title: Demonstration of Calreticulin Expression in Hamster Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma with the Use of Fluorescent Gold Quantum Dots.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is dire need for discovery of novel pancreatic cancer biomarkers and of agents with the potential for simultaneous diagnostic and therapeutic capacity. This study demonstrates calreticulin expression on hamster pancreatic adenocarcinoma via bio-conjugated gold quantum dots (AuQDs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Hamster pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells were cultured, fixed and incubated with fluorescent AuQDs, bio-conjugated to anti-calreticulin antibodies. Anti-calreticulin and AuQDs were produced in-house. AuQDs were manufactured to emit in the near-infrared. Cells were further characterized under confocal fluorescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AuQDs were confirmed to emit in the near-infrared. AuQD bio-conjugation to calreticulin was confirmed via dot-blotting. Upon laser excitation and post-incubation with bio-conjugated AuQDs, pancreatic cancer cell lines emitted fluorescence in near-infrared.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hamster pancreatic cancer cells express calreticulin, which may be labelled with AuQDs. This study demonstrates the application of nanoparticle-based theranostics in pancreatic cancer. Such biomarker-targeting nanosystems are anticipated to play a significant role in the management of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, UK Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, London, UK emmanouil.giorgakis@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giorgakis
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Bala
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ashkan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamali-Dashtarzheneh
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Giuseppe Kito
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Fusai
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Imber
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsironis
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, Royal Free Campus, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loizidou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D037282:Calreticulin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006224:Cricetinae; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000662:veterinary*; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D000068936:Theranostic Nanomedicine
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D037282:Calreticulin; D006046:Gold
keywords: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma; calreticulin; fluorescent quantum dots; gold quantum dots; pancreatic cancer biomarkers; theranostics