HOST RESPONSES TO RECOMBINANT BACULOVIRAL VECTORS IN ANIMAL MODELS

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Sensitive multiplex detection of serological liver cancer biomarkers using SERS-active photonic crystal fiber probe

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy possesses the most promising advantage of multiplex detection for biosensing applications, which is achieved due to the narrow fingerprint' Raman spectra from the analyte molecules. We developed an ultrasensitive platform for the multiplex detection of cancer biomarkers by combining the SERS technique with a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HCPCF). Axially aligned air channels inside the HCPCF provide an excellent platform for optical sensing using SERS. In addition to the flexibility of optical fibers, HCPCF provides better light confinement and a larger interaction length for the guided light and the analyte, resulting in an improvement in sensitivity to detect low concentrations of bioanalytes in extremely low sample volumes. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate the sensitive multiplex detection of biomarkers immobilized inside the HCPCF using antibody-conjugated SERS-active nanoparticles (SERS nanotags). As a proof-of-concept for targeted multiplex detection, initially we carried out the sensing of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) biomarker in oral squamous carcinoma cell lysate using three different SERS nanotags. Subsequently, we also achieved simultaneous detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarkers-alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) secreted in the supernatant from Hep3b cancer cell line. Using a SERS-HCPCF sensing platform, we could successfully demonstrate the multiplex detection in an extremely low sample volume of approximate to 20 nL. In future, this study may lead to sensitive biosensing platform for the low concentration detection of biomarkers in an extremely low sample volume of body fluids to achieve early diagnosis of multiple diseases. ((c) 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)1127sciescopu

Sers-based quantitative detection of ovarian cancer prognostic factor haptoglobin

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is increasingly being used for biosensing because of its high sensitivity and low detection limit, which are made possible by the unique Raman \u27fingerprint\u27 spectra from the biomolecules. Here we propose a novel SERS method for the fast, sensitive, and reliable quantitative analysis of haptoglobin (Hp), an acute phase plasma glycoprotein that is widely gaining application as a prognostic ovarian cancer biomarker. We exploited the peroxidase activity of the hemoglobin-haptoglobin (Hb-Hp) complex formed by the selective and specific binding of Hp to free Hb to catalyze the reaction of 3,3\u27,5,5\u27-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate and hydrogen peroxide to result in the final product of strongly SERS-active TMB2+. We observed a linear increase in the SERS signal of TMB2+ with increasing concentrations of Hb-Hp complex from 50 nM to 34 mu M. Based on this concentration-dependent SERS spectrum, we quantified Hp in clinical samples. We observed that our inference about the prognosis of the disease coincided with the histology data and that our method was much more sensitive than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method

Actively targeted in vivo multiplex detection of intrinsic cancer biomarkers using biocompatible sers nanotags

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique is becoming highly popular for multiplex biosensing due to the \u27fingerprint\u27 Raman spectra from every molecule. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrated the actively targeted multiplex in vitro and in vivo detection of three intrinsic cancer biomarkers - EGFR, CD44 and TGF beta RII in a breast cancer model using three multiplexing capable, biocompatible SERS nanoparticles/nanotags. Intra-tumorally injected antibody conjugated nanotags specifically targeting the three biomarkers exhibited maximum signal at 6 hours and no detectable signal at 72 hours. However, nanotags without antibodies showed no detectable signal after 6 hours. This difference could be due to the specific binding of the bioconjugated nanotags to the receptors on the cell surface. Thus, this study establishes SERS nanotags as an ultrasensitive nanoprobe for the multiplex detection of biomarkers and opens up its potential application in monitoring tumor progression and therapy and development into a theranostic probe

Sers-based quantitative detection of ovarian cancer prognostic factor haptoglobin

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is increasingly being used for biosensing because of its high sensitivity and low detection limit, which are made possible by the unique Raman 'fingerprint' spectra from the biomolecules. Here we propose a novel SERS method for the fast, sensitive, and reliable quantitative analysis of haptoglobin (Hp), an acute phase plasma glycoprotein that is widely gaining application as a prognostic ovarian cancer biomarker. We exploited the peroxidase activity of the hemoglobin-haptoglobin (Hb-Hp) complex formed by the selective and specific binding of Hp to free Hb to catalyze the reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate and hydrogen peroxide to result in the final product of strongly SERS-active TMB2+. We observed a linear increase in the SERS signal of TMB2+ with increasing concentrations of Hb-Hp complex from 50 nM to 34 mu M. Based on this concentration-dependent SERS spectrum, we quantified Hp in clinical samples. We observed that our inference about the prognosis of the disease coincided with the histology data and that our method was much more sensitive than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method

Sers-based quantitative detection of ovarian cancer prognostic factor haptoglobin

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is increasingly being used for biosensing because of its high sensitivity and low detection limit, which are made possible by the unique Raman 'fingerprint' spectra from the biomolecules. Here we propose a novel SERS method for the fast, sensitive, and reliable quantitative analysis of haptoglobin (Hp), an acute phase plasma glycoprotein that is widely gaining application as a prognostic ovarian cancer biomarker. We exploited the peroxidase activity of the hemoglobin-haptoglobin (Hb-Hp) complex formed by the selective and specific binding of Hp to free Hb to catalyze the reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate and hydrogen peroxide to result in the final product of strongly SERS-active TMB2+. We observed a linear increase in the SERS signal of TMB2+ with increasing concentrations of Hb-Hp complex from 50 nM to 34 mu M. Based on this concentration-dependent SERS spectrum, we quantified Hp in clinical samples. We observed that our inference about the prognosis of the disease coincided with the histology data and that our method was much more sensitive than the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method

Phthalocyanine photosensitizers as contrast agents for in vivo photoacoustic tumor imaging

There is a need for contrast agents for non-invasive diagnostic imaging of tumors. Herein, Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) was employed to evaluate phthalocyanines commonly used in photodynamic therapy as photoacoustic contrast agents. We studied the photoacoustic activity of three water-soluble phthalocyanine photosensitizers: phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid (PcS4), Zn(II) phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid (ZnPcS4) and Al(III) phthalocyanine chloride tetrasulfonic acid (AlPcS4) in phantom and in tumor-bearing mice to investigate the biodistribution and fate of the phthalocyanines in the biological tissues. PcS4 was observed to grant good contrast between the different reticuloendothelial organs and accumulate in the tumor within an hour of post-administration. ZnPcS4 and AlPcS4 offered little contrast in photoacoustic signals between the organs. PcS4 is a promising photoacoustic contrast agent and can be exploited as a photodiagnostic agent