Deumer Jérôme, Schürmann Robin, Gaál Anikó, Varga Zoltán, Bettin Britta, van der Pol Edwin, Nieuwland Rienk, Ojeda David, Sikora Aneta, Bartczak Dorota, Goenaga-Infante Heidi, Noireaux Johanna, Khakpour Mahrad, Korpelainen Virpi, Gollwitzer Christian
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Abbestr. 2-12, 10587, Berlin, Germany.
Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar Tudósok Körútja 2, Budapest, 1117, Hungary.
Discov Nano. 2024 Jan 22;19(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s11671-024-03956-3.
The concentration of cell-type specific extracellular vesicles (EVs) is a promising biomarker for various diseases. However, concentrations of EVs measured by optical techniques such as flow cytometry (FCM) or particle tracking analysis (PTA) in clinical practice are incomparable. To allow reliable and comparable concentration measurements suitable reference materials (RMs) and SI-traceable (SI-International system of units) methods are required. Hollow organosilica beads (HOBs) are promising RM candidates for concentration measurements of EVs based on light scattering, as the shape, low refractive index, and number concentration of HOBs are comparable to EVs of the respective size range that can be detected with current optical instrumentation. Here, we present traceable methods for measuring the particle size distribution of four HOB types in the size range between 200 and 500 nm by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), as well as the number concentration by single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS). Based on the size and shape results, traceable reference values were obtained to additionally determine the refractive index of the shell of the HOB samples by FCM. Furthermore, the estimated refractive indexes of the HOBs plausibly agree with the refractive indexes of EVs of corresponding size. Due to their narrow size distribution and their similar shape, and low refractive index, all HOB samples studied are suitable RM candidates for calibration of the measured sample volume by optical methods within the photon wavelength range used, and thus for calibration of number concentration measurements of EVs in the size range indicated. This was confirmed as the number concentration values obtained by PTA and two independent flow cytometric measurements agreed with the concentration reference values obtained by two independent spICP-MS measurements within the calculated uncertainty limits.
细胞类型特异性细胞外囊泡(EVs)的浓度是多种疾病的一种有前景的生物标志物。然而,在临床实践中,通过流式细胞术(FCM)或粒子追踪分析(PTA)等光学技术测量的EVs浓度无法进行比较。为了实现可靠且可比的浓度测量,需要合适的参考物质(RMs)和可溯源至国际单位制(SI)的方法。中空有机硅珠(HOBs)是基于光散射进行EVs浓度测量的有前景的RM候选物,因为HOBs的形状、低折射率和数量浓度与当前光学仪器可检测的相应尺寸范围内的EVs相当。在此,我们提出了通过小角X射线散射(SAXS)和原子力显微镜(AFM)测量四种尺寸范围在200至500 nm的HOB类型的粒度分布的可溯源方法,以及通过单颗粒电感耦合等离子体质谱(spICP-MS)测量数量浓度的方法。基于尺寸和形状结果,获得了可溯源的参考值,以通过FCM额外确定HOB样品外壳的折射率。此外,HOBs的估计折射率与相应尺寸的EVs的折射率合理地一致。由于其窄的尺寸分布、相似的形状和低折射率,所研究的所有HOB样品都是在所用光子波长范围内通过光学方法校准测量样品体积的合适RM候选物,因此也是校准所示尺寸范围内EVs数量浓度测量的合适RM候选物。这一点得到了证实,因为通过PTA和两次独立的流式细胞术测量获得的数量浓度值与在计算的不确定度范围内通过两次独立的spICP-MS测量获得的浓度参考值一致。