Time- and spectrally resolved characteristics of flavin fluorescence in U87MG cancer cells in culture

Inside the Joint of Inflammatory Arthritis Patients: Handling and Processing of Synovial Tissue Biopsies for High Throughput Analysis

Inflammatory arthritis is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, which affects the joints. If untreated, these diseases can have a detrimental effect on the patient's quality of life, leading to disabilities, and therefore, exhibit a significant socioeconomic impact and burden. While studies of immune cell populations in arthritis patient's peripheral blood have been informative regarding potential immune cell dysfunction and possible patient stratification, there are considerable limitations in identifying the early events that lead to synovial inflammation. The joint, as the site of inflammation and the local microenvironment, exhibit unique characteristics that contribute to disease pathogenesis. Understanding the contribution of immune and stromal cell interactions within the inflamed joint has been met with several technical challenges. Additionally, the limited availability of synovial tissue biopsies is a key incentive for the utilization of high-throughput techniques in order to maximize information gain. This review aims to provide an overview of key methods and novel techniques that are used in the handling, processing and analysis of synovial tissue biopsies and the potential synergy between these techniques. Herein, we describe the utilization of high dimensionality flow cytometric analysis, single cell RNA sequencing, ex vivo functional assays and non-intrusive metabolic characterization of synovial cells on a single cell level based on fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy. Additionally, we recommend important points of consideration regarding the effect of different storage and handling techniques on downstream analysis of synovial tissue samples. The introduction of new powerful techniques in the study of synovial tissue inflammation, brings new challenges but importantly, significant opportunities. Implementation of novel approaches will accelerate our path toward understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis and lead to the identification of new avenues of therapeutic intervention.

The review of the light parameters and mechanisms of Photobiomodulation on melanoma cells

Photobiomodulation (PBM) uses low-intensity visible or near-infrared light to produce beneficial effects on cells or tissues, such as brain therapy, wound healing. Still there is no consistent recommendation on the parameters (dose, light mode, wavelength, irradiance) and protocols (repetition, treatment duration) for its clinical application. Herein, we summarize the current PBM parameters for the treatment of melanoma, and we also discuss the potential photoreceptors and downstream signaling mechanisms in the PBM treatment of melanoma cells. It is hypothesized that PBM may inhibit the melanoma cells by activating mitochondria, OPNs, and other receptors. Regardless of the underlying mechanisms, PBM has been shown to be beneficial in treating melanoma. Through further in-depth studies of the underlying potential mechanisms, it can strengthen the applications of PBM for the therapy of melanoma.

Optical redox ratio and endogenous porphyrins in the detection of urinary bladder cancer: A patient biopsy analysis

Bladder cancer is among the most common cancers in the UK and conventional detection techniques suffer from low sensitivity, low specificity, or both. Recent attempts to address the disparity have led to progress in the field of autofluorescence as a means to diagnose the disease with high efficiency, however there is still a lot not known about autofluorescence profiles in the disease. The multi-functional diagnostic system "LAKK-M" was used to assess autofluorescence profiles of healthy and cancerous bladder tissue to identify novel biomarkers of the disease. Statistically significant differences were observed in the optical redox ratio (a measure of tissue metabolic activity), the amplitude of endogenous porphyrins and the NADH/porphyrin ratio between tissue types. These findings could advance understanding of bladder cancer and aid in the development of new techniques for detection and surveillance.

An in vitro cell irradiation protocol for testing photopharmaceuticals and the effect of blue, green, and red light on human cancer cell lines

Traditionally, ultraviolet light (100-400 nm) is considered an exogenous carcinogen while visible light (400-780 nm) is deemed harmless. In this work, a LED irradiation system for in vitro photocytotoxicity testing is described. The LED irradiation system was developed for testing photopharmaceutical drugs, but was used here to determine the basal level response of human cancer cell lines to visible light of different wavelengths, without any photo(chemo)therapeutic. The effects of blue (455 nm, 10.5 mW cm(-2)), green (520 nm, 20.9 mW cm(-2)), and red light (630 nm, 34.4 mW cm(-2)) irradiation was measured for A375 (human malignant melanoma), A431 (human epidermoid carcinoma), A549 (human lung carcinoma), MCF7 (human mammary gland adenocarcinoma), MDA-MB-231 (human mammary gland adenocarcinoma), and U-87 MG (human glioblastoma-grade IV) cell lines. In response to a blue light dose of 19 J cm(-2), three cell lines exhibited a minimal (20%, MDA-MB-231) to moderate (30%, A549 and 60%, A375) reduction in cell viability, compared to dark controls. The other cell lines were not affected. Effective blue light doses that produce a therapeutic response in 50% of the cell population (ED50) compared to dark conditions were found to be 10.9 and 30.5 J cm(-2) for A375 and A549 cells, respectively. No adverse effects were observed in any of the six cell lines irradiated with a 19 J cm(-2) dose of 520 nm (green) or 630 nm (red) light. The results demonstrate that blue light irradiation can have an effect on the viability of certain human cancer cell types and controls should be used in photopharmaceutical testing, which uses high-energy (blue or violet) visible light activation.