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All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
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Real-Time Observation of Tunneling Nanotube Dynamics and Its Mediated Intracellular ROS Regulation Using SICM and
Feixiang Fang1,2, Yulin Liu1,2, Yuxiang Zhao1,2
1The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, P. R. China.
Analytical Chemistry
|December 4, 2025
Summary
Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) facilitate communication in pancreatic cancer cells. Mitochondria transfer via TNTs reduces oxidative stress, impacting cancer progression and treatment resistance.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Research
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are crucial for intercellular communication and cancer metastasis.
- The dynamic behavior and functions of TNTs in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation, dynamics, and function of TNTs in PDAC cells.
- To explore TNT-mediated mitochondria transfer and its effect on intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels.
Main Methods:
- Developed an in vitro TNT model using doxorubicin (DOX) treated PDAC cells.
- Utilized scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) to visualize TNT dynamics and mitochondria transfer.
- Employed scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to monitor intracellular ROS levels.
Main Results:
- Observed TNT formation during cell dislodgement with specific topographic features (300-800 nm diameter, 1-5 μm height).
- Characterized a novel four-step TNT formation and cleavage process, including a Y-shaped structure.
- Demonstrated significant reduction in intracellular ROS levels in TNT-connected PDAC cells.
Conclusions:
- TNT-mediated mitochondria transfer alleviates intracellular oxidative stress in PDAC cells.
- TNTs play a role in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis in cancer cells.
- Findings offer insights into cancer progression and potential therapeutic strategies targeting TNTs.
