Fluorescence spectra of cultured normal and malignant lung cells

Abstract

Fluorescence Spectroscopy has emerged as a new modality to characterize physicochemical properties of biomolecules. The biomolecules have certain photophysical properties based on their molecular structure and these properties have been considered as useful parameters to monitor alterations in the functional, morphological and micro environmental changes in the cells and tissues. In this study the fluorescence emission spectra of normal and malignant lung cells were recorded for different excitation wavelengths: 230, 300, 340, and 450 nm, corresponding to the absorption of tyrosine, tryptophan, collagen or elastin, Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavin adeno dinucleotide (FAD). Similarly excitation spectra were also recorded at 340 nm. The emission profiles showed considerable difference between the malignant and normal cells with the malignant cells having more fluorescence intensity than that of normal cells keeping emission at 340 nm. Our study had shown the discriminating features between normal and carcinoma cells lines because of higher concentration of tryptophan (1.5 times), NADH (3 times), and flavin (4 times) in carcinoma cell lines.