Single-cell technique tracks boron in live tumour cells

According to Cancer Research UK, head and neck cancer is the 8th most common cancer in the UK, representing around 3 percent of all new cancer cases between 2017 and 2019.  

Now, researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a technique that can, for the first time, measure boron inside individual cancer cells advancing our understanding of how drugs kill these tumours.

The research, published in the Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, used a method called single-cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to track boron uptake in live tumour cells. The technology allowed researchers to monitor how and when treatments enter and exit cells in real time.

Enhancing boron neutron capture therapy

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is an emerging precision treatment for head and neck cancers. Patients take a boron-containing drug that selectively accumulates in tumour cells. When the tumour is irradiated with neutrons, the boron interacts with them to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.   

The success of BNCT depends on whether enough boron reaches tumour cells – and stays there until irradiation can occur. The University of Birmingham team’s breakthrough offers critical insights into optimising this process.  

“Until now, it’s only been possible to measure average boron uptake in hundreds-of-thousands of cells, which masks important differences between individual cells. Our single-cell approach reveals this variability, which is critical in a tumour setting where heterogeneity often determines whether treatment works or fails,” said Dr James Coverdale from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Birmingham.

“We believe the results are exciting because we now have the first direct evidence of how much boron is present in individual tumour cells, and how long it stays there. This information could help to optimise when neutron irradiation should be delivered relative to drug administration.”

Overcoming technical challenges

One of the study’s biggest accomplishments was creating the right conditions for keeping cancer cells alive long enough to be measured. The team had to carefully optimise the culture medium and develop a way to introduce living cells into the highly sensitive single-cell ICP-MS equipment. Without these adjustments, the cells deteriorated too quickly to provide meaningful results.

Towards more precise cancer treatment

This new study helps to advance our ability to deliver precision oncology. By discovering how boron behaves at the single-cell level, the research has provided vital insights that could change the future of BNCT. As research continues, the ability to fine-tune drug design and treatment timing could bring patients with head and neck cancers closer to better, targeted therapies.

“This will be vital for testing and comparing future BNCT drugs and will help to identify the most effective treatments. Ultimately, our work supports progress toward making the already promising BNCT into a more precise and effective cancer treatment,” said Jack Finch, University of Birmingham Biochemistry alumnus and co-first author of the study.