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Duan H, Tang SY, Goda K, Li M. Enhancing the sensitivity and stability of electrochemical aptamer-based sensors by AuNPs@MXene nanocomposite for continuous monitoring of biomarkers. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 246:115918. [PMID: 38086309 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors offer exciting potential for real-time tracking of various biomarkers, such as proteins and small molecules, due to their exceptional selectivity and adaptability. However, most E-AB sensors rely on planar gold structures, which inherently limit their sensitivity and operational stability for continuous monitoring of biomarkers. Although gold nanostructures have recently enhanced E-AB sensor performance, no studies have explored the combination of gold nanostructure with other types of nanomaterials for continuous molecular monitoring. To fill this gap, we employed gold nanoparticles and MXene Ti3C2 (AuNPs@MXene), a versatile nanocomposite, in designing an E-AB sensor targeted at vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a crucial human signaling protein. Remarkably, the AuNPs@MXene nanocomposite achieved over thirty-fold and half-fold increases in active surface area compared to bare and AuNPs-modified gold electrodes, respectively, significantly elevating the analytical capabilities of E-AB sensors during continuous operation. After a systematic optimization and characterization process, the newly developed E-AB sensor, powered by AuNPs@MXene nanocomposite, demonstrated both enhanced stability and heightened sensitivity. Overall, our findings open new avenues for the incorporation of nanocomposites in E-AB sensor design, enabling the creation of more sensitive and durable real-time monitoring systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Duan
- School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Shi-Yang Tang
- School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 1BJ, UK
| | - Keisuke Goda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Institute of Technological Sciences, Wuhan University, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Ming Li
- School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia; School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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Watkins Z, McHenry A, Heikenfeld J. Wearing the Lab: Advances and Challenges in Skin-Interfaced Systems for Continuous Biochemical Sensing. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 187:223-282. [PMID: 38273210 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Continuous, on-demand, and, most importantly, contextual data regarding individual biomarker concentrations exemplify the holy grail for personalized health and performance monitoring. This is well-illustrated for continuous glucose monitoring, which has drastically improved outcomes and quality of life for diabetic patients over the past 2 decades. Recent advances in wearable biosensing technologies (biorecognition elements, transduction mechanisms, materials, and integration schemes) have begun to make monitoring of other clinically relevant analytes a reality via minimally invasive skin-interfaced devices. However, several challenges concerning sensitivity, specificity, calibration, sensor longevity, and overall device lifetime must be addressed before these systems can be made commercially viable. In this chapter, a logical framework for developing a wearable skin-interfaced device for a desired application is proposed with careful consideration of the feasibility of monitoring certain analytes in sweat and interstitial fluid and the current development of the tools available to do so. Specifically, we focus on recent advancements in the engineering of biorecognition elements, the development of more robust signal transduction mechanisms, and novel integration schemes that allow for continuous quantitative analysis. Furthermore, we highlight the most compelling and promising prospects in the field of wearable biosensing and the challenges that remain in translating these technologies into useful products for disease management and for optimizing human performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach Watkins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Adam McHenry
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jason Heikenfeld
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Song Z, Zhou S, Qin Y, Xia X, Sun Y, Han G, Shu T, Hu L, Zhang Q. Flexible and Wearable Biosensors for Monitoring Health Conditions. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:630. [PMID: 37366995 DOI: 10.3390/bios13060630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Flexible and wearable biosensors have received tremendous attention over the past decade owing to their great potential applications in the field of health and medicine. Wearable biosensors serve as an ideal platform for real-time and continuous health monitoring, which exhibit unique properties such as self-powered, lightweight, low cost, high flexibility, detection convenience, and great conformability. This review introduces the recent research progress in wearable biosensors. First of all, the biological fluids often detected by wearable biosensors are proposed. Then, the existing micro-nanofabrication technologies and basic characteristics of wearable biosensors are summarized. Then, their application manners and information processing are also highlighted in the paper. Massive cutting-edge research examples are introduced such as wearable physiological pressure sensors, wearable sweat sensors, and wearable self-powered biosensors. As a significant content, the detection mechanism of these sensors was detailed with examples to help readers understand this area. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives are proposed to push this research area forward and expand practical applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Song
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China
| | - Shu Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jilin Cancer Hospital, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Yanxia Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Xiangjiao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Yanping Sun
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (SZ), Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Nano-Biosensing Technology, International Health Science Innovation Center, Research Center for Biosensor and Nanotheranostic, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Guanghong Han
- Department of Oral Geriatrics, Hospital of Stomatology, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Tong Shu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (SZ), Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Nano-Biosensing Technology, International Health Science Innovation Center, Research Center for Biosensor and Nanotheranostic, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Liang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
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Watkins Z, Karajic A, Young T, White R, Heikenfeld J. Week-Long Operation of Electrochemical Aptamer Sensors: New Insights into Self-Assembled Monolayer Degradation Mechanisms and Solutions for Stability in Serum at Body Temperature. ACS Sens 2023; 8:1119-1131. [PMID: 36884003 PMCID: PMC10443649 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c02403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Conventional wisdom suggests that widely utilized self-assembled alkylthiolate monolayers on gold are too unstable to last more than several days when exposed to complex fluids such as raw serum at body temperature. Demonstrated here is that these monolayers can not only last at least 1 week under such harsh conditions but that significant applied value can be captured for continuous electrochemical aptamer biosensors. Electrochemical aptamer biosensors provide an ideal tool to investigate monolayer degradation, as aptamer sensors require a tightly packed monolayer to preserve sensor signal vs background current and readily reveal fouling by albumin and other solutes when operating in biofluids. Week-long operation in serum at 37 °C is achieved by (1) increasing van der Waals interactions between adjacent monolayer molecules to increase the activation energy required for desorption, (2) optimizing electrochemical measurement to decrease both alkylthiolate oxidation and electric-field-induced desorption, and (3) mitigating fouling using protective zwitterionic membranes and zwitterion-based blocking layers with antifouling properties. This work further proposes origins and mechanisms of monolayer degradation in a logical stepwise manner that was previously unobservable over multiday time scales. Several of the observed results are surprising, revealing that short-term improvements to sensor longevity (i.e., hours) actually increase sensor degradation in the longer term (i.e., days). The results and underlying insights on mechanisms not only push forward fundamental understanding of stability for self-assembled monolayers but also demonstrate an important milestone for continuous electrochemical aptamer biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach Watkins
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Aleksandar Karajic
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
| | - Thomas Young
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
| | - Ryan White
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
| | - Jason Heikenfeld
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
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Yuan X, Li C, Yin X, Yang Y, Ji B, Niu Y, Ren L. Epidermal Wearable Biosensors for Monitoring Biomarkers of Chronic Disease in Sweat. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:313. [PMID: 36979525 PMCID: PMC10045998 DOI: 10.3390/bios13030313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biological information detection technology is mainly used for the detection of physiological and biochemical parameters closely related to human tissues and organ lesions, such as biomarkers. This technology has important value in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases in their early stages. Wearable biosensors can be integrated with the Internet of Things and Big Data to realize the detection, transmission, storage, and comprehensive analysis of human physiological and biochemical information. This technology has extremely wide applications and considerable market prospects in frontier fields including personal health monitoring, chronic disease diagnosis and management, and home medical care. In this review, we systematically summarized the sweat biomarkers, introduced the sweat extraction and collection methods, and discussed the application and development of epidermal wearable biosensors for monitoring biomarkers in sweat in preclinical research in recent years. In addition, the current challenges and development prospects in this field were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xichen Yuan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Systems for Aerospace, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Chen Li
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics of Zhejiang, Ningbo Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Ningbo 315103, China
| | - Xu Yin
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Low-Grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Bowen Ji
- Unmanned System Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Yinbo Niu
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
| | - Li Ren
- Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics of Zhejiang, Ningbo Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Ningbo 315103, China
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