Automated enzymatic assays in a renewable fashion using the multisyringe flow injection scheme with soluble enzymes

Real-time monitoring of Metridia luciferase release from cells upon interaction with model toxic substances by a fully automatic flow setup - A proof of concept

This manuscript reports on a fully automatic sequential injection system incorporating a 3D printed module for real-time monitoring of the release of Metridia luciferase from a modified liver epithelial cell line. To this end, a simple and effective approach for the automation of flash-type chemiluminescence assays was developed. The 3D printed module comprised an apical and a basal compartment that enabled monitoring membrane processes on both sides of the cell monolayer aimed at elucidating the direction of luciferase release. A natural release was observed after transfection with the luciferase plasmid by online measurement of the elicited light from the reaction of the synthesized luciferase with the coelenterazine substrate. Model substances for acute toxicity from the group of cholic acids - chenodeoxycholic and deoxycholic acids - were applied at the 1.0 and 0.5 mmol L^-1 levels. The tested cholic acids caused changes in cell membrane permeability that was accompanied by an increased luciferase release. The obtained kinetic profiles were evaluated based on the delay between the addition of the toxic substance and the increase of the chemiluminescence signal. All experiments were carried out in a fully automatic system in ca. 5 min per sample in 30 min intervals and no manual interventions were needed for a sampling period of at least 6 h.

Continuous-flow injection microfluidic thrombin assays: The effect of binding kinetics on observed enzyme inhibition

A microfluidic assay for monitoring the inhibition of thrombin peptidase activity was developed. The system, which utilised soluble reagents in continuous-flow injection mode, was configured so as to allow inhibitor titrations via gradient formation. This microfluidic continuous-flow injection titration assay (CFITA) enabled the potency of a set of small-molecule serine peptidase inhibitors (SPIs) to be evaluated. The results, compared to standard microtiter plate (MTP) data, indicated that a microfluidic CFITA provided an efficient and effective method for evaluating compound potency. Crucially, whereas for fast-acting compounds the rank order of potency between the CFITA and MTP methods was preserved, for slow-acting compounds the observed CFITA potencies were significantly lower. These results, in conjunction with data from computer simulations, clearly demonstrated that continuous-flow assays, and perhaps microfluidic assays in general, must take into account binding kinetics when used to assess reaction criteria.

Determination of glucose using a coupled-enzymatic reaction with new fluoride selective optical sensing polymeric film coated in microtiter plate wells

The determination of glucose in beverages is demonstrated using newly developed fluoride selective optical sensing polymeric film that contains aluminum (III) octaethylporphyrin (Al[OEP]) ionophore and the chromoionophore ETH7075 cast at the bottom of wells of a 96-well polypropylene microtiter plate. The method uses a dual enzymatic reaction involving glucose oxidase enzyme (GOD) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), along with an organofluoro-substrate (4-fluorophenol) as the source of fluoride ions. The concentration of fluoride ions after enzymatic reaction is directly proportional to the glucose level in the sample. The method has a detection limit of 0.8 mmol L(-1), a linear range of 0.9- 40 mmol L(-1) and a sensitivity of 0.125 absorbance unit/decade of glucose concentration. Glucose levels in several beverage samples determined using the proposed method correlate well with a reference spectrophotometric enzyme method based on detection of hydrogen peroxide using bromopyrogallol red dye (BPR). The new method can also be used to determine H(2)O(2) concentrations in the 0.1 - 50 mmol L(-1) range using a single enzymatic reaction involving H(2)O(2) oxidation of 4-fluorophenol catalyzed by HRP. The methodology could potentially be used to detect a wide range of substrates for which selective oxidase enzymes exist (to generate H(2)O(2)), with the high throughput of simple microtiter plate detection scheme.

Enzymatic chemiluminescent assay of glucose by sequential-injection analysis with soluble enzyme and on-line sample dilution

This work reports a sequential-injection analysis (SIA) method for the enzymatic assay of glucose with soluble glucose oxidase (GOD) and on-line sample dilution with chemiluminescence (CL) detection. A zone of sample was aspirated in the holding coil of the SIA manifold and, if necessary, was diluted on-line by means of an auxiliary dilution conduit. Then, a zone of GOD was aspirated adjacent to the sample zone and a stopped-flow period was applied to allow the enzymatic reaction to proceed with production of hydrogen peroxide. Then, zones of a catalyst (Co(II) solution) and alkaline luminol were aspirated into the holding coil. Finally, the flow was reversed and the stacked zones were sent to a flow-cell located in front of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) that monitored the CL intensity. The linear dynamic range was 1 x 10(-5)-1 x 10(-3) mol L(-1) glucose, the coefficient of variation at 8 x 10(-5) mol L(-1) of glucose was s(r)=3.1% (n=8), the limit of detection at the 3sigma level was c(L)= 1 x 10(-6) mol L(-1) and the sampling frequency was 28 h(-1). With on-line dilution by a factor of 1/200, the linear range could be extended up to 0.2 mol L(-1) glucose. The advantages of the proposed method are the simple manifold and instrumentation used, the scope for automated on-line dilution, the low consumption of sample and reagents and the elimination of enzyme immobilisation procedures. The method was applied to the analysis of commercial drinks and honey with percent relative errors in glucose determination in the range 100+/-6.1%.

Multisyringe Flow Injection Analysis: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives

In the present paper, the characteristics (apparatus, manifold design, and operation mode) of multi-syringe flow injection analysis systems are discussed and critically compared to those of flow injection analysis and sequential injection systems. Furthermore, a survey of applications proposed until the present moment is presented, with special emphasis on implementation of in-line sample treatment.

A fully automated sequential-injection analyser for dual electrogenerated chemiluminescence/amperometric detection

This work describes the development of a dedicated, fully automated sequential-injection analysis (SIA) apparatus suitable for simultaneous electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) and amperometric detection. The instrument is composed of a peristaltic pump, a multiposition selection valve, a home-made potentiostat, a thin-layer electrochemical/optical flow-through cell, and a light detector. Control of the experimental sequence and simultaneous data acquisition of the light and the current intensities were performed in LabVIEW6.1. The CL reagents and the sample were first aspirated as distinct zones into the holding coil of the analyser and, then, delivered to the cell; during their travel, the individual zones mixed and the ECL reaction was initiated as soon as the mixed regents reached the cell. The utility of the analyser was demonstrated for the detection of oxalate and H2O2 based on their ECL reactions with Ru(bpy)32 and luminol, respectively.

Silica-hemin Composite Nanoparticles as New Biocatalyst to Highly Sensitive Determination of Glucose in Human Serum

The preparation and utilization of a novel composite silica-hemin nanoparticles (CSHNs) as mimetic peroxidase are reported in this article. Experimental results showed that the composite nanoparticles had unique advantages over free hemin molecules in good stability and highly catalytic activity. By employing these nanoparticles as biocatalyst, we developed a new spectrofluorometric method for the determination of trace level glucose. The calibration graph for glucose was linear over the range 4.0 x 10(-7) mol/L - 7.0 x 10(-5) mol/L, with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-7) mol/L. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of glucose in serum samples and offers the advantages of being rapid, stable, sensitive, and renewable.