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Listening to cancer cells for drug discovery

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BioPhotonics staff

Researchers are making strides in the field of drug discovery, thanks to holography and lasers. They are now able to detect motion inside three-dimensional tumor spheroids that could show how various drug candidates affect intracellular structures.

Researchers at Purdue University have developed holographic tissue dynamics spectroscopy, a technique to measure the living motion inside a cell and to determine the cell’s response to applied drugs. The technology was highlighted in a letter in the Journal of Biomedical Optics.


The spectrogram shows how cells react to drugs; for instance, when they interact with a metabolic drug (iodo-acetate) in comparison to an antimitosis drug (cytochalasin). Courtesy of David D. Nolte, Purdue University
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The scientists were able to view a tumor’s tissues in three dimensions using holography. Using the holographic technique with lasers allows them to see the tumor’s interior as well as its surface. Like polarized sunglasses, the approach cancels the effect of any light scattered by skin and tissues, uncovering the image-bearing light that is already there. Images similar to voiceprints used in voice recognition security software are left that can show changes taking place within the cells.

Upon completion of the hologram, the researchers use fluctuation spectroscopy to measure time-dependent changes within the hologram. They measure the frequency of light fluctuations as a function of time after a drug has been administered. The resulting spectrogram represents a voiceprint of the drug used on the cells, enabling drug researchers and manufacturers to see how various drug candidates affect organlike structures within a cell.

With its high throughput, the technology will soon allow manufacturers to more quickly determine which drugs are most effective in battling tumors and other tissue diseases.


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Published: March 2011
Glossary
fluctuation spectroscopy
A technique developed to measure the molecular weight of macromolecules by analyzing the spontaneous fluctuations that occur in the inherent thermodynamic concentration of solute molecules in a selected volume.
holography
Holography is a technique used to capture and reconstruct three-dimensional images using the principles of interference and diffraction of light. Unlike conventional photography, which records only the intensity of light, holography records both the intensity and phase information of light waves scattered from an object. This allows the faithful reproduction of the object's three-dimensional structure, including its depth, shape, and texture. The process of holography typically involves the...
polarization
Polarization refers to the orientation of oscillations in a transverse wave, such as light waves, radio waves, or other electromagnetic waves. In simpler terms, it describes the direction in which the electric field vector of a wave vibrates. Understanding polarization is important in various fields, including optics, telecommunications, and physics. Key points about polarization: Transverse waves: Polarization is a concept associated with transverse waves, where the oscillations occur...
spectrogram
A chart formed by a spectrograph; the record of the spectral range. See spectrograph.
AmericasBiophotonicsBioScandefensedrug discoveryfluctuation spectroscopyhologramsholographic tissue dynamics spectroscopyholographyIndianaNewspolarizationPurdue Universityspectrogramspectroscopytumor spheroidsvoice-recognition security softwareLasers

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