Electrochemical immunosensor for the determination of the cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in saliva

A simple, fast and sensitive amperometric immunosensing method for the determination of the clinically relevant cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in saliva complying the requirements demanded for this kind of sample is reported. The target analyte was sandwiched between a specific capture antibody covalently immobilized on a screen-printed electrode functionalized by the diazonium salt grafting of p-aminobenzoic acid, and a biotinylated detector antibody labeled with a streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate. The amperometric responses measured at - 0.20 V vs Ag pseudo-reference electrode upon addition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of hydroquinone as the redox mediator allowed a calibration plot with a linear range between 2.5 and 2000 pg mL^-1 and a low limit of detection (1.6 pg mL^-1) to be obtained. In addition, a good selectivity against other non-target proteins was achieved. The developed method was validated by analyzing a WHO 1st International Standard for IFN-γ. In addition, the immunosensor was used for the determination of the endogenous IFN-γ in saliva with results in excellent agreement with those obtained by a commercial ELISA kit.

Electrochemical biosensor for the simultaneous determination of rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in human serum

A dual electrochemical biosensor for the simultaneous determination of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCPA) autoantibodies used as biomarkers for the detection of rheumatoid arthritis autoimmune disease is developed.

Computationally Designed Peptides for Zika Virus Detection: An Incremental Construction Approach

Herein, and in contrast to current production of anti-Zika virus antibodies, we propose a semi-combinatorial virtual strategy to select short peptides as biomimetic antibodies/binding agents for the detection of intact Zika virus (ZIKV) particles. The virtual approach was based on generating different docking cycles of tetra, penta, hexa, and heptapeptide libraries by maximizing the discrimination between the amino acid motif in the ZIKV and dengue virus (DENV) envelope protein glycosylation site. Eight peptides, two for each length (tetra, penta, hexa, and heptapeptide) were then synthesized and tested vs. intact ZIKV particles by using a direct enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). As a reference, we employed a well-established anti-ZIKV antibody, the antibody 4G2. Three peptide-based assays had good detection limits with dynamic range starting from 10⁵ copies/mL of intact ZIKV particles; this was one order magnitude lower than the other peptides or antibodies. These three peptides showed slight cross-reactivity against the three serotypes of DENV (DENV-1, -2, and -3) at a concentration of 10⁶ copies/mL of intact virus particles, but the discrimination between the DENV and ZIKV was lost when the coating concentration was increased to 10⁷ copies/mL of the virus. The sensitivity of the peptides was tested in the presence of two biological matrices, serum and urine diluted 1:10 and 1:1, respectively. The detection limits decreased about one order of magnitude for ZIKV detection in serum or urine, albeit still having for two of the three peptides tested a distinct analytical signal starting from 10⁶ copies/mL, the concentration of ZIKV in acute infection.

Disposable Amperometric Immunosensor for the Detection of Adulteration in Milk through Single or Multiplexed Determination of Bovine, Ovine, or Caprine Immunoglobulins G

This paper reports the first immunoplatforms for the detection of adulteration in milk with milk or colostrum from other animals. The developed electrochemical bioplatforms allow the reliable determination of immunoglobulins G (IgGs) from cows, sheeps, or goats. They rely on sandwiching each animal species-specific IgGs with selective antibody pairs [unconjugated and conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)] onto magnetic microbeads (MBs) used as solid supports and amperometric transduction with the H₂O₂/hydroquinone (HQ) system at disposable electrodes. The immunoplatforms allow achieving limits of detection (LODs) of 0.74, 0.82, and 0.66 ng mL^-1 for bovine, ovine, and caprine IgGs, respectively, which are lower than those obtained with conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methodologies and in 2-5 times shorter time. The bioplatforms were successfully applied to the determination of the individual content of the target IgGs in milk samples of different animals (cow, sheep, and goat) and type (colostrum, raw, and pasteurized), without matrix effect and after just a sample dilution. They were also applied to the detection of adulteration with milks from other animals at levels below than those required by the European legislation (1.0%, v/v). The possibility to detect milk adulteration with colostrum using a strategy based on the measurement of the total content of the three target IgGs in raw milks is also demonstrated. Multiplexing platforms were constructed to be used in routine surveillance of milk. They are able to provide in a single run and in just 30 min relevant information regarding the milk sample including its animal origin, the undergone heat treatment, and whether it was adulterated with milk or colostrum from other species.

Copper(I)-Catalyzed Click Chemistry as a Tool for the Functionalization of Nanomaterials and the Preparation of Electrochemical (Bio)Sensors

Proper functionalization of electrode surfaces and/or nanomaterials plays a crucial role in the preparation of electrochemical (bio)sensors and their resulting performance. In this context, copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) has been demonstrated to be a powerful strategy due to the high yields achieved, absence of by-products and moderate conditions required both in aqueous medium and under physiological conditions. This particular chemistry offers great potential to functionalize a wide variety of electrode surfaces, nanomaterials, metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) and polymers, thus providing electrochemical platforms with improved electrocatalytic ability and allowing the stable, reproducible and functional integration of a wide range of nanomaterials and/or different biomolecules (enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids and peptides). Considering the rapid progress in the field, and the potential of this technology, this review paper outlines the unique features imparted by this particular reaction in the development of electrochemical sensors through the discussion of representative examples of the methods mainly reported over the last five years. Special attention has been paid to electrochemical (bio)sensors prepared using nanomaterials and applied to the determination of relevant analytes at different molecular levels. Current challenges and future directions in this field are also briefly pointed out.

Carbon Dots and Graphene Quantum Dots in Electrochemical Biosensing

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and carbon dots (CDs) are among the latest research frontiers in carbon-based nanomaterials. They provide interesting attributes to current electrochemical biosensing due to their intrinsic low toxicity, high solubility in many solvents, excellent electronic properties, robust chemical inertness, large specific surface area, abundant edge sites for functionalization, great biocompatibility, low cost, and versatility, as well as their ability for modification with attractive surface chemistries and other modifiers/nanomaterials. In this review article, the use of GQDs and CDs as signal tags or electrode surface modifiers to develop electrochemical biosensing strategies is critically discussed through the consideration of representative approaches reported in the last five years. The advantages and disadvantages arising from the use of GQDs and CDs in this context are outlined together with the still required work to fulfil the characteristics needed to achieve suitable electrochemical enzymatic and affinity biosensors with applications in the real world.

Pushing the limits of electrochemistry toward challenging applications in clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic action

Constant progress in the identification of biomarkers at different molecular levels in samples of different natures, and the need to conduct routine analyses, even in limited-resource settings involving simple and short protocols, are examples of the growing current clinical demands not satisfied by conventional available techniques. In this context, the unique features offered by electrochemical biosensors, including affordability, real-time and reagentless monitoring, simple handling and portability, and versatility, make them especially interesting for adaptation to the increasingly challenging requirements of current clinical and point-of-care (POC) diagnostics. This has allowed the continuous development of strategies with improved performance in the clinical field that were unthinkable just a few years ago. After a brief introduction to the types and characteristics of clinically relevant biomarkers/samples, requirements for their analysis, and currently available methodologies, this review article provides a critical discussion of the most important developments and relevant applications involving electrochemical biosensors reported in the last five years in response to the demands of current diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic actions related to high prevalence and high mortality diseases and disorders. Special attention is paid to the rational design of surface chemistry and the use/modification of state-of-the-art nanomaterials to construct electrochemical bioscaffolds with antifouling properties that can be applied to the single or multiplex determination of biomarkers of accepted or emerging clinical relevance in particularly complex clinical samples, such as undiluted liquid biopsies, whole cells, and paraffin-embedded tissues, which have scarcely been explored using conventional techniques or electrochemical biosensing. Key points guiding future development, challenges to be addressed to further push the limits of electrochemical biosensors towards new challenging applications, and their introduction to the market are also discussed.

Versatile Electroanalytical Bioplatforms for Simultaneous Determination of Cancer-Related DNA 5-Methyl- and 5-Hydroxymethyl-Cytosines at Global and Gene-Specific Levels in Human Serum and Tissues

This paper reports the preparation of versatile electrochemical biosensing platforms for the simple, rapid, and PCR-independent detection of the most frequent DNA methylation marks (5-methylcytosine, 5-mC, and/or 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-hmC) both at global and gene-specific levels. The implemented strategies, relying on the smart coupling of immuno-magnetic beads (MBs), specific DNA probes and amperometric detection at screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs), provided sensitive and selective determination of the target methylated DNAs in less than 90 min with a great reproducibility and demonstrated feasibility for the simultaneous detection of the same or different cytosine epimarks both at global level and in different loci of the same gene or in different genes. The bioplatforms were applied to determine global methylation events in paraffin-embedded colorectal tissues and specific methylation at promoters of tumor suppressor genes in genomic DNA extracted from cancer cells and paraffin-embedded colorectal tissues, and in serum without previous DNA extraction from cancer patients.

Antifouling (Bio)materials for Electrochemical (Bio)sensing

(Bio)fouling processes arising from nonspecific adsorption of biological materials (mainly proteins but also cells and oligonucleotides), reaction products of neurotransmitters oxidation, and precipitation/polymerization of phenolic compounds, have detrimental effects on reliable electrochemical (bio)sensing of relevant analytes and markers either directly or after prolonged incubation in rich-proteins samples or at extreme pH values. Therefore, the design of antifouling (bio)sensing interfaces capable to minimize these undesired processes is a substantial outstanding challenge in electrochemical biosensing. For this purpose, efficient antifouling strategies involving the use of carbon materials, metallic nanoparticles, catalytic redox couples, nanoporous electrodes, electrochemical activation, and (bio)materials have been proposed so far. In this article, biomaterial-based strategies involving polymers, hydrogels, peptides, and thiolated self-assembled monolayers are reviewed and critically discussed. The reported strategies have been shown to be successful to overcome (bio)fouling in a diverse range of relevant practical applications. We highlight recent examples for the reliable sensing of particularly fouling analytes and direct/continuous operation in complex biofluids or harsh environments. Opportunities, unmet challenges, and future prospects in this field are also pointed out.

Electrochemical Nucleic Acid-Based Biosensing of Drugs of Abuse and Pharmaceuticals

Background:

Studies on the interactions of DNA with small molecular drugs are currently performed both to explore their mechanism of action and to develop new drugs. Electrochemical biosensors offer a very promising alternative to more complex conventional techniques for drug determination due to rapidness, low cost, simplicity, high sensitivity and compatibility with use in different settings. In this review, selected electrochemical nucleic acid-based biosensing methods described so far for the determination of pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs are briefly overviewed, discussing their basics and main features. A section pointing out general conclusions and future directions in this field is also provided.

Results:

The 42 selected contributions described electrochemical platforms to determine drugs of interest by monitoring their specific interactions with nucleic acids (DNA and aptamers), DNA damage and specific DNA-protein interactions. The highlighted approaches reported the use of electrodes unmodified or modified with nanomaterials and/or polymers in which DNA-drug interaction was followed by electrochemical detection of DNA puric bases, active drug or diffusion-free markers, and monitoring changes in the surface layer morphology/permeability and charge transfer resistance using different electrochemical techniques.

Conclusion:

Although electrochemical nucleic acid biosensing approaches constitute an interesting option for drugs determination in terms of cost, simplicity and miniaturized instrumentation, validating exhaustively their performance in real samples against conventional methodologies and implementing them into portable and automatic high throughput devices, together with exploring novel electrode modifications with nanomaterials and polymers and studying in more detail their multiplexing ability for analysis of a large number of analytes, is still needed.

Determination of progesterone in saliva using an electrochemical immunosensor and a COTS-based portable potentiostat

This paper describes the reliable determination of progesterone (P4) in undiluted saliva making use of a disposable amperometric immunosensors implemented on low-cost and portable device/potentiostat constructed with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components. The immunosensor allows the fast (45 min), selective and sensitive determination (5 pg mL^-1 LOD) of P4 using amperometry in stirred solutions. The immunosensor was coupled to the COTS-based potentiostat and amperometry was made into drops of quiescent solutions. No significant differences were apparent between the analytical performance achieved with the immunosensor for P4 using both a conventional and the COST-based potentiostats. The practical applicability of the immunosensor coupled with the COTS-based potentiostat was demonstrated by determining the endogenous P4 content in different undiluted saliva samples with highly variable endogenous contents of the target hormone. The obtained results were in good agreement with those provided by the conventional ELISA methodology and with the contents reported in the literature for samples with similar characteristics. This validated the combined device for the reliable and minimally invasive determination of the target hormone involving a very simple protocol and taking only 45 min.

Disposable amperometric immunosensor for Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on carboxylated graphene oxide-modified electrodes

A sensitive and disposable amperometric immunosensor for Saccharomyces cerevisiae was constructed by using carbon screen-printed electrodes modified with propionic acid-functionalized graphene oxide as transduction element. The affinity-based biosensing interface was assembled by covalent immobilization of a specific polyclonal antibody on the carboxylate-enriched electrode surface via a water-soluble carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide coupling approach. A concanavalin A-peroxidase conjugate was further used as signaling element. The immunosensor allowed the amperometric detection of the yeast in buffer solution and white wine samples in the range of 10-10⁷ CFU/mL. This electroanalytical device also exhibited low detection limit and high selectivity, reproducibility, and storage stability. The immunosensor was successfully validated in spiked white wine samples.

Determination of Cadherin-17 in Tumor Tissues of Different Metastatic Grade Using a Single Incubation-Step Amperometric Immunosensor

This paper reports the development of an amperometric immunosensing platform for the determination of cadherin-17 (CDH-17), an atypical adhesion protein involved in the progression, metastatic potential, and survival of high prevalence gastric, hepatocellular, and colorectal tumors. The methodology developed relies on the efficient capture and enzymatic labeling of the target protein on the magnetic microparticles (MBs) surface using commercial antibodies and amperometric transduction at screen-printed carbon electrodes (SCPEs) through the HRP/H₂O₂/HQ system. The developed immunosensing platform allows the selective determination of the target protein at low ng mL^-1 level (LOD of 1.43 ng mL^-1) in 45 min and using a single incubation step. The electrochemical immunosensor was successfully used for the accurate determination of the target protein in a small amount (0.5 μg) of raw lysates of colon cancer cells with different metastatic potential as well as in extracts from paraffin embedded cancer colon tissues of different metastatic grade.

Amperometric Biosensing of miRNA-21 in Serum and Cancer Cells at Nanostructured Platforms Using Anti-DNA-RNA Hybrid Antibodies

This paper describes a disposable amperometric biosensor for simple and sensitive determination of miRNA-21. The bioplatform consists of gold nanoparticles-nanostructured electrode surfaces on which a direct hybridization assay involving the immobilization of a specific thiolated DNA capture probe and recognition of the formed DNA-miRNA-21 heteroduplex by a specific antibody is implemented. The antibody is further recognized through its Fc region by a commercial bacterial protein containing 40 units of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) (ProtA-polyHRP40). The amperometric detection of the hybridization process using the H₂O₂/hydroquinone system allows quantification of the target miRNA in the 0.096-25 pM linear range with a detection limit of 29 fM (0.29 amol in 10 μL of sample). The bioplatform offers excellent selectivity against noncomplementary sequences and very acceptable against sequences with an unpaired base (only 30% of the response obtained for the target miRNA). In addition, the bioplatform was shown to be useful for the determination of the endogenous content of the target oncomiR directly in blood serum from breast cancer patients and in breast cancer cells using only 10 ng of total extracted RNA.

Hairpin DNA-AuNPs as molecular binding elements for the detection of volatile organic compounds

Hairpin DNA (hpDNA) loops were used for the first time as molecular binding elements in gas analysis. The hpDNA loops sequences of unpaired bases were studied in-silico to evaluate the binding versus four chemical classes (alcohols, aldehydes, esters and ketones) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The virtual binding score trend was correlated to the oligonucleotide size and increased of about 25% from tetramer to hexamer. Two tetramer and pentamer and three hexamer loops were selected to test the recognition ability of the DNA motif. The selection was carried out trying to maximize differences among chemical classes in order to evaluate the ability of the sensors to work as an array. All oligonucleotides showed similar trends with best binding scores for alcohols followed by esters, aldehydes and ketones. The seven ssDNA loops (CCAG, TTCT, CCCGA, TAAGT, ATAATC, CATGTC and CTGCAA) were then extended with the same double helix stem of four base pair DNA (GAAG to 5' end and CTTC to 3' end) and covalently bound to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using a thiol spacer attached to 5' end of the hpDNA. HpDNA-AuNPs were deposited onto 20 MHz quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) to form the gas piezoelectric sensors. An estimation of relative binding affinities was obtained using different amounts of eight VOCs (ethanol, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, 1-pentanol, octanal, nonanal, ethyl acetate, ethyl octanoate, and butane-2,3-dione) representative of the four chemical classes. In agreement with the predicted simulation, hexamer DNA loops improved by two orders of magnitude the binding affinity highlighting the key role of the hpDNA loop size. Using the sensors as an array a clear discrimination of VOCs on the basis of molecular weight and functional groups was achieved, analyzing the experimental with principal components analysis (PCA) demonstrating that HpDNA is a promising molecular binding element for analysis of VOCs.