Aim: Fluorescence detection of breast and prostate cancer cells expressing Tn-antigen, a tumor marker, with Vicia villosa lectin (VVL)-labeled nanoparticles.

Materials & methods: Breast and prostate cancer cells engineered to express high levels of Tn-antigen and non-engineered controls were incubated with VVL-labeled or unlabeled red dye-doped silica-coated polystyrene nanoparticles. The binding to cells was studied with flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and electron microscopy.

Results: Flow cytometry showed that the binding of VVL-labeled nanoparticles was significantly higher to Tn-antigen-expressing cancer cells than controls. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that particles bound to the cell surface. According to the correlative light and electron microscopy the particles bound mostly as aggregates.

Conclusion: VVL-labeled nanoparticles could provide a new tool for the detection of Tn-antigen-expressing breast and prostate cancer cells.