2 research outputs found
Folate-Targeted Surface-Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering Nanoprobe Ratiometry for Detection of Microscopic Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian
cancer has a unique pattern of metastatic spread, in that
it initially spreads locally within the peritoneal cavity. This is
in contrast to most other cancer types, which metastasize early on <i>via</i> the bloodstream to distant sites. This unique behavior
opens up an opportunity for local application of both therapeutic
and imaging agents. Upon initial diagnosis, 75% of patients already
present with diffuse peritoneal spread involving abdominal organs.
Complete resection of all tumor implants has been shown to be a major
factor for improved survival. Unfortunately, it is currently not possible
for surgeons to visualize microscopic implants, impeding their removal
and leading to tumor recurrences and poor outcomes in most patients.
Thus, there is a great need for new intraoperative imaging techniques
that can overcome this hurdle. We devised a method that employs folate
receptor (FR)-targeted surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering
(SERRS) nanoparticles (NPs), as folate receptors are typically overexpressed
in ovarian cancer. We report a robust ratiometric imaging approach
using anti-FR-SERRS-NPs (αFR-NPs) and nontargeted SERRS-NPs
(nt-NPs) multiplexing. We term this method “topically applied
surface-enhanced resonance Raman ratiometric spectroscopy”
(TAS3RS (“tasers”) for short). TAS3RS successfully enabled
the detection of tumor lesions in a murine model of human ovarian
adenocarcinoma regardless of their size or localization. Tumors as
small as 370 μm were detected, as confirmed by bioluminescence
imaging and histological staining. TAS3RS holds promise for intraoperative
detection of microscopic residual tumors and could reduce recurrence
rates in ovarian cancer and other diseases with peritoneal spread
Imaging of Liver Tumors Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Nanoparticles
Complete surgical resection is the
ideal first-line treatment for
most liver malignancies. This goal would be facilitated by an intraoperative
imaging method that enables more precise visualization of tumor margins
and detection of otherwise invisible microscopic lesions. To this
end, we synthesized silica-encapsulated surface-enhanced Raman scattering
(SERS) nanoparticles (NPs) that act as a molecular imaging agent for
liver malignancies. We hypothesized that, after intravenous administration,
SERS NPs would avidly home to healthy liver tissue but not to intrahepatic
malignancies. We tested these SERS NPs in genetically engineered mouse
models of hepatocellular carcinoma and histiocytic sarcoma. After
intravenous injection, liver tumors in both models were readily identifiable
with Raman imaging. In addition, Raman imaging using SERS NPs enabled
detection of microscopic lesions in liver and spleen. We compared
the performance of SERS NPs to fluorescence imaging using indocyanine
green (ICG). We found that SERS NPs delineate tumors more accurately
and are less susceptible to photobleaching. Given the known advantages
of SERS imaging, namely, high sensitivity and specific spectroscopic
detection, these findings hold promise for improved resection of liver
cancer