Principles of Sensorial Radical Detection-A Minireview

Development of a new biosensor for superoxide radicals

A superoxide dismutase (SOD) biosensor for determination of superoxide radicals has been developed by immobilization of superoxide dismutase within gelatin (G) on a Pt electrode surface. The properties of the biosensor have been investigated and optimum conditions-enzyme concentration, glutaraldehyde concentration, and pH-were determined. The response of the G-SOD biosensor was proportional to O2*- concentration and the detection limit was 0.01 mmol L(-1) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The biosensor retained 89% and 60% of its sensitivity after use for three and four weeks, respectively. Immobilization of SOD on gelatin provides a biocompatible microenvironment around the enzyme and stabilizes the activity of the enzyme very efficiently. The superoxide dismutase biosensor was used to determine the antioxidant properties of acetylsalicylic acid-based drugs and the anti-radical activity of healthy and cancerous human brain tissues.

Biosensors for real-time in vivo measurements

The current status of sensors capable of continuous measurement of analytes in biological media is reviewed. This review containing 173 references deals with devices whose use in single cells, tissue slices, animal models and humans has been demonstrated. In addition to sensors specific for glucose, lactate, glutamate, pyruvate, choline and acetylcholine, insights obtained from monitoring nitric oxide, Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), and dopamine are presented. Performance criteria for sensor performance are described as is the subject of biosensor calibration. Biocompatibility issues are dealt with in some detail as is the status of continuous blood glucose monitoring in humans.

Electrochemical control of protein monolayers at indium tin oxide surfaces for the reagentless optical biosensing of nitric oxide

Cytochrome c has been immobilized onto functionalized, optically transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes by covalent and electrostatic techniques. Covalent immobilization was achieved by the formation of a disulfide bond between N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate-(SPDP-) modified cytochrome c and SPDP-silanized ITO. Additionally, ITO electrodes have been modified with the bifunctional reagent 1,12-dodecanedicarboxylic acid (DDCA), resulting in formation of a carboxylic acid-terminated monolayer. Covalent protein attachment to the DDCA-functionalized ITO was achieved with the cross-linker 1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride. Electrostatic attachment of the protein involved ion-pair and hydrogen-bond interactions between the terminating carboxylic acid groups of the DDCA-functionalized ITO and the primary amine groups of the lysine residues of cytochrome c. The electrostatic interaction between the cytochrome c and the functionalized ITO resulted in greater rotational mobility of the protein at the electrode surface, leading to ca. 63% electroactivity, as compared to ca. 41% electroactivity for the covalently immobilized protein. The redox state of the electrostatically bound cytochrome c monolayers could be electrochemically switched between ferric and ferrous forms. Electrochemical control of the bound protein was used to regenerate the biosensing surface following binding of nitric oxide (NO). Ligation of NO with the cytochrome c was monitored by measurement of the change of absorbance intensity at 416 nm. Through application of a negative potential, the cytochrome c was reduced from the ferric to the ferrous form, which led to the removal of the ligated NO. Application of a positive potential regenerated the ferric cytochrome c, enabling multiple repeat measurements of NO. Such electrochemical control of proteins immobilized on transparent electrodes enables the optical biosensing of analyte targets without recourse to exogenous reagents.

Copper proteins immobilised on gold electrodes for (bio)analytical studies

Copper electrochemistry at modified gold electrodes was investigated with two different states of the metal ion: first bound in azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and second introduced via metal ion uptake in metallothionein (MT) from rabbit liver. Azurin was immobilised on a mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) layer self-assembled on gold. The redox behaviour in the adsorbed as well as in the covalently immobilised state was found to be quasi-reversible with a formal potential of +198 mV versus Ag/AgCl. The pH variation suggests an optimal pH range for efficient electrode communication in the neutral range. MT was fixed at electrochemically cleaned gold using the accessible cysteins of the protein. Copper was found to bind to the MT-modified gold electrode. The electrochemical behaviour of the bound copper was characterised in copper-free solution with a formal potential of +245 mV versus Ag/AgCl. Stability and potential use is discussed.

Nitric oxide determination by amperometric carbon fiber microelectrode

Nitric oxide (NO) amperometric microsensor was prepared by the modification of bare carbon fiber electrode by Nafion and cellulose acetate (CA). Detection limit, response time, reproducibility and influence of some possible interferences (nitrite, nitrate, arginine) were tested and evaluated. This sensor was used for in vitro determination of NO release from fresh porcine aorta induced by calcium ionophore A23187 (CI).

An optical method for the detection of oxidative stress using protein-RNA interaction

The cytosolic 4Fe-4S protein aconitase can be converted under the influence of reactive oxygen species into an iron-regulatory protein (IRP1). Therefore, the IRP1 level is considered as an indirect marker of oxidative stress. An experimental approach is presented here to detect the concentration of this marker protein by surface plasmon resonance. The optical method exploits the natural binding affinity of IRP1 to an iron-responsive element (IRE) which was in vitro transcribed with a linker sequence and subsequently immobilized on a BIACORE sensor chip. The detection was found to be reproducible and sensitive in the range 20-200 nM IRP. Conditions of the binding process, such as pH and thiol concentration, were characterized. Feasibility of the method to detect and quantify IRP1 in physiological media was demonstrated.