Emerging single-cell technologies for functional proteomics in oncology

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cellular heterogeneity has challenged current cancer therapeutics and hindered the discovery and development of cancer drugs. The heterogeneity in functional proteome is of particular interest because many cancer drugs are developed to target signaling proteins. The complex nature of tumor systems calls for more advanced multiplexed single-cell tools to address the heterogeneity issue.

Area covered: Over the past five years, there are a few single-cell functional proteomics tools introduced with unprecedented multiplexity and performance that are transforming the oncology field. Those tools are generally categorized as cytometry-based tools and microfluidics-based tools, and we discuss the representatives in both categories.

Expert commentary: The single-cell tools have provided an avenue to understand the multifaceted differences of cancer cells, the complex signaling networks, and the relationship of intercellular interaction and tumor architecture. We also provide an outlook of single-cell tools in five years and the challenges to address before a greater impact on oncology can be made.

KEYWORDS:

• Single-cell analysis
• cytometry
• signaling networks
• functional proteomics
• microfluidics
• immunoassay

Declaration of interest

J Wang is supported by the SUNY Albany startup fund and SUNY Albany PIFRS fund. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was funded by the SUNY Albany startup fund and Presidential Initiative Fund for Research and Scholarship (PIFRS) to J Wang.