A Novel HER2 Protein Identification Methodology in Breast Cancer Cells Using Raman Spectroscopy and Raman Imaging: An Analytical Validation Study

Conventional assays
such as immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization
(ISH) used in clinical procedures
for quantification of the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2
(HER2) status in breast cancer have many limitations. In the current
study, we have used HER2 expression in a broad range of breast cancer
phenotypes to explore the potential utility of a novel immunodetection
technique using Raman spectroscopy and Raman imaging combined with
artificial intelligence models. The correlations between the Raman
method and conventional HER2 testing methodologies (IHC and ISH) have
been tested. Raman measurements showed a strong linear correlation
(p = 0.05, R2=0,9816)
with IHC analysis in the studied breast cell lines: MCF-10A, MCF-7,
MDA-MB-231, HTB-30 (SK-BR-3), and AU-565 represent normal, nontumorigenic
epithelial cells, triple-positive breast carcinoma, and triple-negative
breast cancer cell lines. Analytic testing of Raman spectroscopy and
Raman imaging demonstrated that this method may offer advantages over
the currently used diagnostic methodologies.