Confocal Raman microspectroscopy discriminates live human metastatic melanoma and skin fibroblast cells

Confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRM) continues to develop as a promising technique with possible clinical applications for the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers. CRM studies of single cells can provide information on the biochemical content of cancer cells in situ, potentially providing new biochemical signatures or markers of cancer cells. Here, we report a CRM study of single, living human metastatic melanoma cells (SK‐Mel‐2) and normal skin fibroblast cells (BJ) cultured and examined under identical experimental conditions. A total of almost 1200 Raman spectra were measured from more than 120 BJ and SK‐Mel‐2 cells using an inverted microscope with 647 nm laser excitation. Raman spectra were measured from within three distinct intracellular regions of the cells – cytoplasm, nucleoplasm, and nucleolus. When Raman spectra from each cell type were compared using principal components analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis with leave‐one‐dish‐out cross‐validation (LDA‐CV), the two cell types were discriminated with 93% (cytoplasm), 98% (nucleolus), and 96% (nucleoplasm) accuracy. The main biochemical differences identified between the two cell types were higher RNA levels in the nucleoli of BJ cells and high amounts of lipid and collagen in the cytoplasm of SK‐Mel‐2 cells. For both cell types, higher levels of RNA were detected in the nucleoli versus the nucleoplasm. PCA with LDA‐CV was 98% (cytoplasm), 93% (nucleoplasm), and 73% (nucleolus) accurate in identifying the intracellular region based on the Raman spectra from both cell types. No significant trend was observed when the data were analyzed with respect to cell passage number. Thus, CRM with PCA and LDA‐CV successfully discriminated two skin cancer‐relevant cell lines while detecting different amounts of nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins in distinct intracellular regions, further underscoring its potential as a clinical diagnostic tool. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman spectroscopy and CARS microscopy of stem cells and their derivatives

The characterisation of stem cells is of vital importance to regenerative medicine. Failure to separate out all stem cells from differentiated cells before therapies can result in teratomas—tumours of multiple cell types. Typically, characterisation is performed in a destructive manner with fluorescent assays. A truly non‐invasive method of characterisation would be a major breakthrough in stem cell‐based therapies. Raman spectroscopy has revealed that DNA and RNA levels drop when a stem cell differentiates into other cell types, which we link to a change in the relative sizes of the nucleus and cytoplasm. We also used Raman spectroscopy to investigate the biochemistry within an early embryo, or blastocyst, which differs greatly from colonies of embryonic stem cells. Certain cell types that differentiate from stem cells can be identified by directly imaging the biochemistry with CARS microscopy; examples presented are hydroxyapatite—a precursor to bone, and lipids in adipocytes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectral and photosensitizing properties of bacteriochlorin a and its monomethyl and dimethyl esters

We have carried out a comparative study of the photosensitizing activity of bacteriochlorin a (BCA) and its methylated derivatives: monomethyl and dimethyl esters of BCA (BCA MME and BCA DME). We have shown that BCA and its derivatives are bound to the erythrocyte membranes in monomolecular form, and upon photoexcitation in the region of their long-wavelength Q_y absorption band, they sensitize oxidation of the major membrane components: proteins and lipids. We have established that despite greater binding of the methylated BCA derivatives to the membranes, their specific activity in photosensitization of peroxide oxidation of membrane lipids and membrane protein tryptophanyls is lower than for BCA. At the same time, BCA MME and BCA DME sensitize oxidation of a larger number of SH groups in membrane proteins, which suggests methylated BCA is predominantly localized in the erythrocyte membrane close to the protein sulfhydryl groups. We also show that the rate of erythrocyte photohemolysis sensitized by BCA MME and BCA DME is significantly faster than for sensitization by BCA. This correlates with the lipophilicity of BCA, BCA MME, and BCA DME, which is responsible for the ability of bacteriochlorins to bind to cell membranes and cells. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 1, pp. 98–105, January–February, 2006.     

Cytoplasmic RNA and nuclear changes detected cytochemically during the degeneration of salivary glands of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) (Acari, Ixodidae)

The present study reports cytochemistry data about salivary glands of females (unfed, engorged, and at day three post-engorgement) and males (unfed, at day seven post-attachment, and at days three and seven post-detachment from the host) of the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The results revealed nuclear changes in engorged females and at day three post-engorgement, and in males in all stages (except unfed). These changes were more prominent in females. Cytoplasmic changes were also observed in cells of all acini of males and females. In types II and III acini of engorged females, nuclear changes were observed in the shape (irregular, with blebs, fragmenting or fragmented), size (enlarged or reduced), and arrangement and condensation level of chromatin (marginal or as blebs). Changes were also detected in nucleoli, regarding their shape (fragmenting or fragmented), size (enlarged), and location (central, marginal or as blebs). Some nucleoli were also compacted or disorganized. In females at day three pos-engorgement, all acini exhibited similar changes to those observed in engorged females. RNA staining was stronger in cells of engorged females than those at day three post-engorgement. In males at day seven post-attachment, cells of types II, III, IV acini presented changes in the size of the nucleus and condensation level of chromatin similar to those of females. The shape of the nucleus was round, irregular or undergoing fragmentation, and the chromatin was located at the margin or throughout the nucleus. The changes in the nucleolus were similar to those of females, regarding size and organization, although round-shaped and in the central location. In males at day three post-detachment, cells of all acini exhibited nuclear changes similar to those of males at day seven post-attachment, in addition to the fragmentation of the nucleolus. At day seven post-detachment, changes were detected in all acini similar to the observed in males at day seven post-attachment. Regarding cytoplasmic RNA, staining was prominent in males at day seven post-attachment and weak in those at day seven post-detachment from the host. In females as well as males, different RNA staining patterns in the cytoplasm and nuclear changes characterized apoptotic cell death.     

Comparison of connective tissue invaded by Lewis lung carcinoma to healthy connective tissue by means of micro‐Raman spectroscopy

We have measured the micro‐Raman spectra of mouse tissues invaded by Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). We have also carried out categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) on the acquired spectra. The results indicate that the tumor tissues can be well discriminated from normal tissues by the first two principal components extracted from the spectra. Furthermore, we have found that the concentrations of nucleic acids and lipids/fatty acids in the tumor are considerably higher than those in the normal tissue, whereas the collagen concentration is lower. These differences can be detected and characterized by Raman images using the 788 cm⁻¹ DNA/RNA band and the 1301 cm⁻¹ lipid/fatty acid band. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

拉曼光谱检测生物大分子损伤的研究进展

拉曼光谱是基于拉曼散射效应而发展起来的一种光谱分析技术,体现的是分子的振动或转动信息。由于拉曼光谱技术与常规化学分析技术相比,具有对样品无损、样品制备简单和所需样品量少等特点,广泛用于生物大分子结构变化的研究。拉曼光谱不仅可以用于蛋白质、核酸和脂类等生物大分子损伤的快速检测,而且可以用于癌症的诊断与手术治疗。通过对比正常组织与癌变组织的拉曼光谱,可以找到两种组织特征吸收峰的差异,从而为癌症的最终确诊和确定肿瘤切除范围提供重要信息。文章综述了拉曼光谱检测生物大分子损伤的研究进展,介绍了利用表面增强拉曼光谱、傅里叶变换拉曼光谱和紫外共振拉曼光谱等技术在检测蛋白质二级结构、膜脂及DNA损伤中的应用,并展望了未来拉曼光谱技术的发展前景。     

Raman Spectroscopy–Based Multivariate Statistical Analysis Reveals the Molecular Mechanism of K562 Cell Apoptosis Induced by Adriamycin

Based on the combination of Raman spectroscopy with principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, the molecular mechanism of K562 cell apoptosis induced by Adriamycin in physiological conditions is presented. The obtained results reveal that DNA of K562 cells treated with Adriamycin is lowered greatly, indicating that the damage of the DNA of K562 cells is indeed the main molecular mechanism of K562 cell apoptosis induced by Adriamycin. Specially, by combining principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, the statistical difference between Raman spectra of different cell types can be revealed effectively. Importantly, this kind of Raman spectroscopy–based multivariate statistical analysis will supply a useful tool for the molecular mechanism detection of cell behavior in physiological conditions.     

Raman spectroscopy can discriminate distinct glioma subtypes as defined by RNA expression profiling

Raman spectroscopy is a molecular spectroscopic technique that can measure the molecular composition of tissue samples within seconds without any extraction processes or dyes. In microbiology, Raman spectroscopy is used to identify bacteriae. In glioblastoma tissue, it was reported that necrosis, normal brain and tumor can be discriminated using Raman spectroscopy. Therefore, we hypothesized that Raman spectroscopy could discriminate glioblastoma tissue from different glioma subtypes defined by RNA expression profiling. We analyzed 20 glioma samples from two distinct molecular subtypes. Both subtypes consisted of glioblastoma samples showing a variety in glioma grading and typing. The Raman spectroscopic results could be grouped in two distinct clusters in an unsupervised cluster analysis. Further analysis of these clusters showed that they were fully congruent with the two clusters as defined by RNA expression profiling. Conclusion: our results demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy can discriminate between different molecular subtypes of glioma and, therefore, may prove to be a valuable tool in in vitro cancer research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman comparison of skin dermis of different ages: focus on spectral markers of collagen hydration

Skin aging is the most visible sign of aging of the body. This complex process involves molecular and structural alterations of the main skin constituents. The major cutaneous constituent is type I collagen that gives strength and resilience to the skin. This macromolecule possesses a particular triple helix structure and is arranged in the form of a fibrous network. Water plays a crucial role for maintaining this molecular assembly which is altered during intrinsic chronological aging. To investigate some of these structural alterations, Raman microspectroscopy was employed since this biophotonic approach permits to probe the biomolecular composition of the skin in a non‐destructive manner. In addition, type I collagen gives specific Raman vibrations; some of which being sensitive to the molecule conformation and to the water environment. In this purpose, Raman spectra of four skin samples of different ages (two samples of 40 year old and two samples of 70 year old) were collected by varying the relative environmental humidity. Our experiments highlighted spectral differences between the four samples. The analysis of the Raman data permitted to suggest a model for the interactions between collagen and water molecules and a decrease in collagen fibers compactness with chronological aging. Our study demonstrates that Raman spectroscopy can be a useful tool to investigate skin aging, with innovative applications in dermatology as well as in cosmetics. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

DL-丙氨酸晶体粉末的拉曼光谱研究

拉曼光谱可作为研究分子晶体中分子振动和晶格振动的重要手段.DL-丙氨酸晶体和L-丙氨酸晶体晶胞参数相近,结构上同属于正交晶系,但它们的空间群不同,L-丙氨酸晶体的空间群是P212121,而DL-丙氨酸晶体则是Pna21.前人的工作详细研究了L-丙氨酸晶体的拉曼光谱.文章通过对DL-丙氨酸晶体粉末的拉曼光谱研究,和相同条件下D-和L-丙氨酸晶体粉末的拉曼光谱比较,获得了有关DL-丙氨酸晶体中氢键作用和分子构象的信息.     

Raman spectroscopic analysis differentiates between breast cancer cell lines

Breast cancer incident rates are increasing in women worldwide with the highest incidence rates reported in developing countries. Major breast cancer screening approaches like mammography, ultrasound, clinical breast examination (CBE) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are currently used but have their own limitations. Optical spectroscopy has attained great attention from biomedical researchers in recent years due to its non‐invasive and non‐destructive detection approach. Chemometrics is one of the powerful tools used in spectroscopic research to enhance its sensitivity. Raman spectroscopy, a vibrational spectroscopic approach, has been used to explore the chemical fingerprints of different biological tissues including normal and malignant types. This approach was used to characterize and differentiate two breast cancer and one normal breast cell lines (MDA‐MB‐436, MCF‐7 and MCF‐10A) using dispersive Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra of the cell lines have revealed that basic differences in the concentration of biochemical compounds such as lipids, nucleic acids and protein Raman peaks were found to differ in intensity, and principal component analysis (PCA) was able to identify variations that lead to accurate and reliable separation of the three cell lines. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model of three cell lines was predicted with 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity. We have shown that a combination of Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics are capable of differentiation between breast cancer cell lines. These variations may be useful in identifying new spectral markers to differentiate different subtypes of breast cancer although this needs confirmation in a larger panel of cell lines as well as clinical material. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

单个鼻咽癌细胞的拉曼光谱分析的研究

利用激光镊子拉曼光谱系统研究了鼻咽癌细胞株和正常人鼻咽部气道上皮细胞株的单个细胞的拉曼光谱,对于每个细胞在不同部位测3个点。结果显示：正常细胞和癌细胞的平均拉曼光谱有显著差异：正常的细胞光谱强度比癌细胞的明显要高;正常细胞的1304和1336 cm-1处峰的强度比值为1.05,癌细胞的为1.22。用PCA主成分分析和DFA判别分析分别对单个细胞的平均光谱和不同位置所取得的单独光谱进行分析,结果发现：PCA和DFA均可以把癌细胞和正常细胞正确区分,对于单独光谱,DFA的效果更好一些。同时还发现同一个细胞中不同的光谱位置对PCA和DFA的区分度影响不是很大;PCA和DFA的图中还表明癌细胞的均匀度要比正常细胞的差。以上的研究均表明：激光镊子拉曼光谱可以成为区别正常鼻咽细胞和鼻咽癌细胞的有效手段。     

Near‐infrared Raman spectroscopy for gastric precancer diagnosis

Raman spectroscopy is a molecular vibrational spectroscopic technique that is capable of optically probing the biomolecular changes associated with neoplastic transformation. The purpose of this study was to apply near‐infrared (NIR) Raman spectroscopy for differentiating dysplasia from normal gastric mucosa tissue. A total of 65 gastric mucosa tissues (44 normal and 21 dysplasia) were obtained from 35 patients who underwent endoscopy investigation or gastrectomy operation for this study. A rapid NIR Raman system was utilized for tissue Raman spectroscopic measurements at 785‐nm laser excitation. High‐quality Raman spectra in the range of 800–1800 cm⁻¹ can be acquired from gastric mucosa tissue within 5 s. Raman spectra showed significant differences between normal and dysplastic tissue, particularly in the spectral ranges of 850–1150, 1200–1500 and 1600–1750 cm⁻¹, which contained signals related to proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. The diagnostic decision algorithm based on the combination of Raman peak intensity ratios of I₈₇₅/I₁₄₅₀ and I₁₂₀₈/I₁₆₅₅ and the logistic regression analysis yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 90.5% and specificity of 90.9% for identification of gastric dysplasia tissue. This work demonstrates that NIR Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with intensity ratio algorithms has the potential for the noninvasive diagnosis and detection of precancer in the stomach at the molecular level. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman spectral properties of squamous cell carcinoma of oral tissues and cells

Early diagnosis is the key of the improved survival rates of oral cancer. Raman spectroscopy is sensitive to the early changes of molecular composition and structure that occur in benign lesion during carcinogenesis. In this study, in situ Raman analysis provided distinct spectra that can be used to discriminate between normal and malignant tissues, as well as normal and cancer cells. The biochemical variations between different groups were analyzed by the characteristic bands by comparing the normalized mean spectra. Spectral profiles of normal, malignant conditions show pronounced differences between one another, and multiple Raman markers associated with DNA and protein vibrational modes have been identified that exhibit excellent discrimination power for cancer sample identification. Statistical analyses of the Raman data and classification using principal component analysis (PCA) are shown to be effective for the Raman spectral diagnosis of oral mucosal diseases. The results indicate that the biomolecular differences between normal and malignant conditions are more obviously at the cellular level. This technique could provide a research foundation for the Raman spectral diagnosis of oral mucosal diseases.     

乳腺组织形态基元共焦显微拉曼光谱的研究

利用共焦显微拉曼方法,测定了乳腺组织切片的Mapping拉曼谱,光谱采样体积达到μm尺度.通过对这些共焦拉曼谱与商业提纯肌动蛋白、胶原等生化物质做出的谱的分析比较,分离出了来自细胞质、细胞间质、脂肪以及乳腺沉积物这些组织形态基元的拉曼谱;用K阶簇分析方法,还获得了细胞核基元谱;基元谱与提纯化学物质谱的相关分析印证了组织形态基元谱的来源.还分析总结了这些组织形态基元谱的特征.这些工作为深入理解组织形态与其拉曼谱的关系以及乳腺组织形态拉曼模型的建立奠定了基础.     

High concentration trans form unsaturated lipids detected in a HeLa cell by Raman microspectroscopy

High concentration trans form unsaturated lipids have been found in a HeLa cell by Raman microspectroscopy. Two CC stretch bands are observed simultaneously at 1669 cm⁻¹ (trans form) and at 1656 cm⁻¹ (cis form) in a Raman spectrum obtained from a small area (1 µm in diameter) in a HeLa cell. The intensity ratio 1669/1656 indicates that the concentration of the trans form is as high as that of the cis. It is demonstrated that Raman microspectroscopy provides a powerful and unique means for in situ and noninvasive structural characterization of unsaturated lipids in a living cell. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluorescent Methods to Study DNA,RNA, Proteins and Cytoplasmic Membrane Polarization in the Pentachlorophenol-Mineralizing Bacterium <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphingomonas</Emphasis> sp. UG30 During Nutrient Starvation in Water

The effect of sodium pentachlorophenolate (NaPCP) exposure on the nutrient-starved pentachlorophenol (PCP)-mineralizing bacterium Sphingomonas sp. UG30 was assessed using fluorescent methods to measure DNA, RNA, total cellular protein, and cytoplasmic membrane proteins. UG30 cells were inoculated into sterilized Speed River (Guelph, ON, Canada) water samples in the presence of 50, 100, and 250 ppm NaPCP. No marked changes were observed in the total cellular DNA, RNA or protein levels over 90 d, indicating the macromolecular composition of UG30 was not affected by both nutrient limitation and NaPCP. Total cell counts as determined by DAPI staining also did not change over 90 d. Over the same period, viable counts decreased with increasing concentrations of NaPCP. At 250 ppm NaPCP, viable cell counts decreased over 6 orders of magnitude after 1 hr exposure. Cell numbers partially recovered once NaPCP was degraded. The UG30 cytoplasmic membrane polarization ratio also decreased after NaPCP was depleted. The decreased polarization value at the end of the study period suggested the UG30 membrane was more fluid and that this increase in fluidity was due to nutrient starvation effects rather than exposure to NaPCP. These results indicated that UG30 is a robust organism that is able to degrade NaPCP even under adverse conditions and fluorescent methods are useful for determining macromolecular concentrations and cytoplasmic membrane polarization values.     

Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous particles of environmental interest

Carbonaceous particles of environmental origin are practically insoluble, which constitutes an obstacle to many chemical physical characterization techniques. Micro‐Raman spectroscopy overcomes the sample preparation step and can be applied on the as‐received sample and even in situ, with nowadays commercially available portable Raman equipment. Multivariate statistical analysis of Raman data recorded on a variety of carbonaceous particles of different origin, through a molecular interpretation of the signal, shows that the use of Raman spectroscopy with several excitation sources can provide a useful tool for assisting the characterization of various forms of environmental carbon matter. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of Raman spectroscopy for prediction of antitumor response to silibinin and its nanoparticulates in DMBA‐induced oral carcinogenesis

Raman spectroscopy is a vibrational spectroscopic technique that can be used to monitor the therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs during carcinogenesis in a non‐invasive and label‐free manner. The present study aims to investigate the biochemical changes exerted upon free silibinin (SIL) and its nanoparticulate (SILNPs) treatment against 7,12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)‐induced oral carcinogenesis in the fingerprint region of 1800–500 cm⁻¹ using HE‐785 Raman spectrometer. Raman spectra differed significantly between the control and tumor tissues, with tumor tissues characterized by increased intensities of vibrational bands such as nucleic acids, phenylalanine and tryptophan and a lower percentage of lipids when compared to the control tissues. Further, oral administration of free SIL and SILNPs significantly increased lipids and decreased the levels of tryptophan, phenylalanine and nucleic acid contents. Overall, the treatment of nanoparticulate SIL was found to be a more potent antitumor effect than free SIL in preventing the formation of tumor and also brought back the several Raman bands to a normal range in the buccal mucosa of hamsters during DMBA‐induced oral carcinogenesis. In addition, the detailed secondary structure of proteins in the control and experimental groups is also presented. Furthermore, the diagnostic algorithms based on principal component linear discriminant analysis (PC‐LDA) achieved an overall sensitivity of 94–100% and specificity of 76–100%. These results further demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy associated with PC‐LDA diagnostic algorithms could be a valuable tool for rapid and sensitive detection of specific biomolecular changes at the molecular level in response to anticancer drug. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Internal dynamics of a living cell nucleus investigated by dynamic light scattering

Recent progresses in cellular biology have shown that the nucleus of a living cell is a structured integration of many functional domains with a complex spatial organization. This organization, as well as molecular and biochemical processes, is time regulated. In the past years many investigations have been performed using fluorescent microscopy techniques to study the internal dynamics of the nucleus of a living cell. These investigations, however, have never focussed on the global internal dynamics of the nucleus, which is still unknown. In this article we present an original light scattering experimental device that we built to investigate this dynamics during biological processes. By means of this experimental set-up, we investigated the global dynamics of the nucleus of a living cell treated with a DNA replication inhibitor. This dynamics presents different and independent kinds of relaxation well separated in time that vary as a function of the cell cycle phases.