Public Release:  University of Saskatchewan and Canadian Synchrotron researchers shed light on esophageal disease

Scientists identify chemical fingerprint of Barrett's esophagus

Canadian Light Source, Inc.


IMAGE: Visible light micrograph of Barrett's esophagus tissue (A) and a synchrotron infrared image (B) from the Canadian Light Source. The light blue area corresponds to an area rich in glycoproteins,... view more

Credit: Image courtesy of Luca Quaroni, CLS.


"The advantage to using microscopes with synchrotron light is that it allows us to identify chemical biomarkers inside specific cells," says Dr. Quaroni, who conducted the synchrotron analysis. "Often the differences between healthy and malignant tissue can be quite small, but the differences seen here were quite striking. This is a good proof of concept for developing a traceable technique that matches what can be seen at the macroscopic scale using microscopic samples."

The team analyzed preserved samples of healthy and diseased tissue that Dr. Casson had collected during esophageal biopsies. Using a technique known as Fourier Transform Infrared Microscopy, Quaroni and Casson identified specific chemicals - known as biomarkers - within the individual cells that make up the tissue. It was found that increased concentrations of particular biomarkers such as glycoproteins were associated with the Barrett's tissue.

Barrett's Esophagus (BE) occurs when the cells that normally line the esophagus - the tube that connects our throat to our stomach - are replaced by cells that resemble those that line the intestine. While BE only affects approximately one percent of Americans, the number of people diagnosed with the condition is on the rise, with the increasing incidence of chronic heartburn (gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERD) considered a risk factor for developing BE. The disease in turn can lead to an aggressive form of cancer known as esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Currently, diagnosing BE depends on the skill and experience of individual pathologists examining biopsy samples from patients, often relying on subjective criteria. Identifying biomarkers that can be associated with a particular condition provides an additional tool for diagnosis.


The Canadian Light Source is Canada's national centre for synchrotron research. Located at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, the CLS is a powerful tool for academic and industrial research in a wide variety of areas including environmental science, natural resources and energy, health and life sciences, and information and communications technology. CLS operations are funded by the Government of Canada, NSERC, NRC, CIHR, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan. For more information:

The University of Saskatchewan, located in the heart of Saskatoon, is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal, and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
