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Song D, Liu H, Huang Y, Dongari-Bagtzoglou A, Lei Y. High-Throughput Monitoring of Pathogenic Fungal Growth Using Whole Slide Imaging for Rapid Antifungal Susceptibility Assessment. ANAL LETT 2023; 57:2412-2425. [PMID: 39005971 PMCID: PMC11245173 DOI: 10.1080/00032719.2023.2297301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections are a major health threat with high morbidity and mortality, highlighting the urgent need for rapid diagnostic tools to detect antifungal resistance. Traditional culture-based antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) methods often fall short due to their lengthy process. In our previous research, we developed a whole-slide imaging (WSI) technique for the high-throughput assessment of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Building on this foundation, this study expands the application of WSI by adapting it for rapid AFST through high-throughput monitoring of the growth of hundreds of individual fungi. Due to the distinct "budding" growth patterns of fungi, we developed a unique approach that utilizes specific cell number change to determine fungi replication, instead of cell area change used for bacteria in our previous study, to accurately determine the growth rates of individual fungal cells. This method not only accelerates the determination of antifungal resistance by directly observing individual fungal cell growth, but also yields accurate results. Employing Candida albicans as a representative model organism, reliable minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fluconazole inhibiting 100% cells of Candida albicans (denoted as MIC100) was obtained within 3h using the developed method, while the modified broth dilution method required 72h for the similar reliable result. In addition, our approach was effectively utilized to test blood culture samples directly, eliminating the need to separate the fungi from whole blood samples spiked with Candida albicans. These features indicate the developed method holds great potential serving as a general tool in rapid antifungal susceptibility testing and MIC determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghui Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Haomin Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yikun Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Anna Dongari-Bagtzoglou
- Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences, Health Center, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yu Lei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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Dou X, Zhang Z, Liu B, Li C, Du Y, Tian F. Highly sensitive digital detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein through single-molecule counting. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:6155-6164. [PMID: 37596347 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04886-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Nucleocapsid protein (NP) is one of the structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 which is stable, well-conserved, highly immunogenic, and abundantly expressed due to the host's adaptive immune response, making it a promising antigenic biomarker for the early and rapid identification and diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Traditional antigen analytical methods with NP as the detection marker often have insufficient sensitivity. To achieve rapid and highly sensitive detection of NP, we constructed a novel single-molecule (digital) fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay (FLISA) based on streptavidin-modified transparent 96-well microplates. Streptavidin was immobilized on the microplate under optimized conditions with a 15 mM carbonate buffer solution (pH 9.6) as the coating solution, biotinylated antibodies conjugated with streptavidin as capture probes, and carboxylated fluorescent microsphere-conjugated monoclonal antibodies (FMs-mAbs) as fluorescent probes. Individual sandwich immunolabeled complexes of the SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic marker NP were detected and counted though wide-field inverted fluorescence microscopy (1.1 × 1.4 mm2). FLISA had a linear detection range of 0.2 pg/mL to 200 ng/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.73 fg/mL and 8 fg/mL for NP in phosphate buffer saline and spiked nasal swab samples, respectively. The sensitivity was much higher than commercial antigen detection kits, providing wide detection prospects in future clinical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and other fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechen Dou
- Medical Support Technology Research Department, Systems Engineering Institute, Academy of Military Sciences, People's Liberation Army, Tianjin, 30161, China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- Medical Support Technology Research Department, Systems Engineering Institute, Academy of Military Sciences, People's Liberation Army, Tianjin, 30161, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Medical Support Technology Research Department, Systems Engineering Institute, Academy of Military Sciences, People's Liberation Army, Tianjin, 30161, China
| | - Chao Li
- Medical Support Technology Research Department, Systems Engineering Institute, Academy of Military Sciences, People's Liberation Army, Tianjin, 30161, China
- National Bio-Protection Engineering Center, Tianjin, 300161, China
| | - Yaohua Du
- Medical Support Technology Research Department, Systems Engineering Institute, Academy of Military Sciences, People's Liberation Army, Tianjin, 30161, China.
- National Bio-Protection Engineering Center, Tianjin, 300161, China.
| | - Feng Tian
- Medical Support Technology Research Department, Systems Engineering Institute, Academy of Military Sciences, People's Liberation Army, Tianjin, 30161, China.
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Zhang X, Wang X, Bao Y, Shen Z, Xu Y, Wang B, Zhang H, Guan T, He Y. Phase Contrast Image-Based Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Bacteria in Liquid Culture Media. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 23:59. [PMID: 36616654 PMCID: PMC9824109 DOI: 10.3390/s23010059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the world is facing the problem of bacterial resistance, which threatens public health, and bacterial antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) plays an important role in biomedicine, dietary safety and aquaculture. Traditional AST methods take a long time, usually 16-24 h, and cannot meet the demand for rapid diagnosis in the clinic, so rapid AST methods are needed to shorten the detection time. In this study, by using an in-house built centrifuge to centrifuge bacteria in a liquid medium onto the inner wall of the bottom surface of a counting plate, and using a phase contrast microscope to track bacterial growth under the effect of different antibiotic concentrations, the results of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of bacteria under the effect of antibiotics can be obtained in as early as 4 h. We used a combination of E. coli and tigecycline and obtained MIC results that were consistent with those obtained using the gold standard broth micro-dilution method, demonstrating the validity of our method; due to the time advantage, the complete set can be used in the future for point of care and clinical applications, helping physicians to quickly obtain the MIC used to inhibit bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Zhang
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xuenian Wang
- Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yaqing Bao
- GBA Center for Medical Device Evaluation and Inspection, National Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen 518045, China
| | - Zhiyuan Shen
- Medical Optical Technology R&D Center, Research Institute of Tsinghua, Pearl River Delta, Guangzhou 510700, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bei Wang
- Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Haowei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tian Guan
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yonghong He
- Institute of Optical Imaging and Sensing, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Minimal Invasive Medical Technologies, Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Raas MWD, Silva TP, Freitas JCO, Campos LM, Fabri RL, Melo RCN. Whole slide imaging is a high-throughput method to assess Candida biofilm formation. Microbiol Res 2021; 250:126806. [PMID: 34157481 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
New strategies that enable fast and accurate visualization of Candida biofilms are necessary to better study their structure and response to antifungals agents. Here, we applied whole slide imaging (WSI) to study biofilm formation of Candida species. Three relevant biofilm-forming Candida species (C. albicans ATCC 10231, C. glabrata ATCC 2001, and C. tropicalis ATCC 750) were cultivated on glass coverslips both in presence and absence of widely used antifungals. Accumulated biofilms were stained with fluorescent markers and scanned in both bright-field and fluorescence modes using a WSI digital scanner. WSI enabled clear assessment of both size and structural features of Candida biofilms. Quantitative analyses readily detected reductions in biofilm-covered surface area upon antifungal exposure. Furthermore, we show that the overall biofilm growth can be adequately assessed across both bright-field and fluorescence modes. At the single-cell level, WSI proved adequate, as morphometric parameters evaluated with WSI did not differ significantly from those obtained with scanning electron microscopy, considered as golden standard at single-cell resolution. Thus, WSI allows for reliable visualization of Candida biofilms enabling both large-scale growth assessment and morphometric characterization of single-cell features, making it an important addition to the available microscopic toolset to image and analyse fungal biofilm growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian W D Raas
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Biology, ICB, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil; Faculty of Medical Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Thiago P Silva
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Biology, ICB, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Jhamine C O Freitas
- Bioactive Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Lara M Campos
- Bioactive Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo L Fabri
- Bioactive Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Rossana C N Melo
- Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Biology, ICB, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, UFJF, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
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Kost GJ. Geospatial Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance, Bacterial and Fungal Threats to Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Survival, and Point-of-Care Solutions. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2021; 145:145-167. [PMID: 32886738 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2020-0284-ra] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT.— Point-of-care testing (POCT) is inherently spatial, that is, performed where needed, and intrinsically temporal, because it accelerates decision-making. POCT efficiency and effectiveness have the potential to facilitate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) detection, decrease risks of coinfections for critically ill patients with coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19), and improve the cost-effectiveness of health care. OBJECTIVES.— To assess AMR identification by using POCT, describe the United States AMR Diagnostic Challenge, and improve global standards of care for infectious diseases. DATA SOURCES.— PubMed, World Wide Web, and other sources were searched for papers focusing on AMR and POCT. EndNote X9.1 (Clarivate Analytics) consolidated abstracts, URLs, and PDFs representing approximately 500 articles were assessed for relevance. Panelist insights at Tri•Con 2020 in San Francisco and finalist POC technologies competing for a US $20,000,000 AMR prize are summarized. CONCLUSIONS.— Coinfections represent high risks for COVID-19 patients. POCT potentially will help target specific pathogens, refine choices for antimicrobial drugs, and prevent excess morbidity and mortality. POC assays that identify patterns of pathogen resistance can help tell us how infected individuals spread AMR, where geospatial hotspots are located, when delays cause death, and how to deploy preventative resources. Shared AMR data "clouds" could help reduce critical care burden during pandemics and optimize therapeutic options, similar to use of antibiograms in individual hospitals. Multidisciplinary health care personnel should learn the principles and practice of POCT, so they can meet needs with rapid diagnostic testing. The stakes are high. Antimicrobial resistance is projected to cause millions of deaths annually and cumulative financial loses in the trillions by 2050.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald J Kost
- From Knowledge Optimization, Davis, California; and Point-of-Care Testing Center for Teaching and Research (POCT•CTR), University of California, Davis
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A whole area scanning-enabled direct-counting strategy for studying blocking efficiency in mitigating protein-solid surface binding. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 413:1493-1502. [PMID: 33469711 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-03120-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The study of protein-solid surface binding as well as blocking efficiency of blocking agents plays an important role in the development of high-performance immunoassays. Although conventional colorimetric based assays are widely employed to monitor protein non-specific binding on the surface of microplate wells and evaluate the performance of blocking agents, there is still a great need to develop new methods to achieve the same goal from a new perspective. In this study, an innovative whole area scanning (WAS)-enabled direct-counting strategy was developed and validated through studying the blocking efficiency of different blocking agents on the non-specific binding of streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate (Strep-ALP, a model protein) to the surface of 96-well microplates. After non-specific binding of Strep-ALP in wells with or without blocking agents' treatment and loading of ELF™ 97 phosphate (ELFP), ALP in Strep-ALP conjugates converts ELFP to water-insoluble ELF™ 97 alcohol (ELFA), which precipitates locally, self-assembles into large needle structures, and glows green fluorescence upon excitation. After quenching the reaction, WAS of the whole wells allows us to directly count the number of individual fluorescent precipitates, which can be used to calculate and compare the blocking efficiency of three commonly used blocking agents (BSA, casein, and dry milk) based on mitigating the non-specific binding of Strep-ALP. WAS-enabled counting of individual needle-type precipitates opens a new avenue to investigate protein-solid surface binding as well as the efficiency of blocking agents with high sensitivity.
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A critical review: Recent advances in "digital" biomolecule detection with single copy sensitivity. Biosens Bioelectron 2021; 177:112901. [PMID: 33472132 PMCID: PMC7836387 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Detection of a single biomolecule, ranging from nucleic acids, proteins, viruses to bacteria, is of paramount importance in various fields including biology, environment, food and agriculture industry, public health, and medicine. With the understanding of the biological functions of these biomolecules (or bioparticles) and their impacts on public health, environmental pollution, and food safety, advanced detection techniques are unprecedentedly demanded for their early and/or sensitive detection. In this critical review, a series of elegant research about digital detection of biomolecules with potential single copy sensitivity is reviewed and summarized with the focus on the design principle and the innovation of how to accomplish the “digital” detection concept. Starting with a brief introduction on the importance of digital detection, recent advances in “digital” biomolecule detection with single copy sensitivity are grouped and discussed based on the difference of signal reporting systems, including surrogate signal development for “digital” detection, direct visualization for “digital” detection, and nucleic acid amplification enabled “digital” detection. Interdisciplinary combination and integration of different cutting-edge techniques are also discussed with details. The review is closed with the conclusion and future trends.
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