A Modified Method to Isolate Circulating Tumor Cells and Identify by a Panel of Gene Mutations in Lung Cancer

The CellSearch system is the only FDA approved and successful used detection technology for circulating tumor cells(CTCs). However, the process for identification of CTCs by CellSearch appear to damage the cells, which may adversely affects subsequent molecular biology assays. We aimed to explore and establish a membrane-preserving method for immunofluorescence identification of CTCs that keeping the isolated cells intact. 98 patients with lung cancer were enrolled, and the efficacy of clinical detection of CTCs was examined. Based on the CellSearch principle, we optimized an anti-EpCAM antibody and improved cell membrane rupture. A 5 ml peripheral blood sample was used to enrich CTCs with EpCAM immunomagnetic beads. Fluorescence signals were amplified with secondary antibodies against anti-EpCAM antibody attached on immunomagnetic beads. After identifying CTCs, single CTCs were isolated by micromanipulation. To confirm CTCs, genomic DNA was extracted and amplified at the single cell level to sequence 72 target genes of lung cancer and analyze the mutation copy number variations (CNVs) and gene mutations. A goat anti-mouse polyclonal antibody conjugated with Dylight 488 was selected to stain tumor cells. We identified CTCs based on EpCAM+ and CD45+ cells to exclude white blood cells. In the 98 lung cancer patients, the detection rate of CTCs (≥1 CTC) per 5 ml blood was 87.76%, the number of detections was 1–36, and the median was 2. By sequencing 72 lung cancer-associated genes, we found a high level of CNVs and gene mutations characteristic of tumor cells. We established a new CTCs staining scheme that significantly improves the detection rate and allows further analysis of CTCs characteristics at the genetic level.