Renata Soares (Presenter)
Imperial College London
Bio: Joined Prof. Zoltan Takats group at Imperial College London in February 2015 as a Research Associate in Imaging Mass Spectrometry where have been analysing tissue samples by DESI-MSI. Before joining Imperial College London, I was a auxiliary research in ITQB/iBET in Oeiras (Portugal) where provided mass spectrometry services for several types of analytes, for exampe in protein and peptide analysis.
Authorship: Renata Soares (1), Luisa Doria (1), Abigail Speller (1), Anna Mroz (1), David Phelps (1), Sadaf Ghaem-Maghami (1), Zoltan Takats (1)
(1) Imperial College London
| Short Abstract Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) has been utilized across several subjects ever since its development in 2004. One major potential application of this break-through technique is as a diagnostic tool for cancer. By looking at biochemical composition of tissues, DESI-MSI is able to differentiate between types of tissue, cancers and cancer stages hence providing a simpler, faster, user independently diagnosis having major implications in cancer management and costs. |
Long Abstract
Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) is an ambient technique where charged solvent droplets guided by a gas flow desorb sample molecules generating secondary charged droplets which are analyzed by a mass spectrometer.
Ever since its development by Takats in 2004, DESI has been used in several applications due to its simple, single step sample preparation prior to analysis, vacuum-free ionization and also due to its potential. One major utilization of this revolutionary ionization method is its application as an imaging technique (DESI-MSI).
To date DESI-MSI has been used across different types of subjects. Important contributions have been done in health sciences, where DESI-MSI can be used to collect information between different types of tissue as well as different tissue conditions by examining their lipid content. DESI-MSI has a great potential to be used as a diagnostic tool for routine histology cancer diagnostics. In order to do this, tissue biochemical information is analyzed, that is several hundreds of analytes are analyzed by mass spectrometry generating a specific tissue profile. Based on the differences of these specific tissue profiles it is possible to distinguish between normal (healthy) versus cancerous tissue, generating a mathematical model that is able to predict a tissue diagnosis. However, not only can DESI-MSI be used for the diagnosis of these types of tissue, but also to differentiate between different cancer types as well as their stages.
To date, the routine histological practice of tissue analysis uses multiple sample processing steps, multiple assays and it is always subject to user interpretation, leading to a time consuming diagnosis procedure which can take up to 5 to 10 days. DESI-MSI can provide a quicker and easy diagnosis tool, due to the fact that it has a single sample processing step, a single analysis step, and because it is based on the mathematical model it is predictable and user independent, taking one to two days. Tissue analysis by DESI-MSI is accomplished by simply freezing the sample which is then cryosectioned into 10µm sections which are mounted onto glass slides. The slides are the analysed by mass spectrometry where the lipid profile for the tissue is obtained. The results are then subjected to bioinformatics analysis when a mathematical model is utilise the qualify the type of tissue analysed, that is, the determine is for example cancerous cells are present in the sample analysed. To date it is also possible to obtain information regarding the type of cancer is being detected hence providing information regarding what type of therapy should the administered to the patient.
One major advantage of using DESI-MSI as a diagnostic tool is that because it is based on biochemical information retrieved from the sample and predicted/processed using a mathematical model it is not subjected human interpretation, that is user independent, hence preventing mis-diagnosis. With the use of the untargeted methodoly, DESI-MSI is able to provide information regarding different tissue types and conditions, it can provide complementary information with the one obtained from histology, and most important it permits the discovery of novel biomarkers or novel therapeutic targets as well as providing a further understanding to diseases.
In addition, DESI-MSI can be potentially used for other medical related application, like for example in toxicology studies, drug localization studies, therapy monitoring, among others.
Using DESI-MSI for tissue analysis is a faster, simpler diagnosis tool obtaining biochemical information regarding tissue type, cancer type and stage, moving towards a faster diagnosis response and more personalize treatment. Reducing cancer management time hence having a tremendous impact in patient well-being, treatment, recovery and health service costs.
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