Synchrotron nano-FTIR spectroscopy for probing anticancer drugs at subcellular scale
Luis A. E. Batista de Carvalho, Gianfelice Cinque, Ana L. M. Batista de Carvalho, Joana Marques, Mark D. Frogley, Hendrik Vondracek and Maria Paula M. Marques
Scientific Reports 14, 17166 (2024)
The cellular response to cisplatin was assessed in human osteosarcoma cells, using synchrotron-based (SR) Fourier Transform InfraRed nanospectroscopy (nano-FTIR) at the MIRIAM beamline B22 of Diamond Light Source (UK). This label-free mapping method delivered simultaneous morphological and biochemical information on a subcellular level (i.e. 100 s nanometer or better). Based on specific spectral biomarkers, the main biochemical constituents affected by the drug were identified at distinct locations within the cell´s inner body. Cisplatin was shown to have a noteworthy effect on proteins, mostly within the cytoplasm. A clear drug impact on cellular lipids was also observed. Within current literature on s-SNOM, this nanospectroscopy work represents a first successful application in life sciences providing full fingerprint nano-FTIR spectra across intact human cancer cells.