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Published on: June 21, 2021
Gold nanoparticle sensor for homocysteine thiolactone-induced protein modification
Arther T Gates1, Sayo O Fakayode, Mark Lowry
1Department of Chemistry and Department of Biological Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|March 8, 2008
Summary
Researchers developed a novel gold nanoparticle sensor to detect protein homocystamide, a biomarker for cardiovascular disease. This sensor offers rapid, visual confirmation of homocysteine thiolactone-induced protein modification in serum samples.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Nanotechnology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Homocysteine thiolactone-induced protein modification (HTPM) is an emergent biomarker for cardiovascular disease.
- HTPM involves protein acylation at lysine residues by homocysteine thiolactone (HTL), forming protein homocystamide.
- Elevated protein homocystamide levels are observed in patients with coronary heart disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel gold nanoparticle (GNP) biochemical sensor for detecting protein homocystamide.
- To investigate the mechanism of the GNP sensor's colorimetric signal generation.
- To assess the sensor's performance in detecting HTPM in vitro using human serum albumin and human sera.
Main Methods:
- Development of a citrate-capped GNP biochemical sensor.
- In vitro induction of HTPM in human serum albumin and human sera.
- Detection of protein homocystamide using the GNP sensor.
- Analysis of sensor mechanism via transmission electron microscopy.
- Evaluation of sensor stability and limit of detection.
Main Results:
- The GNP sensor provided instantaneous visual confirmation of HTPM.
- Modification-directed nanoparticle assembly was identified as the signal generation mechanism.
- The nanoparticle-protein assembly exhibited excellent thermal and dilutional stability.
- The sensor demonstrated a linear response for modified human sera concentrations > 5 mg/mL.
- The limit of detection was 5.2 mg/mL with a calibration sensitivity of 13.6 AU/(µg/mL)⁻¹.
Conclusions:
- A novel GNP biochemical sensor for HTPM detection has been successfully developed.
- The sensor utilizes modification-directed nanoparticle assembly for colorimetric signal generation.
- The sensor shows potential for diagnosing cardiovascular disease through HTPM detection in serum.
