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Troncoso-Afonso L, Vinnacombe-Willson GA, García-Astrain C, Liz-Márzan LM. SERS in 3D cell models: a powerful tool in cancer research. Chem Soc Rev 2024. [PMID: 38607302 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs01049j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Unraveling the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying tumoral processes is fundamental for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In this regard, three-dimensional (3D) cancer cell models more realistically mimic tumors compared to conventional 2D cell cultures and are more attractive for performing such studies. Nonetheless, the analysis of such architectures is challenging because most available techniques are destructive, resulting in the loss of biochemical information. On the contrary, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a non-invasive analytical tool that can record the structural fingerprint of molecules present in complex biological environments. The implementation of SERS in 3D cancer models can be leveraged to track therapeutics, the production of cancer-related metabolites, different signaling and communication pathways, and to image the different cellular components and structural features. In this review, we highlight recent progress in the use of SERS for the evaluation of cancer diagnosis and therapy in 3D tumoral models. We outline strategies for the delivery and design of SERS tags and shed light on the possibilities this technique offers for studying different cellular processes, through either biosensing or bioimaging modalities. Finally, we address current challenges and future directions, such as overcoming the limitations of SERS and the need for the development of user-friendly and robust data analysis methods. Continued development of SERS 3D bioimaging and biosensing systems, techniques, and analytical strategies, can provide significant contributions for early disease detection, novel cancer therapies, and the realization of patient-tailored medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Troncoso-Afonso
- BioNanoPlasmonics Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
- Department of Applied Chemistry, University of the Basque Country, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Gail A Vinnacombe-Willson
- BioNanoPlasmonics Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
| | - Clara García-Astrain
- BioNanoPlasmonics Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería Biomateriales, y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Paseo de Miramón 182, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Luis M Liz-Márzan
- BioNanoPlasmonics Laboratory, CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería Biomateriales, y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Paseo de Miramón 182, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
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Wu X, Yang K, He S, Zhu F, Kang S, Liu B, Sun C, Pang W, Wang Y. Dual-functional gold nanorods micro pattern guiding cell alignment and cellular microenvironment monitoring. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 647:429-437. [PMID: 37269739 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.05.167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Surface topography has become a powerful tool to control cell behaviors, however, it's still difficult to monitor cellular microenvironment changes during topography-induced cell responses. Here, a dual-functional platform integrating cell alignment with extracellular pH (pHe) measurement is proposed. The platform is fabricated by assembling gold nanorods (AuNRs) into micro pattern via wettability difference interface method, which provides topographical cues and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect for cell alignment and biochemical detection respectively. Results demonstrate that contact guidance and cell morphology changes are achieved by the AuNRs micro pattern, and pHe are also obtained by the changes of SERS spectra during cell alignment, where the pHe near cytoplasm is lower than nucleus, revealing the heterogeneity of extracellular microenvironment. Moreover, a correlation between lower extracellular pH and higher cell migration ability is revealed, and AuNRs micro pattern can differentiate cells with different migration ability, which may be an inheritable character during cell division. Furthermore, mesenchymal stem cells response dramatically to AuNRs micro pattern, showing different morphology and increased pHe level, offering the potential of impacting stem cell differentiation. This approach provides a new idea for the research of cell regulation and response mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Kai Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shan He
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Feng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shenghui Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Bohua Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Chongling Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Wei Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yanyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, College of Precision Instruments and Opto-electronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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Rizzo R, Onesto V, Forciniti S, Chandra A, Prasad S, Iuele H, Colella F, Gigli G, Del Mercato LL. A pH-sensor scaffold for mapping spatiotemporal gradients in three-dimensional in vitro tumour models. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 212:114401. [PMID: 35617754 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The detection of extracellular pH at single cell resolution is challenging and requires advanced sensibility. Sensing pH at high spatial and temporal resolution might provide crucial information in understanding the role of pH and its fluctuations in a wide range of physio-pathological cellular processes, including cancer. Here, a method to embed silica-based fluorescent pH sensors into alginate-based three-dimensional (3D) microgels tumour models, coupled with a computational method for fine data analysis, is presented. By means of confocal laser scanning microscopy, live-cell time-lapse imaging of 3D alginate microgels was performed and the extracellular pH metabolic variations were monitored in both in vitro 3D mono- and 3D co-cultures of tumour and stromal pancreatic cells. The results show that the extracellular pH is cell line-specific and time-dependent. Moreover, differences in pH were also detected between 3D monocultures versus 3D co-cultures, thus suggesting the existence of a metabolic crosstalk between tumour and stromal cells. In conclusion, the system has the potential to image multiple live cell types in a 3D environment and to decipher in real-time their pH metabolic interplay under controlled experimental conditions, thus being also a suitable platform for drug screening and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Rizzo
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy.
| | - Valentina Onesto
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Stefania Forciniti
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Anil Chandra
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Saumya Prasad
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Helena Iuele
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Francesco Colella
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gigli
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy; Department of Mathematics and Physics ''Ennio De Giorgi", University of Salento, via Arnesano, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Loretta L Del Mercato
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), c/o Campus Ecotekne, via Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy.
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Turino M, Alvarez-puebla RA, Guerrini L. Plasmonic Azobenzene Chemoreporter for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection of Biothiols. Biosensors 2022; 12:267. [PMID: 35624568 PMCID: PMC9138965 DOI: 10.3390/bios12050267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Low molecular weight thiols (biothiols) are highly active compounds extensively involved in human physiology. Their abnormal levels have been associated with multiple diseases. In recent years, major efforts have been devoted to developing new nanosensing methods for the low cost and fast quantification of this class of analytes in minimally pre-treated samples. Herein, we present a novel strategy for engineering a highly efficient surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy platform for the dynamic sensing of biothiols. Colloidally stable silver nanoparticles clusters equipped with a specifically designed azobenzene derivative (AzoProbe) were generated as highly SERS active substrates. In the presence of small biothiols (e.g., glutathione, GSH), breakage of the AzoProbe diazo bond causes drastic spectral changes that can be quantitatively correlated with the biothiol content with a limit of detection of ca. 5 nM for GSH. An identical response was observed for other low molecular weight thiols, while larger macromolecules with free thiol groups (e.g., bovine serum albumin) do not produce distinguishable spectral alterations. This indicates the suitability of the SERS sensing platform for the selective quantification of small biothiols.
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