Raman spectroscopic analysis of fatty acids in tumor micro- and macroenvironments in breast cancer

Fatty acids play essential roles in the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. To facilitate their avid growth and proliferation, cancer cells not only alter the fatty acid synthesis and metabolism intracellularly and extracellularly, but also in the macroenvironment via direct and indirect pathways. This thesis reports that by using Raman micro-spectroscopy, an increase in the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was identified in both cancerous and normal appearing breast tissue obtained from breast cancer patients and tumor-bearing rats. By minimizing confounding effects from mixed chemicals and optimizing the signal-to-noise ratio of Raman spectra, a large-scale transition from monounsaturated fatty acids to PUFAs was observed in the tumor while only a small subset of fatty acids transitioned to PUFAs in the tumor micro- and macroenvironment. These findings demonstrate the power of this spectroscopic analysis, and may provide new insights into the macroenvironmental regulations in breast cancer.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Bioengineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2016

Author dc:creator

• You, Sixian

Contributors dc:contributor

• Boppart, Stephen A.

• Raman spectroscopy
• Breast cancer

Statement dc:rights

• Copy right 2015 Sixian You

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90452

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/90452