Researchers strike gold in cancer detection
in which gold nanoparticles that were bound to a specific antibody
displayed a 600 per cent greater affinity for cancer cells than for
noncancerous cells.
The discovery as well as gold's ability in detecting cancer when compared to other materials represents a giant leap forward in cancer diagnostics. Currently, the job of cancer analysis is made all the more difficult by the need for expensive high-powered microscopes or lasers to view the results.
According to one of the researchers, the changes in absorption may be particularly useful in cancer and cell research to measure molecules interacting inside living cells. The change in the absorption spectrum of the gold nanoparticles allows the differentiation between cancer cells and noncancerous cells. Since nanoparticles of different shapes and sizes absorb and scatter light differently, multiple colour probes can be made which may detect many molecules at the same time.
Many cancer cells have a protein, known as epidermal growth factor receptor (EFGR), all over their surface, while healthy cells typically do not express the protein as strongly.
By conjugating, or binding, the gold nanoparticles to an antibody for EFGR, suitably named anti-EFGR, the researchers were able to get the nanoparticles to attach themselves to the cancer cells.
Mostafa El-Sayed, director of the Laser Dynamics Laboratory and chemistry professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, said: "Gold nanoparticles are very good at scattering and absorbing light," said Mostafa. "We wanted to see if we could harness that scattering property in a living cell to make cancer detection easier. So far, the results are extremely promising."
El-Sayed was one of the researchers to work under the guidance of principal author, Ivan El-Sayed, assistant professor of otolaryngology at UCSF Medical Centre and Mostafa's son.
In the study, research team found that the gold nanoparticles have 600 per cent greater affinity for cancer cells than for noncancerous cells. The researchers tested their technique using cell cultures of two different types of oral cancer and one nonmalignant cell line.
They found two features of the particles to be useful for cancer detection. First, with a microscope, they could see the cells shining. Second, they could measure changes in the amount of light absorbed by the particle as the antibody bound to its target.
"After we added the nanoparticle-bound antibody to cells, using a simple technique known as darkfield microscopy, we saw the cancer cells light up under the microscope," said Ivan.
"The healthy cells don't bind the particles well and are dark compared to the cancer. Since the particles have colour, we can test multiple antibodies at the same time with a white light. Using simple optics, we can develop low cost techniques for rapid automated detection of cancer in biopsies. Further, we hope to use the scattering and absorption properties to develop techniques to detect cancer in humans without a biopsy," he added.
The use of gold nanoparticles in cancer detection seems to be an awesome discovery and paves the way in establishing a platform in which diagnosis in a variety of diseases could become more focused and effective.
Gold nanoparticles have demonstrated remarkable properties, displaying non-toxicity to human cells. A similar technique using artificial atoms known as quantum dots uses semiconductor crystals to mark cancer cells, but the semiconductor material is potentially toxic to the cells and humans.
In addition, another benefit is that the instantaneous results. "If you take cells from a cancer stricken tissue and spray them with these gold nanoparticles that have this antibody, you can see the results immediately. The scattering is so strong that you can detect a single particle," said Mostafa.
"The wonderful thing about colloidal gold is that it has been used in humans for 50 years," Ivan said. "For example, a radioactive form of it has been used to search for cancer and we know how it is handled by the body."
While the research is in the early stages, the researchers are adamant that this technique holds much promise for cancer patients, in particular, oral cancer.
"Oral cancer is deadly and tends to recur. Our best chance to save lives is to catch it early, and this method might allow that." He added that this technique could be used to detect a number of cancers, including stomach, colon and skin cancers.
"Our findings also have strong implications for this technique's value to cancer research," Ivan added. "By watching the particle change colours in living cells we can identify molecular interactions within the cells. This may help us unravel the inner workings of a cancer cell and produce better treatments. The fact that we can see one particle is exciting."
The study findings are reported in a recent edition of the journal Nano Letters, published by the American Chemical Society.
