A Novel Label-free Chronoamperometric Immunosensor Based on a Biocomposite Material for Rapid Detection of Carcinoembryonic Antigen

In this research, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)-capped gold nanoparticles, nickel ferrite particles, and carbon nanotubes were combined to form a PANC metal composite. The prepared metal composite modified onto a glassy carbon electrode was electropolymerized with poly(o-phenylenediamine) and immobilized with horseradish peroxidase, anti-carcinoembryonic antigen antibody, and bovine serum albumin to create the label-free immunosensors for rapid detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) using chronoamperometry. This developed biocomposite material modified onto a glassy carbon electrode presented an excellent electrocatalytic response to the redox reaction of hydrogen peroxide as a sensing probe, from which the kinetic parameters including of a charge transfer rate constant, a diffusion coefficient value, an electroactive surface area, and a surface concentration were calculated to be 1.85 s⁻¹, 4.28×10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹, 0.14 cm² and 1.87×10⁻⁸ mol cm⁻², respectively. The developed immunosensors also exhibited a wide linear range of CEA concentration from 0.01 to 25 ng mL⁻¹ with high sensitivity (96.21 μA cm⁻² ng⁻¹ mL) and low detection limit (0.72 pg mL⁻¹), excellent selectivity without interfering effects from possible species (amoxicillin, ascorbic acid, aspirin, caffeine, cholesterol, dopamine, glucose, and uric acid), outstanding stability (n=100, %I>50 %), repeatability (%RSD=0.34, n=10), reproducibility (%RSD=4.06, n=10), and rapid analysis (25 s each operation time). This proposed method was successfully applied for CEA detection in whole blood samples with satisfactory results, suggesting that this developed sensing platform may be considered to be exploited for fabrication of other label-free electrochemical immunosensors for the real sample analysis.     

A Review of Bacteriochlorophyllides: Chemical Structures and Applications

Generally, bacteriochlorophyllides were responsible for the photosynthesis in bacteria. Seven types of bacteriochlorophyllides have been disclosed. Bacteriochlorophyllides a/b/g could be synthesized from divinyl chlorophyllide a. The other bacteriochlorophyllides c/d/e/f could be synthesized from chlorophyllide a. The chemical structure and synthetic route of bacteriochlorophyllides were summarized in this review. Furthermore, the potential applications of bacteriochlorophyllides in photosensitizers, immunosensors, influence on bacteriochlorophyll aggregation, dye-sensitized solar cell, heme synthesis and for light energy harvesting simulation were discussed.     

基于Ru@SiO_2的微囊藻毒素电化学发光免疫传感器研究

本研究在玻碳电极(GCE)表面电沉积金纳米粒子(Au NPs),通过化学吸附将微囊藻毒素-(亮氨酸-精氨酸)(MC-LR)的单克隆抗体(anti-MC-LR)固定在电沉积了Au NPs的玻碳电极表面,以牛血清白蛋白(BSA)封闭非特异性吸附位点,制得免疫电极anti-MC-LR/Au NPs/GCE。采用微乳化法制备了掺杂三(2,2'-联二吡啶)钌(Ⅱ)配合物离子(Ru(bpy)2+3)的二氧化硅纳米粒子(Ru@SiO2),利用透射电镜和扫描电镜对所制备的纳米粒子进行表征。3-氨基丙基三乙氧基硅烷(APTS)进一步与Ru@SiO2反应,制得氨基功能化的Ru@SiO2,通过1-(3-二甲氨基丙基)-3-乙基碳二亚胺(EDC)和N-羟基琥珀酰亚胺(NHS)活化辣根过氧化物酶标记的MC-LR(HRP-MC-LR),并使其与氨基功能化的Ru@SiO2偶联,制得MC-LR-Ru@SiO2。采用直接竞争模式,在标记物MC-LR-Ru@SiO2存在下,以三丙胺作为共反应物,利用电化学发光法(ECL)测定溶液中的微囊藻毒素,免疫反应完成后,电化学发光强度(I)随着MC-LR浓度的增大而减小,且在0.100~100μg/L范围内,电化学发光强度差值(ΔI)与游离的MC-LR浓度的对数呈良好线性关系,检出限为0.007μg/L。对实际水样进行了加标回收实验,回收率为95.5%~105%。     

Label-free immunosensor for monitoring vitellogenin as a biomarker for exogenous oestrogen compounds in amphibian species

A label-free, optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy based immunosensor was developed for frog (Bombina orientalis) vitellogenin (Vtg) determination in biological samples as a biomarker for exogenous oestrogen compounds. Antibody against Vtg was produced in rabbits immunised with purified lipovitellin (Lpv), a precursor of Vtg, from the homogenised ovary of oriental fire-bellied toads (B. orientalis). The purified protein and Lpv/Vtg-specific serum were applied in both competitive and direct immunoassay formats using optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy immunosensor. When measuring Vtg in direct manner, the Lpv antibody (1.76 µg mL^?1) was immobilised on the sensor surface, and the linear measuring range for Vtg was 0.1–10 µg mL^?1. During the competitive measurement, 100 ng mL^?1 Lpv was applied for the immobilisation. The linear measuring range for Vtg was 0.5–50 ng mL^?1. We studied the relative substrate specificity of the antibody, and it was concluded that the method is suitable for the sensitive and selective determination of Vtg levels in toads. Heart, liver and gonad samples from male animals were spiked with Vtg and were analysed using the newly developed method, and female toads and spawn samples were tested and compared to the calibration curve obtained by the spiked samples.     

Picogram-detection of estradiol at an electrochemical immunosensor with a gold nanoparticle|Protein G-(LC-SPDP)-scaffold

Low picograms of the hormone 17β-estradiol were detected at an electrochemical immunosensor. This immunosensor features a gold nanoparticle|Protein G-(LC-SPDP)¹-scaffold, to which a monoclonal anti-estradiol capture antibody was immobilised to facilitate a competitive immunoassay between sample 17β-estradiol and a horseradish peroxidase-labelled 17β-estradiol conjugate. Upon constructing this molecular architecture on a disposable gold electrode in a flow cell, amperometry was conducted to monitor the reduction current of benzoquinone produced from a catalytic reaction of horseradish peroxidase. This current was then quantitatively related to 17β-estradiol present in a sample. Calibration of immunosensors in blood serum samples spiked with 17β-estradiol yielded a linear response up to ∼1200 pg mL⁻¹, a sensitivity of 0.61 μA/pg mL⁻¹ and a detection limit of 6 pg mL⁻¹. We attribute these favourable characteristics of the immunosensors to the gold nanoparticle|Protein G-(LC-SPDP) scaffold, where the gold nanoparticles provided a large electrochemically active surface area that permits immobilisation of an enhanced quantity of all components of the molecular architecture, while the Protein G-(LC-SPDP) component aided in not only reducing steric hindrance when Protein G binds to the capture antibody, but also providing an orientation-controlled immobilisation of the capture antibody. Coupled with amperometric detection in a flow system, the immunosensor exhibited excellent reproducibility.     

Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Immunosensor for Detection of Tumor Necrosis Factor‐α Based on Functionalized MWCNT‐Gold Nanoparticle/Ionic Liquid Nanocomposite

A novel and highly sensitive electrochemical immunosensor was developed for the detection of protein biomarker tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) based on immobilization of TNF‐α‐antibody (anti‐TNF‐α) onto robust nanocomposite containing gold nanoparticles (AuNP), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and ionic liquid (1‐buthyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide). Functionalized MWCNT‐gold nanoparticle was produced by one‐step synthesis based on the direct redox reaction. The electrochemical properties of nanocomposite were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The anti‐TNF‐α was immobilized or entrapped in the nanocomposite and used in a sandwich type complex immunoassay with anti‐TNF‐α labeled with horseradish peroxidase as secondary antibody. Under optimum conditions, the immunosensor could detect TNF‐α in a linear range from 6.0 to 100 pg mL^?1 with a low detection limit of 2.0 pg mL^?1. The simple fabrication method, high sensitivity, good reproducibility, stability, as well as acceptable accuracy for TNF‐α detection in human serum samples are the main advantages of this immunosensor, which might have broad applications in protein diagnostics and bioassay.     

Electrochemical Immunosensors for the Rapid Screening of Cystic Fibrosis and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) are well characterized progressive inherited diseases associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the early, rapid and affordable diagnosis of these disorders through newborn screening is highly important for the appropriate management. Here, we report label‐free impedance immunosensors for the simple screening of CF and DMD through the detection of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein fragment and a peptide sequence for dystrophin (DMD). The biosensors were constructed by the covalent immobilization of specific antibodies for CFTR and DMD on standard gold (Au) electrodes. The immunosensors response was measured based on the change in the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) signals after binding with the peptides. The specific recognition of the immunosensor surfaces to the target antigens leads to retardation of the access of ferri‐ferrocyanide redox molecules to the surface and thus, enhances the charge transfer resistance (R_ct). These impedimetric immunosensors enabled sensitive, fast, selective and accurate estimation of CFTR and DMD levels within a linear range from 1.0 pg/mL to 1 μg/mL and 1.0 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL with lower detection limits of 0.8 and 0.7 pg/mL for CFTR and DMD, respectively. Moreover, the immunosensors were tested for the detection of CFTR and DMD in human serum showing very good agreement with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). This work represents a novel low cost analytical method that aims to satisfy the unmet public health need in the early diagnosis of CF and DMD and can be extended to detect other hereditary disorders.     

A reagentless electrochemiluminescent immunosensor for apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 detection based on the new Ru(bpy)3/bi-arginine system

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE-1), a kind of multifunctional protein widely-distributed in the body, plays an essential role in the DNA base excision repair and serves as multiple possible roles in the response of human cancer to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this work, an ultrasensitive solid-state electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor is designed to determine APE-1 based on the new Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/bi-arginine system. The bi-arginine (bi-Arg) is decorated on the Au nanoparticles functionalized magnetic Fe₃O₄/reduced graphene oxide (bi-Arg/Au@Fe₃O₄–rGO) according to the self-assembling and covalent cross-linking interaction to obtain the functionalized nanocomposite of bi-Arg/Au@Fe₃O₄–rGO. Herein, the bi-Arg/Au@Fe₃O₄–rGO plays not only an amplification label to enhance the ECL signal of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ due to the coreactant of bi-Arg but also an ideal nanocarrier to load numerous secondary antibody. Based on sandwich-type immunoassay format, this proposed method offers a linear range of 1.0 fg mL⁻¹–5.0 pg mL⁻¹ and an estimated detection limit of 0.3 fg mL⁻¹ for the APE-1. Moreover, the reagentless ECL immunosensor also exhibits high sensitivity, excellent selectivity and good stability, which has greatly potential development and application in clinical diagnostics, immunology and biomedical research.     

Electrochemical Immunosensors: The Evolution from Elisa to EμPADs

Electrochemical immunosensors comprise the merging of two different disciplines: molecular biology and electrochemistry. This review explains in depth the main parts of electrochemical immunosensors and how the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been integrated into sophisticated “lab-on-a-chip” and “point-of-care” devices. It also reviews how nanotechnology has been a powerful tool for achieving lower detection limits, more signal amplification, and constructing label-free devices. It finally explores the new perspectives on electrochemical immunosensors to integrate them in novel paper microfluidic devices called EμPADs. Colleagues introducing themselves to the topic for the first time will find in this review a comprehensive revision of how the basics of the technology have given rise to the emerging topic of EμPADs.