Detection and imaging the expression of the trans-membrane protein CD44 in RT112 cells by use of enzyme-labeled antibodies and SECM

Ultrasensitive Multiplex Imaging of Cell Surface Proteins via Core-Shell Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Nanoprobes

Cell surface proteins, as important components of biological membranes, cover a wide range of important markers of diseases and even cancers. In this regard, precise detection of their expression levels is of crucial importance for both cancer diagnosis and the development of responsive therapeutic strategies. Herein, a size-controlled core-shell Au@ Copper(II) benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Au@Cu-BTC) nanomaterial was synthesized for specific and simultaneous imaging of multiple protein expression levels on cell membranes. The porous shell of Cu-BTC constructed on Au nanoparticles enabled effective loading of Raman reporter molecules, followed by further modification of the targeting moieties, which equipped the nanoprobe with good specificity and stability. Additionally, given the flexibility of the types of Raman reporter molecules available for loading, the nanoprobes were also demonstrated with good multichannel imaging capabilities. Ultimately, the present strategy of electromagnetic and chemical dual Raman scattering enhancement was successfully applied for the simultaneous detection of varied proteins on cell surfaces with high sensitivity and accuracy. The proposed nanomaterial holds promising applications in biosensing and therapeutic fields, which could not only provide a general strategy for the synthesis of metal-organic framework-based core-shell surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanoprobes but also enable further utilization in multitarget and multichannel cell imaging.

Development of alkaline phosphatase-scFv and its use for one-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for His-tagged protein detection

A histidine (His)-tag is composed of six His residues and typically exerts little influence on the structure and solubility of expressed recombinant fusion proteins. Purification methods for recombinant proteins containing His-tags are relatively well-established, thus His-tags are widely used in protein recombination technology. We established a one-step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for His-tagged recombinant proteins. We analyzed variable heavy and light chains of the anti-His-tag monoclonal antibody 4C9 and used BLAST analyses to determine variable zones in light (VL) and heavy chains (VH). VH, VL, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) regions were connected via a linker sequence and ligated into the pGEX-4T-1 expression vector. Different recombinant proteins with His tags were used to evaluate and detect ALP-scFv activity. Antigen and anti-His-scFv-ALP concentrations for direct ELISA were optimized using the checkerboard method. ZIKV-NS1, CHIKV-E2, SCRV-N, and other His-tag fusion proteins demonstrated specific reactions with anti-His-scFv-ALP, which were accurate and reproducible when the antigen concentration was 50 µg mL−1 and the antibody concentration was 6.25 µg mL−1. For competitive ELISA, we observed a good linear relationship when coating concentrations of recombinant human anti-Müllerian hormone (hAMH) were between 0.78 and 12.5 µg mL−1. Our direct ELISA method is simple, rapid, and accurate. The scFv antibody can be purified using a prokaryotic expression system, which provides uniform product quality and reduces variations between batches.

Self-Assembling Peptide-Based Multifunctional Nanofibers for Electrochemical Identification of Breast Cancer Stem-like Cells

Cancer stem-like cells are closely related with the development and metastasis of tumors. Herein, an electrochemical method is proposed to identify stem-like cells in breast tumor. The core concept of the method is the use of multifunctional nanofibers (MNFs), which are synthesized through facile self-assembly of peptide probes. MNFs can perform three functions, specifically targeting surface biomarker to identify stem-like cells, recruiting silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to generate electrochemical signals, and providing large amounts of reaction sites to amplify signals. Specially, breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are first captured by nucleolin aptamer immobilized on the electrode surface and then selectively recognized by MNFs through the binding with CD44, thereby offering a large number of azide groups for signal labeling. By tracing electrochemical signals from MNF-recruited AgNPs, the method demonstrates to detect target cells as low as 6 cells/mL within a wide linear range from 10 to 5 × 10⁵ cells/mL. Moreover, the method can not only recognize BCSCs with high selectivity in complex environment but also monitor drug-induced stemness changes with high sensitivity, providing promising prospective clinic applications in the future.

Recent Advances in Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy for Biological Applications

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a chemical microscopy technique with high spatial resolution for imaging sample topography and mapping specific chemical species in liquid environments. With the development of smaller, more sensitive ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs) and more precise computer-controlled measurements, SECM has been widely used to study biological systems over the past three decades. Recent methodological breakthroughs have popularized SECM as a tool for investigating molecular-level chemical reactions. The most common applications include monitoring and analyzing the biological processes associated with enzymatic activity and DNA, and the physiological activity of living cells and other microorganisms. The present article first introduces the basic principles of SECM, followed by an updated review of the applications of SECM in biological studies on enzymes, DNA, proteins, and living cells. Particularly, the potential of SECM for investigating bacterial and biofilm activities is discussed.

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM): Fundamentals and Applications in Life Sciences

In recent years, scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) has made significant contributions to the life sciences. Innovative developments focusing on high-resolution imaging, developing novel operation modes, and combining SECM with complementary optical or scanning probe techniques renders SECM an attractive analytical approach. This chapter gives an introduction to the essential instrumentation and operation principles of SECM for studying biologically-relevant systems. Particular emphasis is given to applications aimed at imaging the activity of biochemical constituents such as enzymes, antibodies, and DNA, which play a pivotal role in biomedical diagnostics. Furthermore, the unique advantages of SECM and combined techniques for studying live cells is highlighted by discussion of selected examples.

A sensitive and selective magnetic graphene composite-modified polycrystalline-silicon nanowire field-effect transistor for bladder cancer diagnosis

In this study, we describe the urinary quantification of apolipoprotein A II protein (APOA2 protein), a biomarker for the diagnosis of bladder cancer, using an n-type polycrystalline silicon nanowire field-effect transistor (poly-SiNW-FET). The modification of poly-SiNW-FET by magnetic graphene with long-chain acid groups (MGLA) synthesized via Friedel-Crafts acylation was compared with that obtained using short-chain acid groups (MGSA). Compared with MGSA, the MGLA showed a higher immobilization degree and bioactivity to the anti-APOA2 antibody (Ab) due to its lower steric hindrance. In addition, the magnetic properties enabled rapid separation and purification during Ab immobilization, ultimately preserving its bioactivity. The Ab-MGLA/poly-SiNW-FET exhibited a linear dependence of relative response to the logarithmical concentration in a range between 19.5pgmL(-1) and 1.95µgmL(-1), with a limit of detection (LOD) of 6.7pgmL(-1). An additional washing step before measurement aimed at excluding the interfering biocomponents ensured the reliability of the assay. We conclude that our biosensor efficiently distinguishes mean values of urinary APOA2 protein concentrations between patients with bladder cancer (29-344ngmL(-1)) and those with hernia (0.425-9.47ngmL(-1)).