Preparation of Homogeneous Nanostructures in 5 Minutes for Cancer Cells Capture

Lixue Wang,Chuandong Zhu,Xia He,Qin Zheng

doi:10.1155/2015/391850

Lixue Wang, Chuandong Zhu + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/391850

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Abstract

Grafting aptamers on nanostructured substrates has shown ultrasensitivity in isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Here, we report that over 80 cm2of homogenous nanostructured surface on glass substrates can be prepared in 5 min after one-step dry etching. The surface area was doubled; the average diameter of nanostructures is approximately 374 nm, which is more close to the nanostructures of natural extracellular matrix. Antiepithelial cell adhesion molecule aptamers grafted nanostructured glass substrates captured over 76% of PC3 cells compared to 30% of planar substrates. Bispecific aptamers cofunctionalized nanostructured substrates, however, fail to capture cancer cells probably due to the formation of heterodimers. This limitation reveals that multispecific aptamers, when applied to cell isolation, must be analyzed to exclude any potential formation of heterodimers due to complementary sequence matching.

Highlights

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as emerging tumor biomarkers can provide valuable information for clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment [1,2,3,4,5]
To prepare homogeneous nanostructures in larger area, we develop a new recipe using C3F8 and C4F8 as etchant gas and successfully obtain approximately 80 cm2 projected area of homogeneous nanostructures after one-step dry etching in 5 min
To alleviate the challenge raised by heterogeneity of CTCs, we immobilize bispecific aptamers on nanostructured glass surface for cancer cells isolation

Summary

Introduction

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as emerging tumor biomarkers can provide valuable information for clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment [1,2,3,4,5]. Nanostructured substrates have emerged as very promising tools They provide more surface area for ligands immobilization and lower the rolling velocity of cells in microchannels [7, 8]. To prepare homogeneous nanostructures in larger area, we develop a new recipe using C3F8 and C4F8 as etchant gas and successfully obtain approximately 80 cm projected area of homogeneous nanostructures after one-step dry etching in 5 min Such area theoretically can process 8 mL whole blood samples for detection of CTCs [15]. To alleviate the challenge raised by heterogeneity of CTCs, we immobilize bispecific aptamers on nanostructured glass surface for cancer cells isolation. Bispecific aptamers of AEA/APA mixture fail to capture PC3 cells due to the potential formation of heterodimers

Materials and Methods

Results and Discussion

Conclusion