Issue 12, 2022

One sample fits all: a microfluidic-assisted methodology for label-free isolation of CTCs with downstream methylation analysis of cfDNA in lung cancer

Abstract

Lung cancer (LC) is a major cause of mortality. Late diagnosis, associated with limitations in tissue biopsies for adequate tumor characterization contribute to limited survival of lung cancer patients. Liquid biopsies have been introduced to improve tumor characetrization through the analysis of biomarkers, including circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Considering their availability in blood, several enrichment strategies have been developed to augment circulating biomarkers for improving diagnostic, prognostic and treament efficacy assessment; often, however, only one biomarker is tested. In this work we developed and implemented a microfluidic chip for label-free enrichment of CTCs with a methodology for subsequent cfDNA analysis from the same cryopreserved sample. CTCs were successfully isolated in 38 of 42 LC patients with the microfluidic chip. CTCs frequency was significantly higher in LC patients with advanced disease. A cut-off of 1 CTC per mL was established for diagnosis (sensitivity = 76.19%, specificity = 100%) and in patients with late stage lung cancer, the presence of ≥5 CTCs per mL was significantly associated with shorter overall survival. MIR129-2me and ADCY4me panel of cfDNA methylation performed well for LC detection, whereas MIR129-2me combined with HOXA11me allowed for patient risk stratification. Analysis of combinations of biomarkers enabled the definition of panels for LC diagnosis and prognosis. Overall, this study demonstrates that multimodal analysis of tumour biomarkers via microfluidic devices may significantly improve LC characterization in cryopreserved samples, constituting a reliable source for continuous disease monitoring.

Graphical abstract: One sample fits all: a microfluidic-assisted methodology for label-free isolation of CTCs with downstream methylation analysis of cfDNA in lung cancer

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Qun 2022
Accepted
27 Agd 2022
First published
18 Cax 2022

Biomater. Sci., 2022,10, 3296-3308

One sample fits all: a microfluidic-assisted methodology for label-free isolation of CTCs with downstream methylation analysis of cfDNA in lung cancer

Â. Carvalho, C. Guimarães-Teixeira, V. Constâncio, M. Fernandes, C. Macedo-Silva, R. Henrique, F. J. Monteiro and C. Jerónimo, Biomater. Sci., 2022, 10, 3296 DOI: 10.1039/D2BM00044J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements