Real‐time monitoring of single circulating tumor cells with a fluorescently labeled deoxy‐glucose by in vivo flow cytometry

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play an essential role in metastasis and serve as important prognostic biomarker. The technology of CTC labeling detection vivo can greatly improve the research cancer therapy. However, there is no to detect CTCs clinic. In this study, we demonstrate that 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl) amino]-2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-NBDG), a 2-deoxy-glucose analog, work indicate metastases fluorescently by direct intravenous injection. During development implanted mice, spontaneous released from primary into blood vessels be labeled 2-NBDG due abnormal metabolism CTCs. green fluorescence then noninvasively detected flow cytometry system. Due high uptake glucose cells, mice maintain level thus distinguished efficiently, enabling like positron emission tomography (PET) but at single-cell resolution. Our results suggest 2-NBDG, analog with biosafety, holds promising potential clinical applications, similar widely-used contrast medium 2-F18-fluorodeoxyglucose PET.