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Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biophysics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 June 2023) | Viewed by 14955

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Prof. Dr. Theophile Theophanides

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1. Chemical Engineering School, Radiation Chemistry & Biospectroscopy, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campous, 15780 Athens, Greece
2. Teaching Assistant, Department of Chemistry, the University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2E8, Canada
3. Director of Physical Chemistry Centre, National Hellenic Foundation, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: inorganic chemistry; physical chemistry; organometallic chemistry; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Raman spectroscopy; metal complexes; metal contamination of DNA and RNA; environmental health issues; public health; material organization; materials chemistry; materials engineering; nanomaterials; X-ray diffraction; synthesis; proteins; membranes; climate change
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Prof. Dr. Jane Anastassopoulou

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1. International Institute of Anticancer Research, 1st km Kapandritiou- Kalamou Rd., P.O. Box 22, Kapandriti, 19014 Attiki, Greece
2. Chemical Engineering School, Radiation Chemistry & Biospectroscopy, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campous, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: infrared and Raman spectroscopy; biospectroscopy; radiation chemistry; oxidative stress
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Dr. Andreas F Mavrogenis

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First Department of Orthopaedics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, 15780 Athens, Greece
Interests: Orthopaedic Oncology; Musculoskeletal Tumor; Biospectroscopy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the third millennium, in our advanced technological epoch, striking hygienic and medical cutting-edge progress notwithstanding, microorganisms and non-infectious diseases still dare to threaten human lives. SARS-CoV-2 has knocked thousands of health workers out of action worldwide. Science is also affected; studies have been paused in their majority because data collection on surgical conditions in a pandemic crisis is difficult. Meetings, congresses, and courses have been cancelled or rescheduled as virtual. Meaningful research is necessary to compare the impact of diseases that have been affecting humanity over more than a decade (swine flu) to more than a century (tuberculosis). Today more than ever, after our experience with COVID-19, it is necessary to apply science and more particularly molecular science to the research and study of human diseases.

Infrared (IR) and Raman (RS) spectroscopy are used herewith to research human diseases at a molecular level. IR and RS are complementary; contrary to other detection diagnostic optical methods, both allow a simultaneous analysis of all the components of the human tissues, liquid materials, or single cells, at a molecular level, without any specific preparation of the samples as in histopathology. The specific spectra of the biological molecules can be used to locate characteristic bands called “marker bands” in “fingerprint” regions in order to distinguish the native (healthy) state from the diseased one.

The spectra of biological molecules are sensitive to structural changes induced by the environment of these molecules and various affecting diseases including splachnic cancer (skin, breast, etc) and musculoskeletal neoplasms (benign and malignant bone and soft tissue tumors, and metastatic bone disease), cardiovascular diseases (coronary artery disease, atheromatosis, heart valve disease), diabetes mellitus, amyloidosis and neurological diseases (Altzheimer and Parkinson). Additionally, since IR and RS are non-destructive, easy, and simple methods that require extremely small amounts of tissue sample for analysis they can be used intraoperatively for rapid diagnosis of the surgical margins after tumor resection surgery.

In the last decade, there have been a plethora of papers devoted to the research and study of many medical applications to predict abnormalities induced by the disease and its progression as it deteriorates the health of the person. Therefore, we scheduled this Special Issue with the aim to collect original papers, educative reviews, technical papers, and other forms of scientific communication on the molecular science of human disease.

Prof. Dr. Theophile Theophanides
Prof. Dr. Jane Anastassopoulou
Dr. Andreas Mavrogenis
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Infrared spectroscopy
Raman spectroscopy
Biological molecules
Diseases
Orthopaedics
Medicine
Diagnosis

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 4680 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sub-Cellular Dynamic Analysis of BGC823 Cells after Treatment with the Multi-Component Drug CKI Using Raman Spectroscopy

by Wenhao Shang, Anpei Ye and Yu-Kai Tong

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12750; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612750 - 13 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1069

Abstract

Multi-component drugs (MCDs) can induce various cellular changes covering multiple levels, from molecular and subcellular structure to cell morphology. A “non-invasive” method for comprehensively detecting the dynamic changes of cellular fine structure and chemical components on the subcellular level is highly desirable for MCD studies. In this study, the subcellular dynamic processes of gastric cancer BGC823 cells after treatment with a multi-component drug, Compound Kushen Injection (CKI), were investigated using a homemade, high-resolution, confocal Raman spectroscopy (RS) device combined with bright-field imaging. The Raman spectra of the nucleus, cytoplasm and intracellular vesicles (0.4–1 μm) were collected simultaneously for each cell treated with CKI at different times and doses. The RS measurements showed that CKI decreased the DNA signatures, which the drug is known to inhibit. Meanwhile, the CKI-induced subcellular dynamic changes in the appearance of numerous intracellular vesicles and the deconstruction of cytoplasm components were observed and discussed. The results demonstrated that high-resolution subcellular micro-Raman spectroscopy has potential for detecting fine cellular dynamic variation induced by drugs and the screening of MCDs in cancer therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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11 pages, 2245 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detecting Pre-Analytically Delayed Blood Samples for Laboratory Diagnostics Using Raman Spectroscopy

by Pascal Hunold, Markus Fischer, Carsten Olthoff, Peter W. Hildebrand, Thorsten Kaiser and René Staritzbichler

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(9), 7853; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24097853 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1194

Abstract

In this proof-of-principle study, we systematically studied the potential of Raman spectroscopy for detecting pre-analytical delays in blood serum samples. Spectra from 330 samples from a liver cirrhosis cohort were acquired over the course of eight days, stored one day at room temperature, and stored subsequently at 4 °C. The spectra were then used to train Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to predict the delay to sample examination. We achieved 90% accuracy for binary classification of the serum samples in the groups “without delay” versus “delayed”. Spectra recorded on the first day could be distinguished clearly from all subsequent measurements. Distinguishing between spectra taken in the range from the second to the last day seems to be possible as well, but currently, with an accuracy of approximately 70% only. Importantly, filtering out the fluorescent background significantly reduces the precision of detection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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11 pages, 2548 KiB

Open AccessArticle

FTIR Analysis of Renal Tissue for the Assessment of Hypertensive Organ Damage and proANP_31–67 Treatment

by Leonardo Pioppi, Niki Tombolesi, Reza Parvan, Gustavo Jose Justo da Silva, Raffaele Altara, Marco Paolantoni, Assunta Morresi, Paola Sassi and Alessandro Cataliotti

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065196 - 08 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1842

Abstract

The kidneys are one of the main end organs targeted by hypertensive disease. Although the central role of the kidneys in the regulation of high blood pressure has been long recognized, the detailed mechanisms behind the pathophysiology of renal damage in hypertension remain a matter of investigation. Early renal biochemical alterations due to salt-induced hypertension in Dahl/salt-sensitive rats were monitored by Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) micro-imaging. Furthermore, FTIR was used to investigate the effects of proANP_31–67, a linear fragment of pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, on the renal tissue of hypertensive rats. Different hypertension-induced alterations were detected in the renal parenchyma and blood vessels by the combination of FTIR imaging and principal component analysis on specific spectral regions. Changes in amino acids and protein contents observed in renal blood vessels were independent of altered lipid, carbohydrate, and glycoprotein contents in the renal parenchyma. FTIR micro-imaging was found to be a reliable tool for monitoring the remarkable heterogeneity of kidney tissue and its hypertension-induced alterations. In addition, FTIR detected a significant reduction in these hypertension-induced alterations in the kidneys of proANP_31–67-treated rats, further indicating the high sensitivity of this cutting-edge imaging modality and the beneficial effects of this novel medication on the kidneys. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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14 pages, 1731 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Different Types of Epiretinal Proliferations by Synchrotron Radiation-Based Fourier Transform Infrared Micro-Spectroscopy

by Sofija Andjelic, Martin Kreuzer, Marko Hawlina and Xhevat Lumi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4834; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054834 - 02 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1244

Abstract

Pathological tissue on the surface of the retina that can be of different etiology and pathogenesis can cause changes in the retina that have a direct consequence on vision. Tissues of different etiology and pathogenesis have different morphological structures and also different macromolecule compositions usually characteristic of specific diseases. In this study, we evaluated and compared biochemical differences among samples of three different types of epiretinal proliferations: idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERMi), membranes in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVRm), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDRm). The membranes were analyzed by using synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy (SR-FTIR). We used the SR-FTIR micro-spectroscopy setup, where measurements were set to achieve a high resolution that was capable of showing clear biochemical spectra in biological tissue. We were able to identify differences between PVRm, PDRm, and ERMi in protein and lipid structure; collagen content and collagen maturity; differences in proteoglycan presence; protein phosphorylation; and DNA expression. Collagen showed the strongest expression in PDRm, lower expression in ERMi, and very low expression in PVRm. We also demonstrated the presence of silicone oil (SO) or polydimethylsiloxane in the structure of PVRm after SO endotamponade. This finding suggests that SO, in addition to its many benefits as an important tool in vitreoretinal surgery, could be involved in PVRm formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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15 pages, 3103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CARS Imaging Advances Early Diagnosis of Cardiac Manifestation of Fabry Disease

by Elen Tolstik, Nairveen Ali, Shuxia Guo, Paul Ebersbach, Dorothe Möllmann, Paula Arias-Loza, Johann Dierks, Irina Schuler, Erik Freier, Jörg Debus, Hideo A. Baba, Peter Nordbeck, Thomas Bocklitz and Kristina Lorenz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(10), 5345; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23105345 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2451

Abstract

Vibrational spectroscopy can detect characteristic biomolecular signatures and thus has the potential to support diagnostics. Fabry disease (FD) is a lipid disorder disease that leads to accumulations of globotriaosylceramide in different organs, including the heart, which is particularly critical for the patient’s prognosis. Effective treatment options are available if initiated at early disease stages, but many patients are late- or under-diagnosed. Since Coherent anti-Stokes Raman (CARS) imaging has a high sensitivity for lipid/protein shifts, we applied CARS as a diagnostic tool to assess cardiac FD manifestation in an FD mouse model. CARS measurements combined with multivariate data analysis, including image preprocessing followed by image clustering and data-driven modeling, allowed for differentiation between FD and control groups. Indeed, CARS identified shifts of lipid/protein content between the two groups in cardiac tissue visually and by subsequent automated bioinformatic discrimination with a mean sensitivity of 90–96%. Of note, this genotype differentiation was successful at a very early time point during disease development when only kidneys are visibly affected by globotriaosylceramide depositions. Altogether, the sensitivity of CARS combined with multivariate analysis allows reliable diagnostic support of early FD organ manifestation and may thus improve diagnosis, prognosis, and possibly therapeutic monitoring of FD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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19 pages, 4584 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fourier-Transform Infra-Red Microspectroscopy Can Accurately Diagnose Colitis and Assess Severity of Inflammation

by Charlotte Keung, Philip Heraud, Nathan Kuk, Rebecca Lim, William Sievert, Gregory Moore and Bayden Wood

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(5), 2849; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23052849 - 05 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2228

Abstract

The diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease relies on histological assessment, which is costly, subjective, and lacks utility for point-of-care diagnosis. Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy provides rapid, non-destructive, reproducible, and automatable label-free biochemical imaging of tissue for diagnostic purposes. This study characterises colitis using spectroscopy, discriminates colitis from healthy tissue, and classifies inflammation severity. Hyperspectral images were obtained from fixed intestinal sections of a murine colitis model treated with cell therapy to improve inflammation. Multivariate analyses and classification modelling were performed using supervised and unsupervised machine-learning algorithms. Quantitative analysis of severe colitis showed increased protein, collagen, and nucleic acids, but reduced glycogen when compared with normal tissue. A partial least squares discriminant analysis model, including spectra from all intestinal layers, classified normal colon and severe colitis with a sensitivity of 91.4% and a specificity of 93.3%. Colitis severity was classified by a stacked ensemble model yielding an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.95, 0.88, 0.79, and 0.85 for controls, mild, moderate, and severe colitis, respectively. Infra-red spectroscopy can detect unique biochemical features of intestinal inflammation and accurately classify normal and inflamed tissue and quantify the severity of inflammation. This is a promising alternative to histological assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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17 pages, 7008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biochemical Analysis of Leukocytes after In Vitro and In Vivo Activation with Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens Using Raman Spectroscopy

by Aikaterini Pistiki, Anuradha Ramoji, Oleg Ryabchykov, Daniel Thomas-Rüddel, Adrian T. Press, Oliwia Makarewicz, Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Michael Bauer, Thomas Bocklitz, Jürgen Popp and Ute Neugebauer

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(19), 10481; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms221910481 - 28 Sep 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2258

Abstract

Biochemical information from activated leukocytes provide valuable diagnostic information. In this study, Raman spectroscopy was applied as a label-free analytical technique to characterize the activation pattern of leukocyte subpopulations in an in vitro infection model. Neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes were isolated from healthy volunteers and stimulated with heat-inactivated clinical isolates of Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Binary classification models could identify the presence of infection for monocytes and lymphocytes, classify the type of infection as bacterial or fungal for neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes and distinguish the cause of infection as Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria in the monocyte subpopulation. Changes in single-cell Raman spectra, upon leukocyte stimulation, can be explained with biochemical changes due to the leukocyte’s specific reaction to each type of pathogen. Raman spectra of leukocytes from the in vitro infection model were compared with spectra from leukocytes of patients with infection (DRKS-ID: DRKS00006265) with the same pathogen groups, and a good agreement was revealed. Our study elucidates the potential of Raman spectroscopy-based single-cell analysis for the differentiation of circulating leukocyte subtypes and identification of the infection by probing the molecular phenotype of those cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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Review

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15 pages, 2333 KiB

Open AccessReview

Practices, Potential, and Perspectives for Detecting Predisease Using Raman Spectroscopy

by Yusuke Oshima, Takayuki Haruki, Keiichi Koizumi, Shota Yonezawa, Akinori Taketani, Makoto Kadowaki and Shigeru Saito

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(15), 12170; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512170 - 29 Jul 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1300

Abstract

Raman spectroscopy shows great potential for practical clinical applications. By analyzing the structure and composition of molecules through real-time, non-destructive measurements of the scattered light from living cells and tissues, it offers valuable insights. The Raman spectral data directly link to the molecular composition of the cells and tissues and provides a “molecular fingerprint” for various disease states. This review focuses on the practical and clinical applications of Raman spectroscopy, especially in the early detection of human diseases. Identifying predisease, which marks the transition from a healthy to a disease state, is crucial for effective interventions to prevent disease onset. Raman spectroscopy can reveal biological processes occurring during the transition states and may eventually detect the molecular dynamics in predisease conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy of Human Diseases)

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