Attana’s QCM technology contributes to enhancement of cancer diagnosis through lectin-cancer tissues interaction
Cancer is one of the major health threats all over the world leading to high death mortality rates with approximately 10 million deaths in 2020 (WHO). Early diagnosis of malignant diseases including cancer is considered one of the most effective tools to decrease the cancer burden and reduce the treatment costs. Finding novel selective diagnostic agents that could target and differentially distinguish the cancer cells would improve the cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins commonly found in diverse sources in nature such as plants, bacteria, animals, viruses, and fungi. The cell surface of human cells is covered by proteins and carbohydrates (sugars) and this combination is called the glycocalyx. All human cells have a glycocalyx, however there is a different pattern between malignant cells (abnormal glycocalyx) and healthy cells (normal glycoalyx). Lectins interact and bind with these sugars in a highly selective and specific manner which could help characterize cell surface alterations in cancer.
In a recent pilot study conducted at the University of Westminster under the supervision of Professor Miriam Dweck, Attana’s QCM technology was utilized to investigate the interaction of various lectins (proteins) with breast and colon cancer tissues. The 2.5 µM thickness of breast cancer tissues (FFPE) were immobilized on specialized Attana’s specialized QCM COP-1 surfaces and then subjected to various injections of four different concentrations of plant lectins.
This pilot study has shown that the QCM technology can be used to enable cancer tissue-lectin interactions to be monitored in real-time. Changes in interaction response between lectins and tissues receptors (glycocalyx) were directly proportional to the concentration of the lectin and to the stained tissue section when viewed using light microscopy using following conventional immunohistochemistry. The interaction between lectins and breast cancer tissues was in the micromolar range. This study shows the potential of gaining real-time interaction data using cancer tissue sections and could be applied to the study of a vast range of protein/cancer tissue interactions.
Lectins differentially interact with the breast cancer tissue. As shown in the above sensorgrams, injected lectins have different affinities (strength of binding) even with the same cancer tissues. Black curves represent the experimental data. Red curves represent the fitted mathematical data.
For more information, please contact:
Teodor Aastrup, CEO
teodor.aastrup@attana.com
+46 (0)8 674 57 00
The Board of directors for Attana consider that the information in this press release is not likely to have a significant effect on the share price but is of general interest for the shareholders and hence should be communicated.
About Attana
Attana was founded in 2002 with the vision of in vitro characterization of molecular interactions mimicking in vivo conditions. Since then, Attana has developed proprietary label free biosensors for biochemical, crude, sera, and cell-based assays and the Attana Virus Analytics (AVA) platform, a proprietary in vitro diagnostics (IVD) tool. Attana products and research services are used by Big Pharma, biotech companies and academic institutions within the life sciences. To learn more about our latest services and products, please visit www.attana.com or contact sales@attana.com
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