excitation light, enhancing the synergistic PTT/PDT effects of ICG upon CTC capture.
- The developed system demonstrated successful in situ inactivation of captured CTCs, demonstrating its potential for metastasis inhibition.
Conclusions:
- Biomimetic hybrid membrane-coated magnetic nanoparticles combined with a novel microfluidic chip provide a highly efficient and pure method for CTC capture.
- The integrated in situ photothermal and photodynamic inactivation of captured CTCs offers a promising strategy to impede tumor metastasis.
- This approach represents a significant advancement in CTC analysis and a potential new avenue for cancer therapy.
