SPR-based biosensors: a tool for biodetection of hormonal compounds

Novel cancer treatments, prevention of postmenopausal disorder, and prescription of oral contraceptives are the main developments in the design of synthetic estrogenic medication. The increasing consumption of these synthetic pharmaceuticals, in addition to human and animal natural estrogenic compound excretion, contribute to their environmental dissemination worldwide. Their assimilation as a result of consumption of food and water perturbs normal endocrine systems and leads to the emergence of human and animal diseases and malformations. These compounds are active in the organism at low concentrations. Accordingly, daily low-level exposure disrupts the natural equilibrium in the endocrine system. A method enabling quantification at such products at low levels (from pg L(-1) to ng L(-1)) is therefore required for these products. Surface plasmon resonance, essentially used for comprehension of molecular mechanisms and in drug discovery, can also be used for environmental pollutant monitoring. This technology has already been used for evaluation of the effects of chemical pollutants on specific nuclear receptors. It has been possible to determine the role of each individual compound on the disruption of the estrogen-activated cellular pathway. Development of SPR screening methods enables application of such an approach for quantification of these compounds in water.