Ultrasensitive, high-throughput and multiple cancer biomarkers simultaneous detection in serum based on graphene oxide quantum dots integrated microfluidic biosensing platform

Diagnosis and treatment status of inoperable locally advanced breast cancer and the application value of inorganic nanomaterials

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is a heterogeneous group of breast cancer that accounts for 10-30% of breast cancer cases. Despite the ongoing development of current treatment methods, LABC remains a severe and complex public health concern around the world, thus prompting the urgent requirement for innovative diagnosis and treatment strategies. The primary treatment challenges are inoperable clinical status and ineffective local control methods. With the rapid advancement of nanotechnology, inorganic nanoparticles (INPs) exhibit a potential application prospect in diagnosing and treating breast cancer. Due to the unique inherent characteristics of INPs, different functions can be performed via appropriate modifications and constructions, thus making them suitable for different imaging technology strategies and treatment schemes. INPs can improve the efficacy of conventional local radiotherapy treatment. In the face of inoperable LABC, INPs have proposed new local therapeutic methods and fostered the evolution of novel strategies such as photothermal and photodynamic therapy, magnetothermal therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and multifunctional inorganic nanoplatform. This article reviews the advances of INPs in local accurate imaging and breast cancer treatment and offers insights to overcome the existing clinical difficulties in LABC management.

Efficient EVs separation and detection by an alumina-nanochannel-array-membrane integrated microfluidic chip and an antibody barcode biochip

BACKGROUND

Small endosome-derived lipid nanovesicles (30-200 nm) are actively secreted by living cells and serve as pivotal biomarkers for early cancer diagnosis. However, the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) requires isolation and purification from various body fluids. Although traditional EVs isolation and detection technologies are mature, they usually require large amount of sample, consumes long-time, and have relatively low-throughput. How to efficiently isolate, purify and detect these structurally specific EVs from body fluids with high-throughput remains a great challenge in in vitro diagnostics and clinical research.

RESULTS

Herein, we suggest a nanosized microfluidic device for efficient and economical EVs filtration based on an alumina nanochannel array membrane. We evaluated the filtration device performance of alumina membranes with different diameters and found that an optimized chamber array with a hydrophilic-treated channel diameter of 90 nm could realize a filtration efficiency of up to 82% without any assistance from chemical or physical separation methods. Importantly, by integrating meticulously designed multichannel microfluidic biochips, EVs can be captured in-situ and monitored by antibody barcode biochip. The proposed filtration chip together with the high-throughput detection chip were capable of filtration of a few tens of μL samples and recognition of different phonotypes. The practical filtration and detection of EVs from clinical samples demonstrated the high performance of the device.

SIGNIFICANT

Overall, this work provides a cost-effective, highly efficient and automated EVs filtration chip and detection dual-function integrated chip platform, which can directly separate EVs from serum or cerebrospinal fluid with an efficiency of 82% and conduct in-situ detection. This small fluidic device can provide a powerful tool for highly efficient identifying and analyzing EVs, presenting great application potential in clinical detection.

Tumor diagnosis using carbon-based quantum dots: Detection based on the hallmarks of cancer

Carbon-based quantum dots (CQDs) have been shown to have promising application value in tumor diagnosis. Their use, however, is severely hindered by the complicated nature of the nanostructures in the CQDs. Furthermore, it seems impossible to formulate the mechanisms involved using the inadequate theoretical frameworks that are currently available for CQDs. In this review, we re-consider the structure-property relationships of CQDs and summarize the current state of development of CQDs-based tumor diagnosis based on biological theories that are fully developed. The advantages and deficiencies of recent research on CQDs-based tumor diagnosis are thus explained in terms of the manifestation of nine essential changes in cell physiology. This review makes significant progress in addressing related problems encountered with other nanomaterials.

The Roadmap of 2D Materials and Devices Toward Chips

Due to the constraints imposed by physical effects and performance degradation, silicon-based chip technology is facing certain limitations in sustaining the advancement of Moore's law. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as highly promising candidates for the post-Moore era, offering significant potential in domains such as integrated circuits and next-generation computing. Here, in this review, the progress of 2D semiconductors in process engineering and various electronic applications are summarized. A careful introduction of material synthesis, transistor engineering focused on device configuration, dielectric engineering, contact engineering, and material integration are given first. Then 2D transistors for certain electronic applications including digital and analog circuits, heterogeneous integration chips, and sensing circuits are discussed. Moreover, several promising applications (artificial intelligence chips and quantum chips) based on specific mechanism devices are introduced. Finally, the challenges for 2D materials encountered in achieving circuit-level or system-level applications are analyzed, and potential development pathways or roadmaps are further speculated and outlooked.

Microfluidic Platforms for Real-Time In Situ Monitoring of Biomarkers for Cellular Processes

Cellular processes are mechanisms carried out at the cellular level that are aimed at guaranteeing the stability of the organism they comprise. The investigation of cellular processes is key to understanding cell fate, understanding pathogenic mechanisms, and developing new therapeutic technologies. Microfluidic platforms are thought to be the most powerful tools among all methodologies for investigating cellular processes because they can integrate almost all types of the existing intracellular and extracellular biomarker-sensing methods and observation approaches for cell behavior, combined with precisely controlled cell culture, manipulation, stimulation, and analysis. Most importantly, microfluidic platforms can realize real-time in situ detection of secreted proteins, exosomes, and other biomarkers produced during cell physiological processes, thereby providing the possibility to draw the whole picture for a cellular process. Owing to their advantages of high throughput, low sample consumption, and precise cell control, microfluidic platforms with real-time in situ monitoring characteristics are widely being used in cell analysis, disease diagnosis, pharmaceutical research, and biological production. This review focuses on the basic concepts, recent progress, and application prospects of microfluidic platforms for real-time in situ monitoring of biomarkers in cellular processes.

Combining Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Neurofilament Light Chain for the Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent brain disorder affecting more than 2% of the world's population. Due to the lack of well-specific biomarkers, it is difficult to distinguish MDD from other diseases with similar clinical symptoms (such as Alzheimer's disease and cerebral thrombosis). In this work, we provided a strategy to address this issue by constructing a combinatorial biomarker of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofilament light chain (NFL). To achieve the convenient and sensitive detection of two proteins, we developed an electrochemical immunosandwich sensor using two metal-ion-doped carbon dots (Pb-CDs and Cu-CDs) as probes for signal output. Each probe contains approximately 300 Pb2+ or 200 Cu2+, providing excellent signal amplification. This method achieved detection limits of 0.3 pg mL-1 for GFAP and 0.2 pg mL-1 for NFL, lower than most of the reported detection limits. Analysis of real serum samples showed that the concentration ratio of GFAP to NFL, which is associated with the relative degree of brain inflammation and neurodegeneration, is suitable for not only distinguishing MDD from healthy individuals but also specifically distinguishing MDD from Alzheimer's disease and cerebral thrombosis. The good specificity gives the combinatorial GFAP/NFL biomarker broad application prospects in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of MDD.

A Review on Graphene Analytical Sensors for Biomarker-based Detection of Cancer

The engineering of nanoscale materials has broadened the scope of nanotechnology in a restricted functional system. Today, significant priority is given to immediate health diagnosis and monitoring tools for point-of-care testing and patient care. Graphene, as a one-atom carbon compound, has the potential to detect cancer biomarkers and its derivatives. The atom-wide graphene layer specialises in physicochemical characteristics, such as improved electrical and thermal conductivity, optical transparency, and increased chemical and mechanical strength, thus making it the best material for cancer biomarker detection. The outstanding mechanical, electrical, electrochemical, and optical properties of two-dimensional graphene can fulfil the scientific goal of any biosensor development, which is to develop a more compact and portable point-of-care device for quick and early cancer diagnosis. The bio-functionalisation of recognised biomarkers can be improved by oxygenated graphene layers and their composites. The significance of graphene that gleans its missing data for its high expertise to be evaluated, including the variety in surface modification and analytical reports. This review provides critical insights into graphene to inspire research that would address the current and remaining hurdles in cancer diagnosis.

Graphene oxide nanoarchitectures in cancer therapy: Drug and gene delivery, phototherapy, immunotherapy, and vaccine development

The latest advancements in oncology involves the creation of multifunctional nanostructures. The integration of nanoparticles into the realm of cancer therapy has brought about a transformative shift, revolutionizing the approach to addressing existing challenges and limitations in tumor elimination. This is particularly crucial in combating the emergence of resistance, which has significantly undermined the effectiveness of treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy. GO stands as a carbon-derived nanoparticle that is increasingly finding utility across diverse domains, notably in the realm of biomedicine. The utilization of GO nanostructures holds promise in the arena of oncology, enabling precise transportation of drugs and genetic material to targeted sites. GO nanomaterials offer the opportunity to enhance the pharmacokinetic behavior and bioavailability of drugs, with documented instances of these nanocarriers elevating drug accumulation at the tumor location. The GO nanostructures encapsulate genes, shielding them from degradation and facilitating their uptake within cancer cells, thereby promoting efficient gene silencing. The capability of GO to facilitate phototherapy has led to notable advancements in reducing tumor progression. By PDT and PTT combination, GO nanomaterials hold the capacity to diminish tumorigenesis. GO nanomaterials have the potential to trigger both cellular and innate immunity, making them promising contenders for vaccine development. Additionally, types of GO nanoparticles that respond to specific stimuli have been applied in cancer eradication, as well as for the purpose of cancer detection and biomarker diagnosis. Endocytosis serves as the mechanism through which GO nanomaterials are internalized. Given these advantages, the utilization of GO nanomaterials for tumor elimination comes highly recommended.

Mapping the Potential of Microfluidics in Early Diagnosis and Personalized Treatment of Head and Neck Cancers

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) account for ~4% of all cancers in North America and encompass cancers affecting the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, sinuses, nasal cavity, and salivary glands. The anatomical complexity of the head and neck region, characterized by highly perfused and innervated structures, presents challenges in the early diagnosis and treatment of these cancers. The utilization of sub-microliter volumes and the unique phenomenon associated with microscale fluid dynamics have facilitated the development of microfluidic platforms for studying complex biological systems. The advent of on-chip microfluidics has significantly impacted the diagnosis and treatment strategies of HNC. Sensor-based microfluidics and point-of-care devices have improved the detection and monitoring of cancer biomarkers using biological specimens like saliva, urine, blood, and serum. Additionally, tumor-on-a-chip platforms have allowed the creation of patient-specific cancer models on a chip, enabling the development of personalized treatments through high-throughput screening of drugs. In this review, we first focus on how microfluidics enable the development of an enhanced, functional drug screening process for targeted treatment in HNCs. We then discuss current advances in microfluidic platforms for biomarker sensing and early detection, followed by on-chip modeling of HNC to evaluate treatment response. Finally, we address the practical challenges that hinder the clinical translation of these microfluidic advances.

Overcoming Debye length limitations: Three-dimensional wrinkled graphene field-effect transistor for ultra-sensitive adenosine triphosphate detection

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is closely related to the pathogenesis of certain diseases, so the detection of trace ATP is of great significance to disease diagnosis and drug development. Graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) have been proven to be a promising platform for the rapid and accurate detection of small molecules, while the Debye shielding limits the sensitive detection in real samples. Here, a three-dimensional wrinkled graphene field-effect transistor (3D WG-FET) biosensor for ultra-sensitive detection of ATP is demonstrated. The lowest detection limit of 3D WG-FET for analyzing ATP is down to 3.01 aM, which is much lower than the reported results. In addition, the 3D WG-FET biosensor shows a good linear electrical response to ATP concentrations in a broad range of detection from 10 aM to 10 pM. Meanwhile, we achieved ultra-sensitive (LOD: 10 aM) and quantitative (range from 10 aM to 100 fM) measurements of ATP in human serum. The 3D WG-FET also exhibits high specificity. This work may provide a novel approach to improve the sensitivity for the detection of ATP in complex biological matrix, showing a broad application value for early clinical diagnosis and food health monitoring.

Electronic supplementary materials

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11467-023-1281-7 and https://journal.hep.com.cn/fop/EN/10.1007/s11467-023-1281-7.

Highly Stable InSe-FET Biosensor for Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Breast Cancer Biomarker CA125

Two-dimensional materials-based field-effect transistors (FETs) are promising biosensors because of their outstanding electrical properties, tunable band gap, high specific surface area, label-free detection, and potential miniaturization for portable diagnostic products. However, it is crucial for FET biosensors to have a high electrical performance and stability degradation in liquid environments for their practical application. Here, a high-performance InSe-FET biosensor is developed and demonstrated for the detection of the CA125 biomarker in clinical samples. The InSe-FET is integrated with a homemade microfluidic channel, exhibiting good electrical stability during the liquid channel process because of the passivation effect on the InSe channel. The InSe-FET biosensor is capable of the quantitative detection of the CA125 biomarker in breast cancer in the range of 0.01-1000 U/mL, with a detection time of 20 min. This work provides a universal detection tool for protein biomarker sensing. The detection results of the clinical samples demonstrate its promising application in early screenings of major diseases.

Multiple Biomarker Simultaneous Detection in Serum via a Nanomaterial-Functionalized Biosensor for Ovarian Tumor/Cancer Diagnosis

Ovarian tumors/cancers are threatening women's health worldwide, which demands high-performance detection methods and accurate strategies to effectively detect, diagnose and treat them. Here, we report a nanographene oxide particle-functionalized microfluidic fluorescence biosensor to simultaneously detect four biomarkers, CA125, HE4, CEA and APF, for ovarian tumor/cancer diagnosis. The developed biosensor exhibits good selectivity and a large biomarker detection range with a limit of detection of 0.01 U/mL for CA125 and ~1 pg/mL for HE4, CEA and APF. The current results indicate that (1) the proposed biosensor is a promising tool for the simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers in ovarian tumors/cancer and (2) CA125 and HE4 are strong indicators, AFP may be helpful, and CEA is a weak biomarker for ovarian tumor/cancer diagnosis. The proposed biosensor would be a potential tool, and an analytical approach for the simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers will provide a new strategy for the early screening, diagnosis and treatment of ovarian tumors/cancers, as well as other cancers.

Poly-l-Lysine-Modified Graphene Field-Effect Transistor Biosensors for Ultrasensitive Breast Cancer miRNAs and SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection

(Mi)RNAs are important biomarkers for cancers diagnosis and pandemic diseases, which require fast, ultrasensitive, and economical detection strategies to quantitatively detect exact (mi)RNAs expression levels. The novel coronavirus disease (SARS-CoV-2) has been breaking out globally, and RNA detection is the most effective way to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive poly-l-lysine (PLL)-functionalized graphene field-effect transistor (PGFET) biosensor for breast cancer miRNAs and viral RNA detection. PLL is functionalized on the channel surface of GFET to immobilize DNA probes by the electrostatic force. The results show that PGFET biosensors can achieve a (mi)RNA detection range of five orders with a detection limit of 1 fM and an entire detection time within 20 min using 2 μL of human serum and throat swab samples, which exhibits more than 113% enhancement in terms of sensitivity compared to that of GFET biosensors. The performance enhancement mechanisms of PGFET biosensors were comprehensively studied based on an electrical biosensor theoretical model and experimental results. In addition, the PGFET biosensor was applied for the breast cancer miRNA detection in actual serum samples and SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in throat swab samples, providing a promising approach for rapid cancer diagnosis and virus screening.

Microfluidic Biosensor-Based Devices for Rapid Diagnosis and Effective Anti-cancer Therapeutic Monitoring for Breast Cancer Metastasis

Breast cancer with unpredictable metastatic recurrence is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Early cancer detection and optimized therapy are the principal determining factors for increased survival rate. Worldwide, researchers and clinicians are in search of efficient strategies for the timely management of cancer progression. Efficient preclinical models provide information on cancer initiation, malignancy progression, relapse, and drug efficacy. The distinct histopathological features and clinical heterogeneity allows no single model to mimic breast tumor. However, engineering three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models incorporating cells and biophysical cues using a combination of organoid culture, 3D printing, and microfluidic technology could recapitulate the tumor microenvironment. These models serve to be preferable predictive models bridging the translational research gap in drug development. Microfluidic device is a cost-effective advanced in vitro model for cancer research, diagnosis, and drug assay under physiologically relevant conditions. Integrating a biosensor with microfluidics allows rapid real-time analytical validation to provide highly sensitive, specific, reproducible, and reliable outcomes. In this manner, the multi-system approach in identifying biomarkers associated with cancer facilitates early detection, therapeutic window optimization, and post-treatment evaluation.This chapter showcases the advancements related to in vitro breast cancer metastasis models focusing on microfluidic devices. The chapter aims to provide an overview of microfluidic biosensor-based devices for cancer detection and high-throughput chemotherapeutic drug screening.

Graphene oxide-graphene Van der Waals heterostructure transistor biosensor for SARS-CoV-2 protein detection

The current outbreaking of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic threatens global health and has caused serious concern. Currently there is no specific drug against SARS-CoV-2, therefore, a fast and accurate diagnosis method is an urgent need for the diagnosis, timely treatment and infection control of COVID-19 pandemic. In this work, we developed a field effect transistor (FET) biosensor based on graphene oxide-graphene (GO/Gr) van der Waals heterostructure for selective and ultrasensitive SARS-CoV-2 proteins detection. The GO/Gr van der Waals heterostructure was in-situ formed in the microfluidic channel through π-π stacking. The developed biosensor is capable of SARS-CoV-2 proteins detection within 20 min in the large dynamic range from 10 fg/mL to 100 pg/mL with the limit of detection of as low as ∼8 fg/mL, which shows ∼3 × sensitivity enhancement compared with Gr-FET biosensor. The performance enhancement mechanism was studied based on the transistor-based biosensing theory and experimental results, which is mainly attributed to the enhanced SARS-CoV-2 capture antibody immobilization density due to the introduction of the GO layer on the graphene surface. The spiked SARS-CoV-2 protein samples in throat swab buffer solution were tested to confirm the practical application of the biosensor for SARS-CoV-2 proteins detection. The results indicated that the developed GO/Gr van der Waals heterostructure FET biosensor has strong selectivity and high sensitivity, providing a potential method for SARS-CoV-2 fast and accurate detection.

Mechanical Stress Induces a Transient Suppression of Cytokine Secretion in Astrocytes Assessed at the Single-Cell Level with a High-Throughput Microfluidic Chip

Brain cells are constantly subjected to mechanical signals. Astrocytes are the most abundant glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS), which display immunoreactivity and have been suggested as an emerging disease focus in the recent years. However, how mechanical signals regulate astrocyte immunoreactivity, and the cytokine release in particular, remains to be fully characterized. Here, human neural stem cells are used to induce astrocytes, from which the release of 15 types of cytokines are screened, and nine of them are detected using a protein microfluidic chip. When a gentle compressive force is applied, altered cell morphology and reinforced cytoskeleton are observed. The force induces a transient suppression of cytokine secretions including IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-8 in the early astrocytes. Further, using a multiplexed single-cell culture and protein detection microfluidic chip, the mechanical effects at a single-cell level are analyzed, which validates a concerted downregulation by force on IL-6 and MCP-1 secretions in the cells releasing both factors. This work demonstrates an original attempt of employing the protein detection microfluidic chips in the assessment of mechanical regulation on the brain cells at a single-cell resolution, offering novel approach and unique insights for the understanding of the CNS immune regulation.