Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40988643›Full record

ArticleMacromolecular rapid communications2026

Enrichment of Hyaluronic Acid Binding Tumor Cells by Modulation of Selective Adhesion on Microgel Surfaces.

Melanie Schmidt, Dilay Karayel, André Franken, Janita Müller, Laura Hartmann, Klaus Pantel, Tanja Fehm, Hans Neubauer, Stephan Schmidt

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Macromolecular rapid communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Melanie SchmidtFaculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich- Heine- University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Dilay KarayelDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
André FrankenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Janita MüllerFaculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry, Heinrich- Heine- University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Laura HartmannInstitute for Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Klaus PantelDepartment for Tumor Biology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Tanja FehmDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Hans NeubauerDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Stephan SchmidtInstitute for Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4357-304X

Funding

Deutsche Krebshilfe 70112504German Research Foundation INST 39/1438-1 FUGGGerman Research Foundation SCHM 2748/7-1German Research Foundation SCHM 2748/8-1Projekt DEALResearch Committee of the Medical Faculty of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Liquid biopsy-based detection of cells with specific biomarker profiles is critical for cancer diagnostics and treatment. Here, we present a novel method for the selective enrichment of CD44-expressing tumor cells from blood using thermoresponsive microgel surfaces functionalized with hyaluronic acid (HA). A key feature of our approach is the precise modulation of CD44-HA interactions through the microgels' volume phase transition temperature (VPTT). Lowering the temperature from 37°C to 30°C induces swelling of the microgel layer, thereby diminishing adhesive interactions and promoting the detachment of weakly adhering white blood cells (WBCs), while strongly adherent tumor cells remain captured. Flow cytometry analysis studies further reveal that tumor cells with elevated CD44 expression exhibit persistent adhesion on HA-functionalized surfaces. Given the straightforward fabrication process and the versatility for incorporating various biomarkers via chemical synthesis, this temperature-responsive microgel platform holds promise for the efficient capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) present in the blood of cancer patients and other challenging diagnostic applications.

Indexed as

Hyaluronic AcidMicrogelsNeoplastic Cells, CirculatingCell AdhesionHumansHyaluronan ReceptorsMDA-MB-231 CellsSurface PropertiesTemperatureHyaluronan ReceptorsHyaluronic AcidMicrogelscell sheetcirculating tumor cells (CTC)hyaluronic acid (HA)LCSTliquid biopsylower critical solution temperatureMDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cellsPoly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)smart polymersthermo‐responsive materialvolume phase transition temperature (VPTT)

Identifiers

PMID40988643
PMCPMC13384807

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.