A Novel Approach to Detecting RNA Expression in Living Breast Cancer Cells

When studying the complexities of cancer biomarkers, the ability to monitor gene expression within live that have become cancerous, provides better insight than examining fixed or lysed tissues. However, monitoring RNA within intact cells can prove to be challenging with current techniques, which involve complex RNA isolation procedures that compromise cell viability. Further, amplification methods can create false positives or erroneously inflate differences. In this poster read about a probe-based detection method that allows for the detection of ErbB-2 and EGFR mRNA levels across live intact SKBR-3 breast cancer cells without the need for transfection reagents. The detection methodology is based upon an oligonucleotide gold nanoparticle conjugate capable of detecting intracellular levels of mRNA and miRNA in living cells. The probes enter the cell by means of the cell’s native endocytosis machinery.