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Hans India
04-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
IISc develops simple sensor for detecting liver cancer
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore have developed a simple sensor that is cost-effective and can enable faster detection of liver cancer. The team focussed on the potential of terbium -- a rare earth metal -- to develop a unique luminescent probe that can sense the presence of an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. While its core function is to break down a sugar acid called glucuronic acid, the enzyme also doubles as a critical biomarker for liver cancer. An increase in beta-glucuronidase levels has been associated with the risk of colon, breast, and renal cancers, as well as infections of the urinary tract and AIDS. Thus, the novel sensor offers a potentially powerful screening tool against different types of cancers, neonatal jaundice, and NSAID-induced toxicity, said the researchers. 'Conventional methods of colorimetry and fluorescence for detecting such enzymes are often restricted by sensitivity or interference from background signals. The ability of rare earth metals to have long-lived excited states allows us to filter out short-lived background fluorescence, resulting in a much clearer signal,' said Ananya Biswas, former PhD student at IISc and co-first author of the paper published in the journal Chemistry. The innovation began with research into the gel-forming properties of metal ions. The IISC team discovered that terbium ions, when incorporated into a gel matrix derived from bile salts, emitted a bright green glow. To this, the researchers added a molecule called 2,3-DHN ((2,3-Dihydroxynaphthalene), masked with glucuronic acid. In the presence of beta-glucuronidase, terbium ions cleave the mask, releasing 2,3-DHN, which then acts as an 'antenna,' absorbing UV light. It also transfers energy to nearby terbium ions, amplifying the green fluorescence, explained Uday Maitra, Professor in the Department of Organic Chemistry, IISc. Further, to make the technology accessible, the team embedded the gel matrix onto paper discs, creating a simple and portable sensor. Exposing the samples containing beta-glucuronidase, these discs emitted a pronounced green glow under UV light. These sensors could also be analysed using a UV lamp and ImageJ -- an open source, freely accessible software, making this technique ideal for resource-limited settings, the team said. The sensor showed a detection limit, which was significantly below the beta-glucuronidase levels typically seen for cirrhosis -- an advanced stage of liver disease. While more clinical studies are needed to validate the findings, such sensors can bring down the cost of detecting clinically significant biomarkers, the researchers said.
News18
03-07-2025
- Health
- News18
Glow Of Hope: IISc Researchers Develop Low-Cost Probe For Early Detection Of Liver Cancer
Last Updated: Using a rare earth metal, the team developed a simple, affordable method to detect enzymes linked to liver cancer, a breakthrough built on a decade of dedicated work Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have developed an innovative and affordable luminescent probe that uses terbium—a rare earth metal—to help in early detection of liver cancer. The breakthrough built on a decade of dedicated work is significant because it offers a low-cost, accessible way to detect enzymes linked to liver cancer. Unlike traditional methods that require extensive, high-end equipment, the new technique uses a simple UV lamp and free, open-source software, ImageJ, to analyse results. This makes it especially valuable for use in resource-limited settings, where access to advanced lab tools may be a problem. 'Conventional methods of colour-based testing and fluorescence for detecting such enzymes linked to liver cancer often struggle with low sensitivity or interference from background signals. But the ability of rare earth metals to have long-lived excited state allows us to filter out short-lived background fluorescence, resulting in a much clearer signal," explained Ananya Biswas, former PhD student at IISc and co-first author of the paper published in peer-reviewed journal Chemistry. To make the test easy, the team designed this assay as a simple paper-based sensor. While clinical studies are still needed to validate the assay, the team is hopeful that such sensors could significantly lower the cost of detecting clinically-significant biomarkers. 10 YEARS OF DEDICATED WORK So, almost a decade ago, the team began conducting experiments on metal ions and their gel-forming properties, and found that terbium ions placed in a gel made from bile salts can emit green fluorescence. The researchers then added an organic molecule called 2,3-DHN (2,3-Dihydroxynaphthalene) which was covered with a layer of glucuronic acid and shined UV light on the sample to see the results. 'The free 2,3-DHN acts as an 'antenna', absorbing UV light and transferring the energy to the nearby terbium ions, making them glow brighter. The gel keeps the antenna and terbium ions close together, so the energy transfer works well," explained corresponding author Uday Maitra, honorary professor in the department of organic chemistry, IISc. Furthermore, the researchers highlighted that using this method, they were able to detect the enzyme at levels as low as 185 ng/mL. To put this in perspective, β-glucuronidase levels of around 1,000 ng/mL are typically seen in people with decompensated cirrhosis, an advanced stage of liver disease, so their method can help in early detection. 'With liver cancer claiming more lives each year, such a technological advance is both timely and promising. Given the wide clinical relevance of β-glucuronidase as a biomarker in different types of cancers, neonatal jaundice, and NSAID-induced toxicity, this sensor offers a potentially powerful screening tool," the team added.
Hans India
30-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
IISc Bangalore researchers develop simple, cost-effective sensor for detecting liver cancer
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a simple sensor that is cost-effective and can enable faster detection of liver cancer. The team focussed on the potential of terbium -- a rare earth metal -- to develop a unique luminescent probe that can sense the presence of an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. While its core function is to break down a sugar acid called glucuronic acid, the enzyme also doubles as a critical biomarker for liver cancer. An increase in beta-glucuronidase levels has been associated with the risk of colon, breast, and renal cancers, as well as infections of the urinary tract and AIDS. Thus, the novel sensor offers a potentially powerful screening tool against different types of cancers, neonatal jaundice, and NSAID-induced toxicity, said the researchers. 'Conventional methods of colorimetry and fluorescence for detecting such enzymes are often restricted by sensitivity or interference from background signals. The ability of rare earth metals to have long-lived excited states allows us to filter out short-lived background fluorescence, resulting in a much clearer signal,' said Ananya Biswas, former PhD student at IISc and co-first author of the paper published in the journal Chemistry, on Monday. The innovation began with research into the gel-forming properties of metal ions. The IISC team discovered that terbium ions, when incorporated into a gel matrix derived from bile salts, emitted a bright green glow. To this, the researchers added a molecule called 2,3-DHN ((2,3-Dihydroxynaphthalene), masked with glucuronic acid. In the presence of beta-glucuronidase, terbium ions cleave the mask, releasing 2,3-DHN, which then acts as an 'antenna,' absorbing UV light. It also transfers energy to nearby terbium ions, amplifying the green fluorescence, explained Uday Maitra, Professor in the Department of Organic Chemistry, IISc. Further, to make the technology accessible, the team embedded the gel matrix onto paper discs, creating a simple and portable sensor. Exposing the samples containing beta-glucuronidase, these discs emitted a pronounced green glow under UV light. These sensors could also be analysed using a UV lamp and ImageJ -- an open source, freely accessible software, making this technique ideal for resource-limited settings, the team said. The sensor showed a detection limit, which was significantly below the beta-glucuronidase levels typically seen for cirrhosis -- an advanced stage of liver disease. While more clinical studies are needed to validate the findings, such sensors can bring down the cost of detecting clinically significant biomarkers, the researchers said.
