Label-free nonlinear optical signatures of extracellular vesicles in liquid and tissue biopsies of human breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been implicated in metastasis and proposed as cancer biomarkers. However, heterogeneity and small size makes assessments of EVs challenging. Often, EVs are isolated from biofluids, losing spatial and temporal context and thus lacking the ability to access EVs in situ in their native microenvironment. This work examines the capabilities of label-free nonlinear optical microscopy to extract biochemical optical metrics of EVs in ex vivo tissue and EVs isolated from biofluids in cases of human breast cancer, comparing these metrics within and between EV sources. Before surgery, fresh urine and blood serum samples were obtained from human participants scheduled for breast tumor surgery (24 malignant, 6 benign) or healthy participants scheduled for breast reduct

SUBMITTER: Sorrells JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10917806 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature