Multiplex bioimaging of single-cell spatial profiles for precision cancer diagnostics and therapeutics

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Mayar Allam, Emory University; Shuangyi Cai, Emory University; Ahmet F Coskun, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-05-01
• Publisher: Nature Research (part of Springer Nature)
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2020
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41698-020-0114-1
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: npj Precision Oncology
• Volume: 4
• Keywords: Mathematics and computing; Cancer imaging; Molecular imaging; Systems biology
• Research Categories: Engineering, Biomedical

Abstract

Cancers exhibit functional and structural diversity in distinct patients. In this mass, normal and malignant cells create tumor microenvironment that is heterogeneous among patients. A residue from primary tumors leaks into the bloodstream as cell clusters and single cells, providing clues about disease progression and therapeutic response. The complexity of these hierarchical microenvironments needs to be elucidated. Although tumors comprise ample cell types, the standard clinical technique is still the histology that is limited to a single marker. Multiplexed imaging technologies open new directions in pathology. Spatially resolved proteomic, genomic, and metabolic profiles of human cancers are now possible at the single-cell level. This perspective discusses spatial bioimaging methods to decipher the cascade of microenvironments in solid and liquid biopsies. A unique synthesis of top-down and bottom-up analysis methods is presented. Spatial multi-omics profiles can be tailored to precision oncology through artificial intelligence. Data-driven patient profiling enables personalized medicine and beyond.