Real-time nanoscale imaging reveals differences in antibody access to cancer-linked proteins on tiny vesicles

Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI) at Kanazawa University have developed a way to observe how antibodies interact with a cancer-related protein carried on tiny membrane-bound vesicles released by cells. Using high-speed atomic force microscopy, they found that measuring how much of the protein is present does not necessarily show how accessible it is to antibodies. The findings reported in the journal Small Methods provide a new way to investigate differences between individual cancer-derived vesicles although further research is needed before the approach can be used clinically.