| AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Applied Surface Science | Monday Sessions |
| Session AS+BI-MoA |
| Session: | Practical Surface Analysis I: Advancing Biological Surface Analysis/Imaging Beyond ‘Show and Tell’ |
| Presenter: | Tina Angerer, University of Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Authors: | T.B. Angerer, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Y. Magnusson, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sweden G. Landberg, Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Sweden J.S. Fletcher, University of Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Introduction
Mass spectrometric imaging is of growing interest for the medical field, both in applied and basic research[1]. Particularly, imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is becoming of increasing value to clinicians and has been used on a number of tissues samples to successfully identify and localize different chemical components to various areas of the tissue and answer disease related questions[2]. Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS) has been shown to be increased in many cancer types and is of growing interest as therapeutic target[3]. The changed lipid composition due to increased FAS activity is an ideal ToF-SIMS study target.
Methods
With the J105- 3D Chemical Imager (Ionoptika Ltd), fitted with a 40 kV gas cluster ion gun[4], we are now able to overcome some previous limitations of ToF-SIMS analysis and image large intact molecular species at high spatial and high mass resolution simultaneously. To capitalize on these improved capabilities we performed imaging SIMS on fresh frozen hydrated and freeze dried, ductal mammary breast cancer sections, followed by H&E staining of the analysed sections.
Results
SIMS enables us to distinguish between different areas of the diseased tissue. Multivariate analysis facilitates localizing and grouping the up to 10,000 different signals generated from the tissue to produce comprehensive chemical profiles assigned to different areas in the tissue revealing underlying structures. We have identified a number of molecules which can be, due to high spatial resolution, clearly assigned to the cancerous regions, characterized by conventional histological staining, in different breast cancer sections. Additionally, studying the distribution of specific single ions reveals reoccurring patterns of changes and gradients within the cancerous areas which cannot be observed in the conventionally stained image. Therefore ToF-SIMS can provide deeper insights into tumor metabolism and progression. Our results agree with findings from experiments using different methods, which confirm these molecules to be cancer markers while more importantly elucidating new information form the tissue with cellular resolution.
Conclusions
Imaging ToF-SIMS is a valuable tool for cancer research and can provide new insights into chemical changes within tumors. Further application of ToF-SIMS imaging will be used to study different modes of disease progression and treatment response.
[1] J. L. Norris et al., Proteom Clin Appl 2013, 7, 733-738.
[2] A. Brunelle et al., Curr Pharm Design 2007, 13, 3335-3343.
[3] P. M. Alli, et al., Oncogene 2004, 24, 39-46.
[4] T. B. Angerer et al., Int J Mass Spectrom 2015, 377, 591-598.