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When human cells become more acidic, it may indicate that cancer is not far behind
A graduate student at the University of Sydney is developing a biomedical probe that can detect cancer and serious diseases that can be made from the juice of rancid oranges.
The so-called nanobiosensor – a tiny probe that uses fluorescence to signal the pH value of the cells in terms of their acidity or alkalinity – detects whether cells are at risk or are in the early stages of cancer or other serious diseases.
When human cells become more acidic, it may indicate that cancer is not far behind.
The nanobiosensor, which is only one billionth of a meter in size, consists of fluorescent carbon dots that can arise from food waste, in this case the juice of rotten oranges. The “off” oranges were used because of their high ascorbic acid content – which improves the functionality of the nanobiosensor – and to minimize landfilling of food waste.
The procedure, published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, involves taking a tissue biopsy of suspected cancer cells and placing them in a petri dish. A laboratory pipette (a scientific pipette) is then used to apply the nanobiosensor to the cells, which are then examined under a fluorescence microscope – a type of microscope that shows subtle fluctuations in light.
When the cell environment is more acidic than normal, a chemical reaction occurs that weakens the cells’ fluorescence and signals a potential problem, such as cancer. It gets these results quickly and with great accuracy without damaging the cells.
“Dramatic fluctuations in the acidity of cells can lead to inadequate cell function, growth and division and lead to serious illness,” said lead researcher and doctoral candidate in biomedical engineering, Pooria Lesani.
“We have developed a sensitive and inexpensive nanobiosensor to measure the acidity of the cells in real time,” says Lesani, who is also affiliated with the Sydney Nano Institute.
“This nanobiosensor can also help us to better understand the origins of these diseases,” says Lesani. His research is being conducted under the direction of Professor Hala Zreiqat AM Director of the ARC Center for Innovative BioEngineering and Head of the Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Department.
“Many diseases develop over many years – and even decades – before a person shows the slightest symptom. For many diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, it is too late to treat them as soon as symptoms appear. Our device enables more accurate disease diagnosis before symptoms appear, as well as early detection of serious diseases associated with pH fluctuations. We hope that this can lead to early treatment and prevention of serious illnesses. Current testing methods can be complex, expensive and time consuming, while our nanobiosensor can be easily and inexpensively manufactured on a large scale, ”said Lesani.
From bad orange to nanobiosensors
Some could make alcohol from rotten orange juice while others like Lesani make nanobiosensors.
“The process of making these carbon dots for the nanobiosensor is similar to preparing a meal in a pressure cooker. We throw all the ingredients together – in this case rancid orange juice and some water – into a reactor that is somewhat reminiscent of a pressure cooker, close the lid and place it in a scientific oven heated to around 200 degrees. The elevated temperature and pressure inside the reactor destroy the ingredients’ original molecular structure and help them form a new material: carbon dots. These points are then used to build the nanobiosensor, ”he said.
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