Publications [#262896] of Tuan Vo-Dinh

Papers Published

1. Kasili, PM; Vo-Dinh, T, Optical nanobiosensor for monitoring an apoptotic signaling process in a single living cell following photodynamic therapy., Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology, vol. 5 no. 12 (December, 2005), pp. 2057-2062, ISSN 1533-4880 [16430140], [doi]
   (last updated on 2026/01/19)

   Abstract:
   Optical nanobiosensors have enabled bioanalytical measurements to be undertaken within volumes as small as that of single biological cells. In this work, we use nanobiosensors to monitor a molecular signaling process, i.e., caspase-7 activation, following photodynamic therapy (PDT) induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells (MCF-7). PDT induces the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis which triggers cytochrome c release, activation of caspases-9, -8 and -7 and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (Parp) protein. Caspase-7 is an important apoptosis-related cysteine protease involved in the activation cascade of caspases and in the proteolytic cleavage of Parp protein. Caspase-7 was detected and identified intracellularly using optical nanobiosensors. Our results show the detection of caspase-7 in single living MCF-cells which in essence typifies the apoptotic event induced by a PDT drug. This work, in principle, demonstrates the minimally invasive capability of optical nanobiosensors to measure important signaling molecules and events in pathways at the single cell level.

   Keywords:
   bio-optics;biological organs;cancer;cellular biophysics;enzymes;gynaecology;microsensors;molecular biophysics;nanotechnology;optical sensors;photodynamic therapy;