Nanoelectronic detection of triggered secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines using CMOS compatible silicon nanowires

Nanotechnology, such as nanoelectronic biosensors, is bringing new opportunities and tools to the studies of cell biology, clinical applications, and drug discovery. In this study, crystalline silicon nanowire based field-effect transistors fabricated using top-down approach were employed to parallelly detect pro-inflammatory cytokines in the complex biological fluids (cell culture medium and blood samples) with high specificity and femtomolar sensitivity. Using this technique, the dynamic secretion of TNF-alpha and IL6 was revealed during the immune response of macrophages and rats to the stimulation of bacteria endotoxin. This technique could provide a unique platform to examine the profile of complex immune responses for fundamental studies and diagnosis.