Introduction: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are a type of cancer cells escaping from primary tumors and spreading in the blood which can lead to the metastasis. Detection of CTCs using the non-invasive methods can offer the possibility for early diagnosis of cancers, monitoring treatment response and cancer recurrence. The extremely low abundance of CTCs in the bloodstream and the intrinsic heterogeneity of CTCs make their isolation a significant technological challenge.
In this work, we developed a new platform via the MUC1 DNA aptamer conjugated magnetic nanoparticles in combination with a microfluidic chip for the efficient isolation of cancer cells.
Methods: MUC1 protein is an attractive target for the detection of CTCs owing to its overexpression in the most adenocarcinomas. To this aim, the MUC1 DNA aptamer was first conjugated to the silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and used for the isolation of MCF-7 cancer cells based on the magnetic separation on the microfluidic chip. A significant isolation yield, up to 95%, was obtained using the present method.
The PDMS based microfluidic device includes a microfluidic channel and mixer on a glass substrate which was fabricated using the standard photolithography and molding techniques
Results: . Optical microscope observations confirm that the fabricated microchip can specifically and effectively separate breast cancer cells. The viability of separated cancer cells was also investigated and the results showed that up to 98 % of cells were viable.
Conclusion: Based on the results, this simple, biocompatible and inexpensive microfluidic device is suitable for the detection and isolation of CTCs.
Keywords: Circulation Tumor Cells (CTCs), Aptamer, Magnetic Nanoparticles, Microfluidic Chip