UC San Diego

Macromolecules, such as lipids and proteins, are key players in metabolic pathways related to cancer diseases. The synthesis of these macromolecules is related to the levels of amino acids in cells. Both essential and nonessential amino acids are considered to affect cancer cell survival and growth. Optical techniques that are both high resolution and non-destructive on the sample can aid in the understanding of metabolic changes in cancer cells. The objectives of this thesis are to provide insights into the effects of aromatic amino acids and nonessential amino acid (serine) on metabolic activities in cancer cells, by using Raman scattering microscopy for in situ subcellular imaging. The first chapter of this thesis presents a study on the influence of aromatic amino acids on lipid and protein metabolism in cancer cells using deuterium-oxide probed stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) and two-photon fluorescence microscopy. The second chapter presents work investigating the effects of the nonessential amino acid (serine) on lipid and protein metabolism in cancer cells using SRS imaging. The data and results presented in this thesis provide insights into the implications of essential and nonessential amino acids manipulations in cancer metabolism and application of Raman imaging techniques as a potential early diagnostic tool for cancers.