There is a critical need to measure the complex behavior of cancer cells, the manner in which they interact? with immune system cells, and to phenotype both cell sets not only for their cell lineage status but also for? the relative activation state of the signaling networks that drive their biology. It is thought that signaling? network status is reflective of a cancer's aggressiveness, its response to chemotherapy, as well how it? influences or evades the immune response. We will extend the number of parameters that can be measured? simultaneously for cytometric approaches by creating a new class of Raman Scatter measurable reagents,? using Composite Organic-Inorganic Nanoparticles (COINs). The technique we will use adapt our recently? developed procedure applying monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against phosphorylation sites [1-10]? (and Preliminary Results). We will apply the COINS technology, in collaboration with the creators of these? unique nanoparticles from the Berlin group at Intel, to first validate a series of Raman spectroscopic probes? for important kinase phosphoproteins in microarray formats. With validated sets of reagents we will refine? simultaneous, multi-parameter staining and visualization of cells using Raman signatures as validated with? fluorophore-based staining to extend the number of cytometrically determined parameters per cell. Finally,? we will use the additional, simultaneous measurements to construct larger signaling networks using? Bayesian computation; this approach will be applied to data from normal B cells and lymphomas from? selected patients. Taken together, this concerted approach will allow for us to create, on a patient by patient? basis, inference maps of signaling system architecture across multiple, highly informative, signaling nodes? for established and novel signaling systems in normal cells and cancer. These techniques have the potential? to create rich biomarkers that are informative not only of patient status, but provide detailed information? about the signaling systems against which chemotherapies act as well as provide mechanistic conclusions? about individual cancers and patient immune status.
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