Early Diagnosis and Prognosis Prediction of Pancreatic Cancer Using Engineered Hybrid Core‐Shells in Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Juxiang Zhang, Fei Teng, Beiyuan Hu, Wanshan Liu, Yida Huang, Jiao Wu, Yuning Wang, Haiyang Su, Shouzhi Yang, Lumin Zhang, Lingchuan Guo, Zhe Lei, Yan Meng, Xiaoyu Xu, Ruimin Wang, Qingui Bao, Qiongzhu Dong, Jiang Long, Kun Qian
Abstract
Abstract Effective detection of bio‐molecules relies on the precise design and preparation of materials, particularly in laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI‐MS). Despite significant advancements in substrate materials, the performance of single‐structured substrates remains suboptimal for LDI‐MS analysis of complex systems. Herein, designer Au@SiO 2 @ZrO 2 core‐shell substrates are developed for LDI‐MS‐based early diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC). Through controlling Au core size and ZrO 2 shell crystallization, signal amplification of metabolites up to 3 orders is not only achieved, but also the synergistic mechanism of the LDI process is revealed. The optimized Au@SiO 2 @ZrO 2 enables a direct record of serum metabolic fingerprints (SMFs) by LDI‐MS. Subsequently, SMFs are employed to distinguish early PC (stage I/II) from controls, with an accuracy of 92%. Moreover, a prognostic prediction scoring system is established with enhanced efficacy in predicting PC survival compared to CA19‐9 (p < 0.05). This work contributes to material‐based cancer diagnosis and prognosis.