Analysis of Label-free Multimodal Nonlinear Optical Engineering on Assessing Drug Toxicity

Histological techniques have been used since the 19th century, and have made it possible for scientists to study tissue structures of animals and plants through a microscope from an in vitro process. However, the lack of in vivo imaging has become a challenge as it relates to determining toxicity in an animal. In this experiment, label free multimodal nonlinear optical imaging will be used to examine molecular and structural changes associated with early toxicity effects that the standard histology staining can not see.  Mice of three groups over a four week span were used to study the toxicity effects of cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug, on the kidney. The mice were split into control, low dosage and high dosage. The control group were given no medications and were used only for comparison purposes. The low dosage group were injected with 7 mg/kg of Cisplatin once a week for a 4 week period. Lastly, the high dosage group were injected with 25 mg/kg of cisplatin only once. Whole organs were imaged within two hours of harvesting and after each mouse was scarified the organs were used for histological microscopic evaluation. After data was collected the images were compared and studied to warrant a conclusion. Cisplatin, when injected into a mouse, increases the amount of metabolic enzymes present in the body. Lower concentration of cisplatin can increase cell life and stimulate cells, however, at higher dosages cisplatin is increasingly toxic. Cisplatin and its toxicity was further examined through a cell culture experiment to compare to data collected from mice. Normal cell lines MCF10A were grown in controlled conditions and injected with 2.5, 10, and 50 micro-molars of cisplatin and imaged through the optical imaging system. Results concluded that in lower concentration cisplatin can increase cell life, but higher concentrations the cell life will decrease.

Author
Endia Fletcher
School
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Department
Biological Engineering
Research Advisor
Dr. Stephen Boppart
Department of Research Advisor
Bioengineering
Year of Publication
2019