Removal of Circulating Tumor Cells from Blood Samples of Cancer Patients Using Highly Magnetic Nanoparticles: A Translational Research Project.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Doswald S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9315588 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:In the past, our research group was able to successfully remove circulating tumor cells with magnetic nanoparticles. While these cancer cells are typically present in low numbers, we hypothesized that magnetic nanoparticles, besides catching single cells, are also capable of eliminating a large number of tumor cells from the blood ex vivo. This approach was tested in a small pilot study in blood samples of patients suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a mature B-cell neoplasm. Cluster of differentiation (CD) 52 is a ubiquitously expressed surface antigen on mature lymphocytes. Alemtuzumab (MabCampath®) is a humanized, IgG1κ, monoclonal antibody directed against CD52, which was formerly clinically approved for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and therefore regarded as an ideal candidate for further tests to develop new treatment options. Alemtuzumab was bound onto carbon-coated cobalt nanoparticles. The particles were added to blood samples of CLL patients and finally removed, ideally with bound B lymphocytes, using a magnetic column. Flow cytometry quantified lymphocyte counts before, after the first, and after the second flow across the column. A mixed effects analysis was performed to evaluate removal efficiency. p < 0.05 was defined as significant. In the first patient cohort (n = 10), using a fixed nanoparticle concentration, CD19-positive B lymphocytes were reduced by 38% and by 53% after the first and the second purification steps (p = 0.002 and p = 0.005), respectively. In a second patient cohort (n = 11), the nanoparticle concentration was increased, and CD19-positive B lymphocytes were reduced by 44% (p < 0.001) with no further removal after the second purification step. In patients with a high lymphocyte count (>20 G/L), an improved efficiency of approximately 20% was observed using higher nanoparticle concentrations. A 40 to 50% reduction of B lymphocyte count using alemtuzumab-coupled carbon-coated cobalt nanoparticles is feasible, also in patients with a high lymphocyte count. A second purification step did not further increase removal. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that such particles allow for the targeted extraction of larger amounts of cellular blood components and might offer new treatment options in the far future.
| S-EPMC10139131 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The contamination of drinking water with naturally occurring arsenic is a global health threat. Filters that are packed with adsorbent media with a high affinity for arsenic have been used to de-contaminate water - generally iron or aluminium oxides are favored materials. Recently, nanoparticles have been introduced as adsorbent media due to their superior efficiency compared to their bulk counter-parts. An efficient nanoadsorbent should ideally possess high surface area, be easy to synthesize, and most importantly offer a high arsenic removal capacity. Achieving all the key features in a single step synthesis is an engineering challenge. We have successfully engineered such a material in the form of nanochains synthesized via a one step flame synthesis. The ultra-long γ-Fe2O3 nanochains possess high surface area (151.12 m2 g-1), large saturation magnetization (77.1 emu g-1) that aids in their gas phase self-assembly into long chains in an external magnetic field, along with an extraordinary arsenic removal capacity (162 mg.g-1). A filter made with this material exhibited a relatively low-pressure drop and very little break-through of the iron oxide across the filter.
| S-EPMC4170064 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundRheuma Tolerance for Cure (RTCure) is a five-year international collaboration between academia, industry and patients/members of the public. It focuses on developing approaches to predict the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and designing clinical trials to reduce the risk of disease development through immune-tolerising and other treatments. We conducted a mid-term evaluation of patient and public involvement (PPI) within the project.MethodsTwo surveys on PPI were co-designed by the PPI Coordinator, Patient/Public Research Partners (PRPs) and a researcher. Both anonymous, electronic surveys were distributed to 61 researchers and 9 PRPs. Quantitative survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and free text responses underwent inductive thematic analysis.ResultsResearcher and Patient response rates were 33% and 78%, respectively. Quantitative Researcher Survey data highlighted that (i) responding researchers represented all seven Work Packages (WPs), (ii) 40% thought PRPs had made a large or extremely large contribution to their own WPs, (iii) 55% thought PPI has had a moderate or large impact on RTCure, (iv) 75% worked with PRPs in RTCure, and (v) 60% said PRPs had affected their research thinking. Quantitative PRP Survey data highlighted that (i) PRPs were most involved in four WPs, (ii) 43% thought they had made a minor contribution to their main WP, (iii) 57% thought PPI has had a small impact on RTCure, and (iv) 57% thought they received too little feedback on the outcome of their contribution to different tasks. Four main themes were identified in both surveys: 'PRP contributions', 'Experiences of PPI', 'Impact of PPI on RTCure', and 'How PPI can be improved'. Two additional themes from the Researcher Survey were 'Impact of PPI on researchers' and 'Influence on Future Projects', and from the PRP Survey were 'Impact of PPI on PRPs' and 'Engagement with PRPs'.ConclusionPPI seemed to have a significant impact on RTCure, however, PRPs were less aware. A focus on improving communication between PRPs and researchers (facilitated by the PPI Coordinator), and providing PPI training for researchers is likely to improve involvement. Complex legal agreements for PRPs should be avoided and careful attention paid to appropriate PRP compensation.
| S-EPMC9588249 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundHER2 is one of the predominant therapeutic targets in breast cancer. The metastatic selection process may lead to discrepancies between the HER2 status of the primary tumor and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). This study analyzed the HER2 status of CTCs in patients with HER2-positive primary breast cancer at the time of diagnosis. Aim of the study was to assess potential discordance of HER2 status between primary tumor and CTCs, as this may have important implications for the use of HER2-targeted therapy.MethodsThe number and HER2 status of CTCs out of 30ml peripheral blood were assessed in 642 patients using the CellSearch System (Janssen Diagnostics, USA). The cutoff for CTC positivity was the presence of at least 1 CTC, and the cutoff for HER2 positivity of CTCs was the presence of at least 1 CTC with a strong HER2 staining.Results258 (40.2%) of the 642 patients were positive for CTCs (median 2; range 1-1,689). 149 (57.8%) of these 258 patients had at least 1 CTC with strong HER2 staining. The presence of HER2-positive CTCs was not associated with tumor size (p = 0.335), histopathological grading (p = 0.976), hormone receptor status (ER: p = 0.626, PR: p = 0.263) or axillary lymph node involvement (p = 0.430). Overall, 83 (32.2%) of the CTC-positive patients exclusively had CTCs with strong HER2 staining, whereas 31 (12.0%) had only CTCs with negative HER2 staining. Within-sample variation in the HER2 status of CTCs was found in 86 (57.8%) of the 149 patients with more than 1 CTC.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that discordance between the HER2 expression of CTCs and that of the primary tumor frequently occurs in early breast cancer. Future follow-up evaluation will assess whether this discrepancy may contribute to trastuzumab resistance.
| S-EPMC5460789 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Plain English summary:Patient and public involvement (PPI) improves the quality of health research and ensures that research is relevant to patients' needs. Though PPI is increasingly evident in clinical and health services research, there are few examples in the research literature of effective PPI in translational and laboratory-based research. In this paper, we describe the development and evaluation of PPI in a multi-centre European project (EuroTEAM - Towards Early biomarkers in Arthritis Management) that included both translational and laboratory-based and psychosocial research. We found that although most PPI in EuroTEAM was centred around the psychosocial research, there were examples of PPI in the laboratory studies. As the project evolved, researchers became better at accommodating PPI and identifying PPI opportunities. It was generally agreed that PPI had a positive impact on the project overall, particularly on public engagement with the research. We concluded that the inclusion of both psychosocial and laboratory-based research in the same project facilitated PPI across all aspects of the research. In future projects, we would try to specify individual PPI activities in more detail at the project-planning stage, and better accommodate patient partners who are not native speakers of English. Abstract:Background Patient and public involvement (PPI) enhances research quality and relevance and is central to contemporary health policy. The value of PPI has been recognised in rheumatology research, though there are limited examples of PPI in basic and translational science. The EU FP7 funded 'EuroTEAM' (Towards Early biomarkers in Arthritis Management) project was established to develop biomarker-based approaches to predict the future development of rheumatoid arthritis and incorporated psychosocial research to investigate the perceptions of 'at risk' individuals about predictive testing, and to develop informational resources about rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk. Patient involvement was central to EuroTEAM from the inception of the project. The objective of this paper is to describe the development of PPI in EuroTEAM, formatively assess the impact of PPI from the perspectives of researchers and patient research partners (PRPs), reflect on successes and lessons learned, and formulate recommendations to guide future projects.Methods Two mixed-methods surveys (for PRPs and researchers) and a teleconference were undertaken to assess the impact of PPI on individual work packages and on EuroTEAM overall.Results There was consensus about the positive impact of PPI on the research and on the experiences of those involved. In particular, the positive impact of PPI on the personal development of researchers, and on effective public engagement with EuroTEAM research were highlighted. Researchers described adapting their practice in future projects to facilitate PPI. Spin-off projects and ongoing collaborations between PRPs and researchers reflected the value of PPI to participants. PPI was more frequently integrated in psychosocial research, though examples of PPI in laboratory/translational science were also described. PRPs asked for more opportunities to contribute meaningfully to basic scientific research and for more extensive feedback on their contributions.Conclusions The findings were used to formulate recommendations to guide effective involvement of patients in future similar projects, including identifying specific training requirements for PRPs and researchers, the identification of PRP focused tasks/deliverables at the project planning stage, and supporting access to involvement for all PRPs. Importantly, the distinctive multidisciplinary approach of EuroTEAM, incorporating both basic science and psychosocial research, facilitated patient involvement in the project overall.
| S-EPMC7031919 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A magnetoelastic (ME) biosensor for wireless detection of analytes in liquid is described. The ME biosensor was tested against human IgG in the range 0-20 ?g?mL-1. The sensing elements, anti-human IgG produced in goat, were immobilized on the surface of the sensor by using a recently introduced photochemical immobilization technique (PIT), whereas a new amplification protocol exploiting gold coated magnetic nanoparticles (core-shell nanoparticles) is demonstrated to significantly enhance the sensitivity. The gold nanoflowers grown on the magnetic core allowed us to tether anti-human IgG to the nanoparticles to exploit the sandwich detection scheme. The experimental results show that the 6 mm × 1 mm × 30 ?m ME biosensor with an amplification protocol that uses magnetic nanoparticles has a limit of detection (LOD) lower than 1 nM, works well in water, and has a rapid response time of few minutes. Therefore, the ME biosensor is very promising for real-time wireless detection of pathogens in liquids and for real life diagnostic purpose.
| S-EPMC7466411 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The enumeration of rare circulating epithelial cells (CEpCs) in the peripheral blood of metastatic cancer patients has shown promise for improved cancer prognosis. Moving beyond enumeration, molecular analysis of CEpCs may provide candidate surrogate endpoints to diagnose, treat, and monitor malignancy directly from the blood samples. Thorough molecular analysis of CEpCs requires the development of new sample preparation methods that yield easily accessible and purified CEpCs for downstream biochemical assays. Here, we describe a new immunomagnetic cell separator, the MagSweeper, which gently enriches target cells and eliminates cells that are not bound to magnetic particles. The isolated cells are easily accessible and can be extracted individually based on their physical characteristics to deplete any cells nonspecifically bound to beads. We have shown that our device can process 9 mL of blood per hour and captures >50% of CEpCs as measured in spiking experiments. We have shown that the separation process does not perturb the gene expression of rare cells. To determine the efficiency of our platform in isolating CEpCs from patients, we have isolated CEpCs from all 47 tubes of 9-mL blood samples collected from 17 women with metastatic breast cancer. In contrast, we could not find any circulating epithelial cells in samples from 5 healthy donors. The isolated CEpCs are all stored individually for further molecular analysis.
| S-EPMC2645911 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Highly selective multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles containing a thermoresponsive polymer shell were developed and used in the sample pretreatment of urine for the assessment of lysozymuria in leukemia patients. Crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-N-tert-butylacrylamide) was grown onto silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The lysozyme binding property of the nanoparticles was investigated as a function of time, protein concentration, pH, ionic strength and temperature and their selectivity was assessed against other proteins. High-abundant proteins, like human serum albumin and γ-globulins did not interfere with the binding of lysozyme even at elevated concentrations characteristic of proteinuria. A sample cleanup procedure for urine samples has been developed utilizing the thermocontrollable protein binding ability of the nanoparticles. Method validation was carried out according to current bioanalytical method validation guidelines. The method was highly selective, and the calibration was linear in the 25 to 1000 µg/mL concentration range, relevant in the diagnosis of monocytic and myelomonocytic leukemia. Intra- and inter-day precision values ranged from 2.24 to 8.20% and 1.08 to 5.04%, respectively. Intra-day accuracies were between 89.9 and 117.6%, while inter-day accuracies were in the 88.8 to 111.0% range. The average recovery was 94.1 ± 8.1%. Analysis of unknown urine samples in comparison with a well-established reference method revealed very good correlation between the results, indicating that the new nanoparticle-based method has high potential in the diagnosis of lysozymuria.
| S-EPMC8618479 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Course-based research experiences (CREs) have been proposed as an inclusive model to expose all students, including those at institutions without a strong research infrastructure, to research at an early stage. Converting an entire semester-long course can be time consuming for instructors and expensive for institutions, so we have developed a short CRE that can be implemented in a variety of life science course types. The Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment (PARE) project uses common microbiology methods and equipment to engage students in nationwide surveillance of environmental soil samples to document the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The project has been implemented at institutions ranging from community colleges to doctoral-granting institutions in 30 states plus Puerto Rico. Programmatic feedback was obtained from instructors over three iterations, and revisions were made based on this feedback. Student learning was measured by pre/post assessment in a subset of institutions. Outcomes indicate that students made significant gains in the project learning goals. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education.
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Project description:In MRI, usually the Field of View (FOV) has to cover the entire object. If this condition is not fulfilled, an infolding image artifact is observed, which suppresses visualization. In this study it is shown that for samples with translational symmetry, i.e., those consisting of identical objects in periodic unit cells, the FOV can be reduced to match the unit cell which enables imaging of an average object, of which the signal is originated from all unit cells of the sample, with no punishment by a loss in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This theoretical prediction was confirmed by experiments on a test sample with a 7 × 7 mm2 unit cell arranged in a 3 × 3 matrix which was scanned by the spin-echo and by single point imaging methods. Effects of experimental imperfections in size and orientation mismatch between FOV and unit cell were studied as well. Finally, this method was demonstrated on a 3D periodic sample of tablets, which yielded well-resolved images of moisture distribution in an average tablet, while single tablet imaging provided no results. The method can be applied for SNR increase in imaging of any objects with inherently low signals provided they can be arranged in a periodic structure.
| S-EPMC7804297 | biostudies-literature