TY - JOUR T1 - Demonstration of Calreticulin Expression in Hamster Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma with the Use of Fluorescent Gold Quantum Dots JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 861 LP - 867 VL - 36 IS - 3 AU - EMMANOUIL GIORGAKIS AU - BALA RAMESH AU - ASHKAN KAMALI-DASHTARZHENEH AU - GIUSEPPE KITO FUSAI AU - CHARLES IMBER AU - DIMITRIOS TSIRONIS AU - MARILENA LOIZIDOU Y1 - 2016/03/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/36/3/861.abstract N2 - Background: There is dire need for discovery of novel pancreatic cancer biomarkers and of agents with the potential for simultaneous diagnostic and therapeutic capacity. This study demonstrates calreticulin expression on hamster pancreatic adenocarcinoma via bio-conjugated gold quantum dots (AuQDs). Materials and Methods: Hamster pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells were cultured, fixed and incubated with fluorescent AuQDs, bio-conjugated to anti-calreticulin antibodies. Anti-calreticulin and AuQDs were produced in-house. AuQDs were manufactured to emit in the near-infrared. Cells were further characterized under confocal fluorescence. Results: AuQDs were confirmed to emit in the near-infrared. AuQD bio-conjugation to calreticulin was confirmed via dot-blotting. Upon laser excitation and post-incubation with bio-conjugated AuQDs, pancreatic cancer cell lines emitted fluorescence in near-infrared. Conclusion: Hamster pancreatic cancer cells express calreticulin, which may be labelled with AuQDs. This study demonstrates the application of nanoparticle-based theranostics in pancreatic cancer. Such biomarker-targeting nanosystems are anticipated to play a significant role in the management of pancreatic cancer. ER -