Constructing a highly sensitive duplex immunoassay using AuNPs and AgNPs as nanolabels for investigating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition occurring on circulating tumor cells with lung cancer patients.

Transformation of epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) is an important event in the process of tumor initiation, invasion and metastasis. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are one kind of important markers in the field of liquid tumor biopsy, whose number and phenotype represent the occurrence and progression of tumors. Therefore, it is our interest to investigate the epithelial mesenchymal transition process occurring on the surface of CTCs.