Abstract：
Liquid biopsy includes the isolating and analysis of non-solid biological samples enables us to find new ways for molecular profiling, prognostic assessment, and better therapeutic decision-making in cancer patients. Despite the conventional theory of tumor development, a non-vertical transmission of DNA has been reported among cancer cells and between cancer and normal cells. The phenomenon referred to as horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has the ability to amplify the advancement of tumors by disseminating genes that encode molecules conferring benefits to the survival or metastasis of cancer cells. Currently, common liquid biopsy approaches include the analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and tumor-free DNA (tfDNA) derived from primary tumors and their metastatic sites, which are well-known HGT mediators in cancer cells. Current technological and molecular advances expedited the high-throughput and high-sensitive HGT materials analyses by using new technologies, such as microfluidics in liquid biopsies. This review delves into the convergence of microfluidic-based technologies and the investigation of Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) materials in cancer liquid biopsy. The integration of microfluidics offers unprecedented advantages such as high sensitivity, rapid analysis, and the ability to analyze rare cell populations. These attributes are instrumental in detecting and characterizing CTCs, circulating nucleic acids, and EVs, which are carriers of genetic cargo that could potentially undergo HGT. The phenomenon of HGT in cancer has raised intriguing questions about its role in driving genomic diversity and acquired drug resistance. By leveraging microfluidic platforms, researchers have been able to capture and analyze individual cells or genetic material with enhanced precision, shedding light on the potential transfer of genetic material between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells. Furthermore, the application of microfluidics in single-cell sequencing has enabled the elucidation of the genetic changes associated with HGT events, providing insights into the evolution of tumor genomes. This review also discusses the challenges and opportunities in studying HGT materials using microfluidic-based technologies. In conclusion, microfluidic-based technologies have significantly advanced the field of cancer liquid biopsy, enabling the sensitive and accurate detection of HGT materials. As the understanding of HGT\'s role in tumor evolution and therapy resistance continues to evolve, the synergistic integration of microfluidics and HGT research promises to provide valuable insights into cancer biology, with potential implications for precision oncology and therapeutic strategies.
摘要：
液体活检包括非固体生物样品的分离和分析，使我们能够找到分子谱分析的新方法，预后评估，以及癌症患者更好的治疗决策。尽管肿瘤发展的传统理论，已经报道了DNA在癌细胞之间以及癌细胞和正常细胞之间的非垂直传递。称为水平基因转移(HGT)的现象具有通过传播编码赋予癌细胞存活或转移益处的分子的基因来放大肿瘤进展的能力。目前,常见的液体活检方法包括分析源自原发肿瘤及其转移部位的细胞外囊泡（EV）和无肿瘤DNA（tfDNA），它们是癌细胞中众所周知的HGT介质。当前的技术和分子进步通过使用新技术加快了高通量和高灵敏度HGT材料分析，例如液体活检中的微流体。这篇综述探讨了基于微流体技术的融合以及癌症液体活检中水平基因转移（HGT）材料的研究。微流体的集成提供了前所未有的优势，如高灵敏度，快速分析,以及分析稀有细胞群的能力.这些属性有助于检测和表征CTC，循环核酸，和电动汽车,它们是可能经历HGT的遗传货物的携带者。癌症中的HGT现象引发了关于其在驱动基因组多样性和获得性耐药性中的作用的有趣问题。通过利用微流体平台，研究人员已经能够以更高的精度捕获和分析单个细胞或遗传物质，揭示遗传物质在癌细胞和周围基质细胞之间的潜在转移。此外，微流体在单细胞测序中的应用已经能够阐明与HGT事件相关的遗传变化，提供对肿瘤基因组进化的见解。这篇综述还讨论了使用基于微流体的技术研究HGT材料的挑战和机遇。总之,基于微流控的技术已经显著推进了癌症液体活检领域，使HGT材料的灵敏和准确的检测。随着对HGT在肿瘤演变和治疗抵抗中的作用的理解不断发展，微流体和HGT研究的协同整合有望为癌症生物学提供有价值的见解，对精确肿瘤学和治疗策略有潜在影响。
