Cancer biomarkers circulating in body fluids can be used for diagnosis and treatment monitoring. However, current detection technology lacks the required sensitivity, limiting biomarker use in clinical applications.
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in Europe with respect to incidence and mortality. Although early detection significantly improves outcome, screening compliance in the wider population is low due to the invasive nature of the colonoscopy procedure.
To facilitate prompt cancer diagnosis, the EU-funded ULTRAPLACAD project developed an in vitro platform for the detection of cancer nucleic acid and protein biomarkers circulating in the blood. “The idea was to improve biomarker detection sensitivity by a factor of 1 000, reduce the cost four-fold and the analysis time down to 1 hour,″ explains project coordinator Prof. Giuseppe Spoto of the University of Catania in Italy. The project team involved 13 partners across Europe with cross-disciplinary competencies, including pioneers in surface plasmon resonance.
Innovative technologies
The ULTRAPLACAD device has been designed to integrate a microfluidic circuit with functionalised nanostructure chips. It combines nanostructure-enhanced surface plasmon resonance imaging (NESPRI) and plasmon-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy imaging (PEFSI). These two novel sensing technologies provide ultrasensitive detection and reduce the need for sample chemical modifications.
Chip design, surface architecture and chemical functionalisation of nanostructures facilitate the simultaneous measurement of multiple markers. For efficient nucleic acid detection, such as Ras mutations and miRNAs, specific probes have been synthesised. The disposable chips are mass produced through an automated fabrication process, which brings down the cost of the assay.
Traditionally, detection of minute amounts of DNA released in body fluids by tumour cells necessitates a pre-amplification step by polymerase chain reaction. The novelty of ULTRAPLACAD lies in the detection assays that do not require enzymatic amplification of DNA in liquid biopsies, thereby avoiding potential errors.
A bimodal reader for NESPRI and PEFSI technologies makes the ULTRAPLACAD device unique and improves the overall detection process even further. As Dr Spoto emphasises “the main advantage of the device is that it can detect both nucleic acids and protein using one single equipment operating with disposable chips.″
The ULTRAPLACAD prototype has been validated using animal models and samples from colorectal cancer patients. Results demonstrate that the sensitivity of the device exceeds conventional detection platforms and the whole assay is faster and simpler in its implementation.
The future of ULTRAPLACAD
Undoubtedly, the combined detection of cancer DNA sequences and selected tumour autoantibodies provide an effective cancer detection approach. ULTRAPLACAD offers a unique platform that can detect both DNA and protein cancer biomarkers, simplifying the process of diagnosis and patient follow-up.
Considering the limitations of existing colorectal cancer screening choices, ULTRAPLACAD offers a non-invasive alternative solution for average-risk asymptomatic people. As such, it will reduce the number of invasive procedures, cut down healthcare costs, and improve patient compliance and management.
Although the platform was specifically fabricated for early diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer, its application can extend to other types of cancer. Long-term, it is also expected to determine the molecular heterogeneity of individual tumours, helping disease stratification and personalised therapy. In view of the future, Prof. Spoto envisages “the ULTRAPLACAD device will contribute to revolutionise molecular diagnosis of cancer and make a difference in cancer care.″
News
Does Space-Time Really Exist?
Is time something that flows — or just an illusion? Exploring space-time as either a fixed “block universe” or a dynamic fabric reveals deeper mysteries about existence, change, and the very nature of reality. [...]
Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics
Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil [...]
By working together, cells can extend their senses beyond their direct environment
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to [...]
Overworked Brain Cells May Hold the Key to Parkinson’s
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes uncovered a surprising reason why dopamine-producing neurons, crucial for smooth body movements, die in Parkinson’s disease. In mice, when these neurons were kept overactive for weeks, they began to falter, [...]
Old tires find new life: Rubber particles strengthen superhydrophobic coatings against corrosion
Development of highly robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using recycled tire rubber particles. Superhydrophobic materials offer a strategy for developing marine anti-corrosion materials due to their low solid-liquid contact area and low surface energy. However, [...]
This implant could soon allow you to read minds
Mind reading: Long a science fiction fantasy, today an increasingly concrete scientific goal. Researchers at Stanford University have succeeded in decoding internal language in real time thanks to a brain implant and artificial intelligence. [...]
A New Weapon Against Cancer: Cold Plasma Destroys Hidden Tumor Cells
Cold plasma penetrates deep into tumors and attacks cancer cells. Short-lived molecules were identified as key drivers. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), working with colleagues from Greifswald University Hospital and [...]
This Common Sleep Aid May Also Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
Lemborexant and similar sleep medications show potential for treating tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used sleep medication can restore normal sleep patterns and [...]
Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Drug Efficacy
A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi has discovered that coating cancer treatment carrying nanoparticles in a sugar-like material increases their treatment efficacy. They reported their findings in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Over a tenth of breast [...]
Nanoparticle-Based Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cancer
In a study published in OncoImmunology, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have created a therapeutic vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to target cancer cells. The researchers demonstrated that virus peptides combined [...]
Quantitative imaging method reveals how cells rapidly sort and transport lipids
Lipids are difficult to detect with light microscopy. Using a new chemical labeling strategy, a Dresden-based team led by André Nadler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and [...]
Ancient DNA reveals cause of world’s first recorded pandemic
Scientists have confirmed that the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic, was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium behind the Black Death. Dating back some 1,500 years and long described in historical texts but [...]
“AI Is Not Intelligent at All” – Expert Warns of Worldwide Threat to Human Dignity
Opaque AI systems risk undermining human rights and dignity. Global cooperation is needed to ensure protection. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed how people interact, but it also poses a global risk to human [...]
Nanomotors: Where Are They Now?
First introduced in 2004, nanomotors have steadily advanced from a scientific curiosity to a practical technology with wide-ranging applications. This article explores the key developments, recent innovations, and major uses of nanomotors today. A [...]
Study Finds 95% of Tested Beers Contain Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
Researchers found PFAS in 95% of tested beers, with the highest levels linked to contaminated local water sources. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as forever chemicals, are gaining notoriety for their ability [...]
Long COVID Symptoms Are Closer To A Stroke Or Parkinson’s Disease Than Fatigue
When most people get sick with COVID-19 today, they think of it as a brief illness, similar to a cold. However, for a large number of people, the illness doesn't end there. The World [...]
