A highly sensitive and selective viral protein detection method based on RNA oligonucleotide nanoparticle

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanotechnology
• Virology

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 170 million globally, risking chronic liver disease.
• Accurate and sensitive diagnostic tools for HCV are crucial for public health.
• Current detection methods may lack specificity or ease of use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel quantum dots (QDs)-supported RNA oligonucleotide biochip for specific and sensitive detection of HCV viral proteins.
• To establish a new diagnostic approach for hepatitis C virus (HCV) detection.
• To evaluate the performance of the developed biochip for viral protein quantification.

Main Methods:

• Immobilization of HCV nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) onto a glass chip surface via covalent bonding.
• Conjugation of RNA oligonucleotides to quantum dots (QDs) using EDC coupling.
• Detection of NS5B protein based on signal variations from bound QDs-conjugated RNA oligonucleotides on the biochip.

Main Results:

• The biochip demonstrated a linear relationship between signal intensity and NS5B protein concentration from 1 microg mL(-1) to 1 ng mL(-1).
• A sensitive detection limit of 1 ng mL(-1) for HCV NS5B protein was achieved.
• The assay exhibited good specificity, ease of performance, and one-spot monitoring capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The developed QDs-supported RNA oligonucleotide biochip is a promising tool for specific and sensitive detection of HCV.
• This method offers advantages in terms of simplicity and rapid monitoring for hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnosis.
• The approach holds potential for broader application in detecting other viral diseases.