Microchip-based multiplex electro-immunosensing system for the detection of cancer biomarkers

Microfluidic-based microchips have become the focus of research interest for immunoassays and biomarker diagnostics. This is due to their aptitude for high-throughput processing, small sample volume, and short analysis times. In this paper, we describe the development of a microchip-based multiplex electro-immunosensing system for simultaneous detection of cancer biomarkers using gold nanoparticles and silver enhancer. Our microchip is composed of biocompatible poly(PDMS) and glass substrates. To fix the antibody-immobilized microbeads, we used pillar-type microfilters within a reaction chamber. An immunogold silver staining (IGSS) method was used to amplify the electrical signal that corresponded to the immune complex. To demonstrate this approach, we simultaneously assayed three cancer biomarkers, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) on the microchip. The electrical signal generated from the result of the immunoreaction was measured and monitored by a PC-based system. The overall assay time was reduced from 3-8 h to about 55 min when compared to conventional immunoassays. The working range of the proposed microchip was from 10(-3) to 10(-1) microg/mL of the target antigen.