Whole Genome Sequencing of Single Circulating Tumor Cells Isolated by Applying a Pulsed Laser to Cell-Capturing Microstructures

Single cell analysis of heterogeneous circulating tumor cells (CTCs), by which the genomic profiles of rare single CTCs are connected to the clinical status of cancer patients, is crucial for understanding cancer metastasis and the clinical impact on patients. However, the heterogeneity in genotypes and phenotypes and rarity of CTCs have limited extensive single CTC genome research, further hindering clinical investigation. Despite recent efforts to build platforms that separate CTCs, the investigation on CTCs is difficult due to the lack of a retrieval process at the single cell level. In this study, laser-induced isolation of microstructures on an optomechanically-transferrable-chip and sequencing (LIMO-seq) is applied for whole genome sequencing of single CTCs. Also, the whole genome sequences and the molecular profiles of the isolated single cells from the whole blood of a breast cancer patient are analyzed.