Detection of multiple cardiac markers with an integrated acoustic platform for cardiovascular risk assessment

This work describes the application of a newly emerged biosensing configuration incorporating a Surface Acoustic Wave device integrated with a multi-channel microfluidic module for the rapid and efficient analysis of cardiac markers. The examined cardiac markers of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), cardiac reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), comprise a group of both established and emerging heart disease proteins, that has never been probed before with any kind of biochip-related platform. The four markers were successfully detected; kinetics and affinity studies on their interactions with the surface immobilized antibodies are also presented. A concentration detection limit of less than 1 nM was achieved, with a dynamic range of more than two orders of magnitude, covering some of the pathological and healthy areas of interest. Mixtures of biomarkers applied to the device surface were used to prove the specificity of each binding event and investigate the microsystem's performance in the presence of complex fluids, towards future utilization with real samples. The simplicity and multiplexing ability of the integrated platform render the system ideal as a potential diagnostic tool for cardiovascular risk assessment, where simultaneous analysis of various protein markers is required.