title: Efficient capture and simple quantification of circulating tumor cells using quantum dots and magnetic beads.
abstract: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are valuable biomarkers for monitoring the status of cancer patients and drug efficacy. However, the number of CTCs in the blood is extremely low, and the isolation and detection of CTCs with high efficiency and sensitivity remain a challenge. Here, we present an approach to the efficient capturing and simple quantification of CTCs using quantum dots and magnetic beads. Anti-EpCAM antibody-conjugated quantum dots are used for the targeting and quantification of CTCs, and quantum-dot-attached CTCs are isolated using anti-IgG-modified magnetic beads. Our approach is shown to result in a capture efficiency of about 70%-80%, enabling the simple quantification of captured CTCs based on the fluorescence intensity of the quantum dots. The present method can be used effectively in the capturing and simple quantification of CTCs with high efficiency for cancer diagnosis and monitoring.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Korea.
authors: Hyegeun
authors: H
authors: Min
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Korea.
authors: Seong-Min
authors: SM
authors: Jo
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 305-701, Korea.
authors: Hak-Sung
authors: HS
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055910:Antibodies, Immobilized; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D036103:Nanotechnology; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D045663:Quantum Dots
chemical_list: D055910:Antibodies, Immobilized; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C499379:EPCAM protein, human; D000071858:Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: cancer cell quantification; cancer diagnosis; circulating tumor cells; magnetic beads; quantum dots