Systems biology is an emerging science that combines high throughput investigation
techniques to define the dynamic interplay between different biological regulatory
systems in response to internal and external cues. Related technologies, genomics,
epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and toponomics have been
applied to investigate models of carcinogenesis to identify committing initiating
events. Vibrational spectroscopy has the potential to play an integral role within
systems biology research approaches, as it is able to identify chemical bond
alterations within molecules independent of where these molecules reside. Its
integration with current “systems biology” methodologies can contribute in the
identification of potential biomarkers of carcinogenesis and assist in their
incorporation into clinical practice. Breast tissue undergoes cyclical and longitudinal molecular and histological
alterations that are influenced by environmental factors. These factors may include
diet and lifestyle in addition to parity, lactation and menopausal status and are
implicated in carcinogenesis. Breast cancer may appear decades after the initial
carcinogenic event. Available research in this area is limited to when early
histological changes occur due to the difficulties imposed by the molecular and
histological diversity of breast tissue. Vibrational spectroscopy in combination with powerful chemometric techniques has identified spatial and temporal mammary
alterations in benign tissue. Prostate cancer is influenced by environmental factors. Its incidence is higher in
populations adopting a Westernised lifestyle and diet and has increased over the past
generation. This leads to the assumption that prostatic tissue composition may exhibit
chronological alterations. Vibrational spectroscopy techniques were applied to
matching prostatic tissues with benign prostatic hyperplasia collected from 1983 to
2013. Significant trans-generational segregation was identified. Spectral areas
responsible for this segregation pointed towards epigenetic changes.
Immunohistochemical studies for DNA methylation and hypomethylation supported
these results.
Vibrational spectroscopy techniques were also implemented to explore molecular
changes between normal ovarian tissue, borderline ovarian tumours and malignant
ovarian carcinomas. Different chemometric techniques were applied to discriminate
cancers from controls. Similar techniques were able to segregate different types of
epithelial ovarian carcinomas. The accurate diagnosis obtained using ATR-FTIR
spectroscopy demonstrates its potential for development as an assisting tool for
histopathological diagnosis. The endometrial-myometrial junction areas of benign uterine tissues were scrutinised
by Synchrotron FTIR and FPA. These techniques in combination with multivariate
analysis revealed clear segregation between the functionalis and basalis layers within
the uterine crypts. The same techniques illustrated potential areas within these
epithelial surfaces where different stem cell types may reside. Targeting the activation/ inactivation of these stem cells may have applications in the diagnosis and
treatment of early uterine cancer.