Detection of human serum proteins using Raman and SERS spectroscopy

The use of normal Raman (NR) spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy to analyze the biochemical information of human serum proteins and hence distinguish between normal and primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) serum samples was investigated. The serum samples were obtained from patients who were clinically diagnosed with PHC (n=20) and healthy volunteers (n=20). All spectra were collected in the spectral range of 400-1800 cm(-1) and analyzed through the multivariate statistical methods of principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that both NR and SERS combined with PCA had good performance in distinguishing the human serum proteins between PHC patients and healthy volunteers with high sensitivity and specificity of 100%. And we can get more detail information of component and conformation of human serum proteins by considering NR and SERS spectrum. Our results support the concept again that serum protein Raman and SERS spectroscopy combined with PCA analysis both can become noninvasive and rapid diagnostic tools to detect the primary hepatic carcinoma.