A silicon-based biosensor for real-time toxicity testing in normal versus cancer liver cells

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cell Biology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Mitoxantrone is a key drug for treating hepatocarcinomas.
• Primary rat hepatocytes and HepG2 cells are used to study drug effects.
• Cellular acidification rate changes indicate metabolic responses to drugs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potentiometric alternating biosensor (PAB) system for monitoring drug toxicity.
• To compare the effects of Mitoxantrone on normal versus cancer cells.
• To assess real-time drug efficacy and toxicity for cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

• A novel microvolume flow chamber with a Si/SiO2/Si3N4 chip transducer was developed.
• The PAB system was used in a pH-sensitive configuration to measure extracellular acidification.
• Drug-induced changes in acidification rates were monitored in rat hepatocytes, HepG2 cells, and mouse fibroblasts.

Main Results:

• The PAB system accurately detected changes in cellular acidification rates due to drug administration.
• Differential responses of normal and cancer cells to Mitoxantrone were observed.
• The system showed potential for real-time toxicity monitoring compared to conventional assays.

Conclusions:

• The PAB system offers a sensitive method for real-time monitoring of drug effects on cell metabolism.
• This technology can provide insights into differential drug responses in normal and cancer cells.
• PAB monitoring holds promise for advancing cancer drug development and personalized treatment strategies.