Abstract
The vast majority of cancer related deaths are caused by metastatic tumors. Therefore, identifying the metastatic potential of cancer cells is of great importance both for prognosis and for determining the correct treatment. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy of biological cells is an evolving research area, whose main aim is to find the spectral differences between diseased and healthy cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform IR (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy may be used to determine the metastatic potential of cancer cells. Using the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, we can identify spectral alterations that are a result of hydration or molecular changes. We examined two murine melanoma cells with a common genetic background but a different metastatic level, and similarly, two human melanoma cells. Our findings revealed that higher metastatic potential correlates with membrane hydration level. Measuring the spectral properties of the cells allows us to determine the membrane hydration levels. Thus, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy has the potential to help in cancer metastasis prognosis.
Highlights
Absorption spectroscopy of biological tissues and fluids in the middle infrared range of 3–25 μm, is an extremely useful tool for examining the structure and chemical nature of molecules such as phospholipids, proteins, nucleic acids and carbohydrates and their relationship with surrounding molecules[6, 7]
To evaluate the ability of Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR)-Fourier Transform IR (FTIR) to distinguish between similar tumor cells with different metastatic potential, we used well established pairs of mouse and human melanoma cells
The IR absorption spectrum increased until the ATR element was fully covered with cells and the absorption spectrum reached a saturation value (Fig. 2)
Summary
Absorption spectroscopy of biological tissues and fluids in the middle infrared (mid-IR) range of 3–25 μm, is an extremely useful tool for examining the structure and chemical nature of molecules such as phospholipids, proteins, nucleic acids and carbohydrates and their relationship with surrounding molecules[6, 7]. A way to overcome this problem is to use Fourier Transform IR (FTIR) spectrometers, equipped with an Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) element. This technique enables the study of mid-IR absorption spectra of live cells in solution (i.e. in their unfixed, hydrated state)[19,20,21,22]. The resultant beam can be used to generate the absorption spectrum of the sample This powerful technique provides a direct way of measuring the mid-IR absorption spectra of samples in contact with an ATR element. This was found in the well-established mouse model for tumor progression in melanoma, the B16 cell lines[27, 29]
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