Abstract

Figure 1. Working mechanism of NanoHunter. (1) Synthesis of Y-shaped DNA: equal moles of all three oligonucleotides were mixed together to form the Y-DNA; (2) Sequences of self-assembled branched DNA; (3) Construction of NanoHunter：EpCAM-targeted aptamers bind with self-assembled DNA through base complementary pairing while magnetic nanoparticles attach to DNA via mercapto group reaction; (4) Recognization of EpCAM: selected aptamers bind to overexpressed EpCAM; (5) Capture of circulating tumor cells.

The severe environmental problems of haze are challenging everyone lives in China. Recently, research shows that the inhalable particles can lead to lung cancer. Hence, figuring out the efficient way against lung cancer has been crucial and urgent. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are considered to be prerequisites for the distant metastasis and recurrence of cancer. Thus, the accurate counting and subsequent analysis of CTCs are significant in the prediction of tumor prognosis, evaluation of treatment efficacy, and design of individualized treatment. Our team has found an original method of capturing CTCs by designing and compounding a highly-stabilized nanohunter of CTCs with DNA strands. (The nanohunter has a Y-shaped arm with many aptamers linked in its end, as well as a head of a magnetic bead.)