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Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed a new imaging technology to visualize what cells are eating: a tool that could help in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and prevent cancer. other diseases.
Researchers have designed chemical probes that light up when they attach to specific molecules, such as glucose, consumed by the cells.
"We have very few methods to measure the amount of energy consumed by cells, what we call cell metabolism," said Dr. Marc Vendrell, a lecturer in biomedical imaging at the university. . "Our technology allows us to detect multiple metabolites simultaneously and in living cells, simply by using microscopes."
All cells depend on glucose and other molecules for their survival. If the eating habits of the cells change, this could be a precursor to the disease. To avoid this, the team watched the cells eat glucose in live zebrafish embryos. They also found that this technique worked with growing human cells in a laboratory.
The team said their approach could help detect tiny changes in the eating habits of cells in the body, helping to detect diseases faster.
The team has designed chemical probes that light up when they bind to specific molecules that cells eat, such as glucose; The University of Edinburgh
Image credit: University of Edinburgh
Physicians could also use this technology to monitor patients' response to treatment, following the molecules ingested by healthy and diseased cells.
Dr. Vendrell added, "This is a very important step forward in understanding the metabolism of diseased cells and we hope this will help develop better treatments."
The study, published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, was funded by Medical Research Scotland, the Research Council on Biotechnology and Biological Sciences and the European Research Council.
In January 2019, researchers at the University of Surrey developed machine learning models to accurately predict the onset and severity of common psychological symptoms experienced by cancer patients.
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