Development of a novel optical bionanosensor.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Supported bilayer lipid membranes (SBLMs) offer a versatile platform for biosensing.
• Developing sensitive and specific biosensors is crucial for early disease detection and research.
• Existing biosensing technologies often face limitations in sensitivity, specificity, or multi-analyte capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel optical bionanosensor platform with generic multi-analyte sensing capabilities.
• To utilize a supported bilayer lipid membrane (SBLM) for enhanced biosensing performance.
• To demonstrate the platform's capability in detecting specific cellular targets.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of SBLM using Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) and self-assembly deposition.
• Covalent attachment of an RGD-containing peptide to a BODIPY-labeled lipid (donor).
• Integration of a second BODIPY-labeled lipid (acceptor) into the SBLM for Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) signal amplification.
• Confirmation of bilayer fluidity using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP).

Main Results:

• The developed SBLM platform demonstrated generic multi-analyte sensing capabilities.
• The optical biosensor successfully detected integrin alpha(v)beta(3) on HUVECs with a sensitivity of 1000 cells/ml.
• The FRET mechanism enabled signal amplification, enhancing detection sensitivity.
• Bilayer fluidity was confirmed via FRAP without requiring fusogens.

Conclusions:

• The novel optical bionanosensor platform based on SBLM is effective for sensitive cellular detection.
• The integration of FRET significantly enhances the biosensor's signal amplification.
• This platform holds promise for various applications in diagnostics and biomedical research.