Nanotentacle-Armed Flexible Affinity Interface Enables Streamlined Capture, Labeling, and Release of Circulating...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Liquid biopsy using circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is crucial for cancer management.
• Current CTC isolation and identification methods are often labor-intensive and can compromise cell viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an advanced interface (NataFace) for efficient capture, release, and labeling of CTCs.
• To enable non-destructive, precise identification of CTCs for downstream applications.
• To establish a versatile platform for personalized medicine.

Main Methods:

• Engineered a nanotentacle-armed flexible affinity interface (NataFace) using M13 bacteriophages and boronate affinity chemistry.
• Implemented a DNA-based "light-up" strategy for CTC self-labeling.
• Utilized mild acidic fructose treatment for viable CTC release.
• Demonstrated regenerability of NataFace for adaptable biomarker targeting.

Main Results:

• NataFace exhibited superior CTC capture affinity and selectivity due to enhanced flexibility and local multivalent interactions.
• The "light-up" strategy enabled precise CTC identification without destructive immunostaining.
• Viable CTCs were successfully released, preserving phenotypic integrity.
• Clinical validation in patient blood samples showed high sensitivity, specificity, and consistency with standard methods.

Conclusions:

• NataFace offers a transformative approach to liquid biopsy, improving CTC isolation, identification, and viability.
• The platform's regenerable and multifunctional design has broad potential in personalized medicine, including drug delivery and diagnostics.
• This technology advances non-invasive cancer monitoring and treatment evaluation.