title: Microelectrode bioimpedance analysis distinguishes basal and claudin-low subtypes of triple negative breast cancer cells.
abstract: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly aggressive and has a poor prognosis when compared to other molecular subtypes. In particular, the claudin-low subtype of TNBC exhibits tumor-initiating/cancer stem cell like properties. Here, we seek to find new biomarkers to discriminate different forms of TNBC by characterizing their bioimpedance. A customized bioimpedance sensor with four identical branched microelectrodes with branch widths adjusted to accommodate spreading of individual cells was fabricated on silicon and pyrex/glass substrates. Cell analyses were performed on the silicon devices which showed somewhat improved inter-electrode and intra-device reliability. We performed detailed analysis of the bioimpedance spectra of four TNBC cell lines, comparing the peak magnitude, peak frequency and peak phase angle between claudin-low TNBC subtype represented by MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T with that of two basal cells types, the TNBC MDA-MB-468, and an immortalized non-malignant basal breast cell line, MCF-10A. The claudin-low TNBC cell lines showed significantly higher peak frequencies and peak phase angles than the properties might be useful in distinguishing the clinically significant claudin-low subtype of TNBC.
authors.affiliation: The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, 302, Whittemore Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA, vaishnas@vt.edu.
authors.forename: Vaishnavi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Srinivasaraghavan
authors.forename: Jeannine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strobl
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agah
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D057167:Claudins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008839:Microelectrodes; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008954:Models, Biological; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D064726:Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D057167:Claudins; D012825:Silicon