cyc-DEP: Cyclic immunofluorescence profiling of particles collected using dielectrophoresis.

Cancer is a highly heterogenous disease that requires precise detection tools and active surveillance methods. Liquid biopsy assays provide an agnostic way to follow the complex trajectory of cancer, providing better patient stratification tools for optimized treatment. Here, we present the development of a low-volume liquid biopsy assay called cyc-DEP (cyclic immunofluorescent imaging on dielectrophoretic chip) to profile biomarkers collected on a dielectrophoretic microfluidic chip platform. To enable on-chip cyclic imaging, we optimized a fluorophore quenching method and sequential rounds of on-chip staining with fluorescently conjugated primary antibodies. cyc-DEP allows for the quantification of a multiplex array of proteins using 25 µl of a patient plasma sample. We utilized nanoparticles from a prostate adenocarcinoma (LNCaP) cell line and a panel of six target proteins to develop our proof-of-concept technique. We then used cyc-DEP to quantify blood plasma levels of target proteins from healthy individuals, low-grade and high-grade prostate cancer patients (n = 3 each) in order to demonstrate that our platform is suitable for liquid biopsy analysis in its present form. To ensure accurate quantification of signal intensities and comparisons between different samples, we incorporated a signal intensity normalization method (fluorescent beads) and a custom signal intensity quantification algorithm that account for the distribution of signal across hundreds of collection regions on each chip. Our technique enabled a threefold improvement in multiplicity for detecting proteins associated with fluid samples, opening doors for early detection, and active surveillance through quantification of a multiplex array of biomarkers from low-volume liquid biopsies.

The role of coagulation and platelets in colon cancer-associated thrombosis.

Cancer-associated thrombosis is a common first presenting sign of malignancy and is currently the second leading cause of death in cancer patients after their malignancy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer-associated thrombosis remain undefined. In this study, we aimed to develop a better understanding of how cancer cells affect the coagulation cascade and platelet activation to induce a prothrombotic phenotype. Our results show that colon cancer cells trigger platelet activation in a manner dependent on cancer cell tissue factor (TF) expression, thrombin generation, activation of the protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4) on platelets and consequent release of ADP and thromboxane A2. Platelet-colon cancer cell interactions potentiated the release of platelet-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) rather than cancer cell-derived EVs. Our data show that single colon cancer cells were capable of recruiting and activating platelets and generating fibrin in plasma under shear flow. Finally, in a retrospective analysis of colon cancer patients, we found that the number of venous thromboembolism events was 4.5 times higher in colon cancer patients than in a control population. In conclusion, our data suggest that platelet-cancer cell interactions and perhaps platelet procoagulant EVs may contribute to the prothrombotic phenotype of colon cancer patients. Our work may provide rationale for targeting platelet-cancer cell interactions with PAR4 antagonists together with aspirin and/or ADP receptor antagonists as a potential intervention to limit cancer-associated thrombosis, balancing safety with efficacy.

Quantitative atomic force microscopy provides new insight into matrix vesicle mineralization.

Matrix vesicles (MVs) are a class of extracellular vesicles that initiate mineralization in cartilage, bone, and other vertebrate tissues by accumulating calcium ions (Ca2+) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) within their lumen and forming a nucleation core (NC). After further sequestration of Ca2+ and Pi, the NC transforms into crystalline complexes. Direct evidence of the existence of the NC and its maturation have been provided solely by analyses of dried samples. We isolated MVs from chicken embryo cartilage and used atomic force microscopy peak force quantitative nanomechanical property mapping (AFM-PFQNM) to measure the nanomechanical and morphological properties of individual MVs under both mineralizing (+Ca2+) and non-mineralizing (-Ca2+) fluid conditions. The elastic modulus of MVs significantly increased by 4-fold after incubation in mineralization buffer. From AFM mapping data, we inferred the morphological changes of MVs as mineralization progresses: prior to mineralization, a punctate feature, the NC, is present within MVs and this feature grows and stiffens during mineralization until it occupies most of the MV lumen. Dynamic light scattering showed a significant increase in hydrodynamic diameter and no change in the zeta potential of hydrated MVs after incubation with Ca2+. This validates that crystalline complexes, which are strongly negative relative to MVs, were forming within the lumen of MVs. These data were substantiated by transmission electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses of dried MVs, which provide evidence that the complexes increased in size, crystallinity, and Ca/P ratio within MVs during the mineralization process.

Selection of DNA nanoparticles with preferential binding to aggregated protein target.

High affinity and specificity are considered essential for affinity reagents and molecularly-targeted therapeutics, such as monoclonal antibodies. However, life's own molecular and cellular machinery consists of lower affinity, highly multivalent interactions that are metastable, but easily reversible or displaceable. With this inspiration, we have developed a DNA-based reagent platform that uses massive avidity to achieve stable, but reversible specific recognition of polyvalent targets. We have previously selected these DNA reagents, termed DeNAno, against various cells and now we demonstrate that DeNAno specific for protein targets can also be selected. DeNAno were selected against streptavidin-, rituximab- and bevacizumab-coated beads. Binding was stable for weeks and unaffected by the presence of soluble target proteins, yet readily competed by natural or synthetic ligands of the target proteins. Thus DeNAno particles are a novel biomolecular recognition agent whose orthogonal use of avidity over affinity results in uniquely stable yet reversible binding interactions.

Drug Delivery Nanoparticles with Locally Tunable Toxicity Made Entirely from a Light-Activatable Prodrug of Doxorubicin.

PURPOSE: A major challenge facing nanoparticle-based delivery of chemotherapy agents is the natural and unavoidable accumulation of these particles in healthy tissue resulting in local toxicity and dose-limiting side effects. To address this issue, we have designed and characterized a new prodrug nanoparticle with controllable toxicity allowing a locally-delivered light trigger to convert the payload of the particle from a low to a high toxicity state. METHODS: The nanoparticles are created entirely from light-activatable prodrug molecules using a nanoprecipitation process. The prodrug is a conjugate of doxorubicin and photocleavable biotin (DOX-PCB). RESULTS: These DOX-PCB nanoparticles are 30 times less toxic to cells than doxorubicin, but can be activated to release pure therapeutic doxorubicin when exposed to 365 nm light. These nanoparticles have an average diameter of around 100 nm and achieve the maximum possible prodrug loading capacity since no support structure or coating is required to prevent loss of prodrug from the nanoparticle. CONCLUSIONS: These light activatable nanoparticles demonstrate tunable toxicity and can be used to facilitate future therapy development whereby light delivered specifically to the tumor tissue would locally convert the nanoparticles to doxorubicin while leaving nanoparticles accumulated in healthy tissue in the less toxic prodrug form.

Removal of ligand-bound liposomes from cell surfaces by microbubbles exposed to ultrasound.

Gas-filled microbubbles attached to cell surfaces can interact with focused ultrasound to create microstreaming of nearby fluid. We directly observed the ultrasound/microbubble interaction and documented that under certain conditions fluorescent particles that were attached to the surface of live cells could be removed. Fluorescently labeled liposomes that were larger than 500 nm in diameter were attached to the surface of endothelial cells using cRGD targeting to αvß3 integrin. Microbubbles were attached to the surface of the cells through electrostatic interactions. Images taken before and after the ultrasound exposure were compared to document the effects on the liposomes. When exposed to ultrasound with peak negative pressure of 0.8 MPa, single microbubbles and groups of isolated microbubbles were observed to remove targeted liposomes from the cell surface. Liposomes were removed from a region on the cell surface that averaged 33.1 µm in diameter. The maximum distance between a single microbubble and a detached liposome was 34.5 µm. Single microbubbles were shown to be able to remove liposomes from over half the surface of a cell. The distance over which liposomes were removed was significantly dependent on the resting diameter of the microbubble. Clusters of adjoining microbubbles were not seen to remove liposomes. These observations demonstrate that the fluid shear forces generated by the ultrasound/microbubble interaction can remove liposomes from the surfaces of cells over distances that are greater than the diameter of the microbubble.

Enhanced anti-tumor immune responses and delay of tumor development in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 mice immunized with an immunostimulatory peptide in poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer vaccines have the potential to induce curative anti-tumor immune responses and better adjuvants may improve vaccine efficacy. We have previously shown that Hp91, a peptide derived from the B box domain in high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), acts as a potent immune adjuvant. METHOD: In this study, Hp91 was tested as part of a therapeutic vaccine against human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. RESULTS: Free peptide did not significantly augment immune responses but, when delivered in poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles (PLGA-NPs), robust activation of dendritic cells (DCs) and increased activation of HER2-specific T cells was observed in vitro. Vaccination of HER2/neu transgenic mice, a mouse breast cancer model that closely mimics the immune modulation and tolerance in some breast cancer patients, with Hp91-loaded PLGA-NPs enhanced the activation of HER2-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses, delayed tumor development, and prolonged survival. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together these findings demonstrate that the delivery of the immunostimulatory peptide Hp91 inside PLGA-NPs enhances the potency of the peptide and efficacy of a breast cancer vaccine.

Recovery of Drug Delivery Nanoparticles from Human Plasma Using an Electrokinetic Platform Technology.

The effect of complex biological fluids on the surface and structure of nanoparticles is a rapidly expanding field of study. One of the challenges holding back this research is the difficulty of recovering therapeutic nanoparticles from biological samples due to their small size, low density, and stealth surface coatings. Here, the first demonstration of the recovery and analysis of drug delivery nanoparticles from undiluted human plasma samples through the use of a new electrokinetic platform technology is presented. The particles are recovered from plasma through a dielectrophoresis separation force that is created by innate differences in the dielectric properties between the unaltered nanoparticles and the surrounding plasma. It is shown that this can be applied to a wide range of drug delivery nanoparticles of different morphologies and materials, including low-density nanoliposomes. These recovered particles can then be analyzed using different methods including scanning electron microscopy to monitor surface and structural changes that result from plasma exposure. This new recovery technique can be broadly applied to the recovery of nanoparticles from high conductance fluids in a wide range of applications.

Optical detection of harmonic oscillations in fluorescent dye-loaded microbubbles ensonified by ultrasound.

A new optical contrast agent has been developed by exposing dye-loaded microbubbles to a rapidly-cooled thermal treatment to homogenize the dye distribution across the surface. Ultrasound causes these microbubbles to oscillate in size which changes the self-quenching efficiency of the dye molecules creating a "blinking" signal. We demonstrate for the first time that these microbubbles can reproducibly generate second, third, and even fourth harmonic fluorescence intensity modulations, in addition to the fundamental frequency of the driving ultrasound. Detecting these harmonic signals could produce a higher signal-to-noise ratio for fluorescence imaging in medical applications by allowing fundamental frequency interference and artifacts to be filtered out.

Dual-porosity hollow nanoparticles for the immunoprotection and delivery of nonhuman enzymes.

Although enzymes of nonhuman origin have been studied for a variety of therapeutic and diagnostic applications, their use has been limited by the immune responses generated against them. The described dual-porosity hollow nanoparticle platform obviates immune attack on nonhuman enzymes paving the way to in vivo applications including enzyme-prodrug therapies and enzymatic depletion of tumor nutrients. This platform is manufactured with a versatile, scalable, and robust fabrication method. It efficiently encapsulates macromolecular cargos filled through mesopores into a hollow interior, shielding them from antibodies and proteases once the mesopores are sealed with nanoporous material. The nanoporous shell allows small molecule diffusion allowing interaction with the large macromolecular payload in the hollow center. The approach has been validated in vivo using l-asparaginase to achieve l-asparagine depletion in the presence of neutralizing antibodies.

Manipulating nanoscale features on the surface of dye-loaded microbubbles to increase their ultrasound-modulated fluorescence output.

The nanoscale surface features of lipid-coated microbubbles can dramatically affect how the lipids interact with one another as the microbubble diameter expands and contracts under the influence of ultrasound. During microbubble manufacturing, the different lipid shell species naturally partition forming concentrated lipid islands. In this study the dynamics of how these nanoscale islands accommodate the expansion of the microbubbles are monitored by measuring the fluorescence intensity changes that occur as self-quenching lipophilic dye molecules embedded in the lipid layer change their distance from one another. It was found that when the dye molecules were concentrated in islands, less than 5% of the microbubbles displayed measurable fluorescence intensity modulation indicating the islands were not able to expand sufficiently for the dye molecules to separate from one another. When the microbubbles were heated and cooled rapidly through the lipid transition temperature the islands were melted creating an even distribution of dye about the surface. This resulted in over 50% of the microbubbles displaying the fluorescence-modulated signal indicating that the dye molecules could now separate sufficiently to change their self-quenching efficiency. The separation of the surface lipids in these different formations has significant implications for microbubble development as ultrasound and optical contrast agents.

TLR4-dependent activation of dendritic cells by an HMGB1-derived peptide adjuvant.

High mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) acts as an endogenous danger molecule that is released from necrotic cells and activated macrophages. We have previously shown that peptide Hp91, whose sequence corresponds to an area within the B-Box domain of HMGB1, activates dendritic cells (DCs) and acts as an adjuvant in vivo. Here we investigated the underlying mechanisms of Hp91-mediated DC activation. Hp91-induced secretion of IL-6 was dependent on clathrin- and dynamin-driven endocytosis of Hp91 and mediated through a MyD88- and TLR4-dependent pathway involving p38 MAPK and NFκB. Endosomal TLR4 has been shown to activate the MyD88-independent interferon pathway. Hp91-induced activation of pIRF3 and IL-6 secretion was reduced in IFNαßR knockout DCs, suggesting an amplification loop via the IFNαßR. These findings elucidate the mechanisms by which Hp91 acts as immunostimulatory peptide and may serve as a guide for the future development of synthetic Th1-type peptide adjuvants for vaccines.

An innovative system for 3D clinical photography in the resource-limited settings.

BACKGROUND: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most frequently occurring cancer in Mozambique among men and the second most frequently occurring cancer among women. Effective therapeutic treatments for KS are poorly understood in this area. There is an unmet need to develop a simple but accurate tool for improved monitoring and diagnosis in a resource-limited setting. Standardized clinical photographs have been considered to be an essential part of the evaluation. METHODS: When a therapeutic response is achieved, nodular KS often exhibits a reduction of the thickness without a change in the base area of the lesion. To evaluate the vertical space along with other characters of a KS lesion, we have created an innovative imaging system with a consumer light-field camera attached to a miniature "photography studio" adaptor. The image file can be further processed by computational methods for quantification. RESULTS: With this novel imaging system, each high-quality 3D image was consistently obtained with a single camera shot at bedside by minimally trained personnel. After computational processing, all-focused photos and measurable 3D parameters were obtained. More than 80 KS image sets were processed in a semi-automated fashion. CONCLUSIONS: In this proof-of-concept study, the feasibility to use a simple, low-cost and user-friendly system has been established for future clinical study to monitor KS therapeutic response. This 3D imaging system can be also applied to obtain standardized clinical photographs for other diseases.

The influence of distance between microbubbles on the fluid flow produced during ultrasound exposure.

The collapse dynamics of lipid monolayer-coated microbubbles in the clinically-relevant size range under 6 µm in diameter have not been studied directly due to their small size obscuring the collapse visualization. This study investigates the influence of inter-microbubble distance on the shape of lipid debris clouds created by the collapse of the microbubble destroying the microbubble lipid monolayer. The shape was highly influenced by the fluid motion that occurred as the microbubbles collapsed. It was observed that at inter-microbubble distances smaller than 37 µm the microbubbles began to interact with one another resulting in distorted and ellipsoid-shaped debris clouds. At inter-microbubble distances less than 10 µm, significantly elongated debris clouds were observed that extended out from the original microbubble location in a single direction. These distortions show a significant distance-dependent interaction between microbubbles. It was observed that microbubbles in physical contact with one another behaved in the same manner as separate microbubbles less than 10 µm apart creating significantly elongated debris clouds. It can be hypothesized that small inter-microbubble distances influence the microbubble to collapse asymmetrically resulting in the creation of fluid jets that contribute to the formation of debris fields that are elongated in a single direction.

Nanofiber near-field light-matter interactions for enhanced detection of molecular level displacements and dynamics.

We experimentally demonstrate that plasmonic nanoparticles embedded in the evanescent field of subwavelength optical waveguides (WGs) are highly sensitive to distances normal to the propagation of light, showing an ~10× increase in spatial resolution compared to the optical field decay of the WG. The scattering cross-section of the Au nanoparticle is increased by the plasmon-dielectric coupling interaction when the nanoparticle is placed near the dielectric surface of the WG, and the decay of the scattering signal is enhanced, showing angstrom level distance sensitivity within 10 nm from the WG. Numerical studies with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method correlate well with the experimental results. To demonstrate real-time monitoring of a single molecule stretching in the evanescent field, we linked individual single-stranded DNA molecules between the WG and plasmonic nanoparticles and pushed on the nanoparticles with fluidic forces. The simple design and ease of obtaining optical feedback on molecular displacements makes our approach ideal for new in situ force sensing devices, imaging technologies, and high-throughput molecular analysis.

Phospholipid/Carbocyanine Dye-Shelled Microbubbles as Ultrasound-Modulated Fluorescent Contrast Agents.

Fluorescent microbubbles have been fabricated with the capacity to have their emission modulated by ultrasound. These contrast agent particles could potentially be used in the future to extract fluorescence modulation from a strong light background to increase imaging depth and resolution in scattering media. Fluorescence intensity modulation was demonstrated at the ultrasound driving frequency.

Stimulus-responsive light coupling and modulation with nanofiber waveguide junctions.

We report a systematic study of light coupling at junctions of overlapping SnO(2) nanofiber waveguides (WGs) as a function of gap separation and guided wavelength. The junctions were assembled on silica substrates using micromanipulation techniques and the gap separation was controlled by depositing thin self-assembled polyelectrolyte coatings at the fiber junctions. We demonstrate that the coupling efficiency is strongly dependent on the gap separation, showing strong fluctuations (0.1 dB/nm) in the power transfer when the separation between nanofibers changes by as little as 2 nm. Experimental results correlate well with numerical simulations using three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain techniques. To demonstrate the feasibility of using coupled nanofiber WGs to modulate light, we encased the junctions in an environment-responsive matrix and exposed the junctions to gaseous vapor. The nanofiber junctions show an ~95% (or ~80%) modulation of the guided 450 nm (or 510 nm) light upon interaction with the gaseous molecules. The results reveal a unique nanofiber-based sensing scheme that does not require a change in the refractive index to detect stimuli, suggesting these structures could play important roles in localized sensing devices including force-based measurements or novel chemically induced light modulators.

Multispectral Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (msLSPR) Reveals and Overcomes Spectral and Sensing Heterogeneities of Single Gold Nanoparticles.

Metal nanoparticles can be sensitive molecular sensors due to enhanced absorption and scattering of light near a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Variations in both intrinsic properties such as the geometry and extrinsic properties such as the environment can cause heterogeneity in nanoparticle LSPR and impact the overall sensing responses. To date, however, few studies have examined LSPR and sensing heterogeneities, due to technical challenges in obtaining the full LSPR spectra of individual nanoparticles in dynamic assays. Here, we report multispectral LSPR (msLSPR), a wide-field imaging technique for real-time spectral monitoring of light scattering from individual nanoparticles across the whole field of view (FOV) at ∼0.5 nm spectral and ∼100 ms temporal resolutions. Using msLSPR, we studied the spectral and sensing properties of gold nanoparticles commonly used in LSPR assays, including spheres, rods, and bipyramids. Complemented with electron microscopy imaging, msLSPR analysis revealed that all classes of gold nanoparticles exhibited variations in LSPR peak wavelengths that largely paralleled variations in morphology. Compared with the rods and spheres, gold nanobipyramids exhibited both more uniform and stronger sensing responses as long as the bipyramids are structurally intact. Simulations incorporating the experimental LSPR properties demonstrate the negative impact of spectral heterogeneity on the overall performance of conventional, intensity-based LSPR assays and the ability of msLSPR in overcoming both particle heterogeneity and measurement noise. These results highlight the importance of spectral heterogeneity in LSPR-based sensors and the potential advantage of performing LSPR assays in the spectral domain.

Multiplexed and Millimeter-Scale Fluorescence Nanoscopy of Cells and Tissue Sections via Prism-Illumination and Microfluidics-Enhanced DNA-PAINT.

Fluorescence nanoscopy has become increasingly powerful for biomedical research, but it has historically afforded a small field-of-view (FOV) of around 50 µm × 50 µm at once and more recently up to ∼200 µm × 200 µm. Efforts to further increase the FOV in fluorescence nanoscopy have thus far relied on the use of fabricated waveguide substrates, adding cost and sample constraints to the applications. Here we report PRism-Illumination and Microfluidics-Enhanced DNA-PAINT (PRIME-PAINT) for multiplexed fluorescence nanoscopy across millimeter-scale FOVs. Built upon the well-established prism-type total internal reflection microscopy, PRIME-PAINT achieves robust single-molecule localization with up to ∼520 µm × 520 µm single FOVs and 25-40 nm lateral resolutions. Through stitching, nanoscopic imaging over mm2 sample areas can be completed in as little as 40 min per target. An on-stage microfluidics chamber facilitates probe exchange for multiplexing and enhances image quality, particularly for formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections. We demonstrate the utility of PRIME-PAINT by analyzing ∼106 caveolae structures in ∼1,000 cells and imaging entire pancreatic cancer lesions from patient tissue biopsies. By imaging from nanometers to millimeters with multiplexity and broad sample compatibility, PRIME-PAINT will be useful for building multiscale, Google-Earth-like views of biological systems.

Different effect of hydrogelation on antifouling and circulation properties of dextran-iron oxide nanoparticles.

Premature recognition and clearance of nanoparticulate imaging and therapeutic agents by macrophages in the tissues can dramatically reduce both the nanoparticle half-life and delivery to the diseased tissue. Grafting nanoparticles with hydrogels prevents nanoparticulate recognition by liver and spleen macrophages and greatly prolongs circulation times in vivo. Understanding the mechanisms by which hydrogels achieve this "stealth" effect has implications for the design of long-circulating nanoparticles. Thus, the role of plasma protein absorption in the hydrogel effect is not yet understood. Short-circulating dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles could be converted into stealth hydrogel nanoparticles by cross-linking with 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane. We show that hydrogelation did not affect the size, shape and zeta potential, but completely prevented the recognition and clearance by liver macrophages in vivo. Hydrogelation decreased the number of hydroxyl groups on the nanoparticle surface and reduced the binding of the anti-dextran antibody. At the same time, hydrogelation did not reduce the absorption of cationic proteins on the nanoparticle surface. Specifically, there was no effect on the binding of kininogen, histidine-rich glycoprotein, and protamine sulfate to the anionic nanoparticle surface. In addition, hydrogelation did not prevent activation of plasma kallikrein on the metal oxide surface. These data suggest that (a) a stealth hydrogel coating does not mask charge interactions with iron oxide surface and (b) the total blockade of plasma protein absorption is not required for maintaining iron oxide nanoparticles' long-circulating stealth properties. These data illustrate a novel, clinically promising property of long-circulating stealth nanoparticles.