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Cancer, pre-cancer and normal oral cells distinguished by dielectrophoresis

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Abstract

Most oral cancers are oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) that arise from the epithelial lining of the oral mucosa. Given that the oral cavity is easily accessible, the disease lends itself to early detection; however, most oral cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, and approximately half of oral cancer sufferers do not survive beyond five years, post-diagnosis. The low survival rate has been attributed to late detection, but there is no accepted, reliable and convenient method for the detection of oral cancer and oral pre-cancer. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a label-free technique which can be used to obtain multi-parametric measurements of cell electrical properties. Parameters such as cytoplasmic conductivity and effective membrane capacitance (C Eff) can be non-invasively determined by the technique. In this study, a novel lab-on-a-chip device was used to determine the cytoplasmic conductivity and C Eff of primary normal oral keratinocytes, and pre-cancerous and cancerous oral keratinocyte cell lines. Our results show that the electrical properties of normal, pre-cancerous and cancerous oral keratinocytes are distinct. Furthermore, increasing C Eff and decreasing cytoplasmic conductivity correlate with disease progression which could prove significant for diagnostic and prognostic applications. DEP has the potential to be used as a non-invasive technique to detect oral cancer and oral pre-cancer. Clinical investigation is needed to establish the reliability and temporal relationship of the correlation between oncologic disease progression and the electrical parameters identified in this study. To use this technique as an OSCC detection tool in a clinical setting, further characterisation and refinement is warranted.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for a scholarship for HJM. In addition, the authors would like to thank Dr. Kai Hoettges for his work on the DEP-microwell and associated software. This work is dedicated to the memory of Mr. Brian Conroy, who was instrumental in initiating this research.

Conflict of interest

The electrode design used is subject to a patent application by MPH.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK

    H. J. Mulhall, F. H. Labeed & M. P. Hughes

  2. UCL Eastman Dental Institute, 256 Gray’s Inn Road, London, WC1X 8LD, UK

    B. Kazmi & M. P. Lewis

  3. Muscle Cellular and Molecular Physiology Research Group, ISPAR, University of Bedfordshire, Polhill Avenue, Bedford, MK41 9EA, UK

    M. P. Lewis

  4. Department of Pathology, The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, Haukeland Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway

    D. E. Costea

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  1. H. J. Mulhall
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  2. F. H. Labeed
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  3. B. Kazmi
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  4. D. E. Costea
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  5. M. P. Hughes
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  6. M. P. Lewis
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Correspondence to M. P. Lewis.

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Mulhall, H.J., Labeed, F.H., Kazmi, B. et al. Cancer, pre-cancer and normal oral cells distinguished by dielectrophoresis. Anal Bioanal Chem 401, 2455–2463 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5337-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5337-0

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