A Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering-Based Probe Method for Detecting Chromogranin A in Adrenal Tumors

Abstract

Aim: We aim to demonstrate that a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) probe can be effectively used for protein detection in adrenal tumors. Materials & methods: The SERS probe method, which uses Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles conjugated with a CgA antibody and a SERS reporter, was applied to detect CgA in adrenal tumors. Results: Our data reveal that the results of the CgA-SERS probe method were almost identical to those of western blot and superior to those of traditional immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: This study offers a novel strategy to detect CgA in adrenal tumors and provides more reliable protein test results than traditional immunohistochemistry analysis for adrenal pathologists, meaning that it might be a better clinical reference for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.

Keywords::

• chromogranin A
• immunohistochemistry
• pheochromocytoma
• Raman imaging
• surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/nnm-2019-0436

Financial and competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the 111 Project (B16009), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (N171904006, N182808003, N172410006-2). 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.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the 111 Project (B16009), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (N171904006, N182808003, N172410006-2). 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.