Understanding DNA Epigenetics by Means of Raman/SERS Analysis for Cancer Detection

Abstract

This study delves into the intricate interaction between DNA and nanosystems, exploring its potential implications for biomedical applications. The focus lies in understanding the adsorption geometry of DNA when in proximity to plasmonic nanoparticles, utilizing ultrasensitive vibrational spectroscopy techniques. Employing a combined Raman-SERS analysis, we conducted an in-depth examination to clarify the molecular geometry of interactions between DNA and silver nanoparticles. Our findings also reveal distinctive spectral features regarding DNA samples due to their distinctive genome stability. To understand the subtle differences occurring between normal and cancerous DNA, their thermal stability was investigated by means of SERS measurement performed before and after a thermal treatment at 94 °C. It was proved that thermal treatment did not affect DNA integrity in the case of normal cells. On the other hand, due to epimutation pattern that characterizes cancerous DNA, variations between spectra recorded before and after heat treatment were observed, suggesting genome instability. These findings highlight the potential of DNA analysis using SERS for cancer detection. They demonstrate the applicability of this approach to overcoming challenges associated with low DNA concentrations (e.g., circulating tumor DNA) that occur in biofluids. In conclusion, this research contributes significant insights into the nanoscale behavior of DNA in the presence of nanosystems.