In vitro detection of human breast cancer cells (SK-BR3) using herceptin-conjugated liquid crystal microdroplets as a sensing platform.

The present study utilizes antibody-protein interactions to develop an LC microdroplet based biosensor for naked eye detection of SK-BR3 human breast cancer cells. The herceptin antibody-conjugated LC microdroplets were fabricated using 4-cyano-4'-pentyl biphenyl (5CB) as the liquid crystalline phase and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the surfactant. The poly (styrene-b-acrylic acid) amphiphilic block copolymer (PS-b-PA) played a role as a modifier for the liquid crystalline interfaces.

Folate ligand anchored liquid crystal microdroplets emulsion for in vitro detection of KB cancer cells.

A KB cancer cell-selective, liquid crystal microdroplets emulsion is prepared using folic acid-conjugated block copolymers (PS-b-PAA-FA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a mediator to induce configurational transitions in 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) liquid crystal microdroplets emulsion. The prepared liquid crystal microdroplets emulsion has shown a configurational transition from radial to bipolar on interacting with KB cancer cells, but no transition from radial to bipolar configuration is observed when liquid crystal microdroplets emulsion was allowed to interact with other normal cells such as fibroblast and osteoblast. The KB cancer cell selectivity of liquid crystal microdroplets emulsion has been considered due to the presence of KB cancer cell folate receptor-specific ligand (FA) at the surface of liquid crystal microdroplets, which allowed liquid crystal microdroplets to interact specifically with KB cancer cells.

Biosensor utilizing a liquid crystal/water interface functionalized with poly(4-cyanobiphenyl-4'-oxyundecylacrylate-b-((2-dimethyl amino) ethyl methacrylate)).

The interface between the nematic liquid crystal, 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) and water within a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grid cell coated with the pH-dependent weak cationic amphiphilic block copolymer poly((4-cyanobiphenyl-4'-oxyundecylacrylate)-b-((2-dimethyl amino) ethyl methacrylate)) (LCP-b-PDMAEMA) (which was successfully synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization) was subsequently evaluated for protein and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) detection. The LCP-b-PDMAEMA monolayer was fabricated using a Langmuir Blodgett trough, transferred to the 5CB-filled TEM grid, and placed on the octadecyltrichlorosilane-coated glass (TEMPDMAEMA) in such a way that the LCP chains were immersed in the 5CB while the PDMAEMA chains were pointed away from the 5CB surface and immersed in water. Several model proteins such as bovine serum albumin (BSA), hemoglobin (Hb), and chymotrypsinogen (ChTg) were tested at pH values ranging from 2 to 12 to determine the role of the charge state of the protein on protein detection by a weak polyelectrolyte such as PDMAEMA.

Specific intracellular uptake of herceptin-conjugated CdSe/ZnS quantum dots into breast cancer cells.

Herceptin, a typical monoclonal antibody, was immobilized on the surface of CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) to enhance their specific interactions with breast cancer cells (SK-BR3). The mean size of the core-shell quantum dots (28 nm), as determined by dynamic light scattering, increased to 86 nm after herceptin immobilization. The in vitro cell culture experiment showed that the keratin forming cancer cells (KB) proliferated well in the presence of herceptin-conjugated QDs (QD-Her, 5 nmol/mL), whereas most of the breast cancer cells (SK-BR3) had died.