ABSTRACT
In this paper, we present the development of a photonic biosensor device for cancer treatment monitoring as a complementary diagnostics tool. The proposed device combines multidisciplinary concepts from the photonic, nano-biochemical, micro-fluidic and reader/packaging platforms aiming to overcome limitations related to detection reliability, sensitivity, specificity, compactness and cost issues. The photonic sensor is based on an array of six asymmetric Mach Zender Interferometer (aMZI) waveguides on silicon nitride substrates and the sensing is performed by measuring the phase shift of the output signal, caused by the binding of the analyte on the functionalized aMZI surface. According to the morphological design of the waveguides, an improved sensitivity is achieved in comparison to the current technologies (<5000 nm/RIU). This platform is combined with a novel biofunctionalization methodology that involves material-selective surface chemistries and the high-resolution laser printing of biomaterials resulting in the development of an integrated photonics biosensor device that employs disposable microfluidics cartridges. The device is tested with cancer patient blood serum samples. The detection of periostin (POSTN) and transforming growth factor beta-induced protein (TGFBI), two circulating biomarkers overexpressed by cancer stem cells, is achieved in cancer patient serum with the use of the device.
Subject(s)
Biosensing Techniques , Neoplasms , Humans , Interferometry , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/therapy , Optics and Photonics , Photons , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
Toll-like receptor (TLR)10 is the only pattern-recognition receptor without known ligand specificity and biological function. We demonstrate that TLR10 is a modulatory receptor with mainly inhibitory effects. Blocking TLR10 by antagonistic antibodies enhanced proinflammatory cytokine production, including IL-1ß, specifically after exposure to TLR2 ligands. Blocking TLR10 after stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with pam3CSK4 (Pam3Cys) led to production of 2,065 ± 106 pg/mL IL-1ß (mean ± SEM) in comparison with 1,043 ± 51 pg/mL IL-1ß after addition of nonspecific IgG antibodies. Several mechanisms mediate the modulatory effects of TLR10: on the one hand, cotransfection in human cell lines showed that TLR10 acts as an inhibitory receptor when forming heterodimers with TLR2; on the other hand, cross-linking experiments showed specific induction of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra, 16 ± 1.7 ng/mL, mean ± SEM). After cross-linking anti-TLR10 antibody, no production of IL-1ß and other proinflammatory cytokines could be found. Furthermore, individuals bearing TLR10 polymorphisms displayed an increased capacity to produce IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-6 upon ligation of TLR2, in a gene-dose-dependent manner. The modulatory effects of TLR10 are complex, involving at least several mechanisms: there is competition for ligands or for the formation of heterodimer receptors with TLR2, as well as PI3K/Akt-mediated induction of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1Ra. Finally, transgenic mice expressing human TLR10 produced fewer cytokines when challenged with a TLR2 agonist. In conclusion, to our knowledge we demonstrate for the first time that TLR10 is a modulatory pattern-recognition receptor with mainly inhibitory properties.
