Nanostructured optical microchips for cancer biomarker detection.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Diagnostics

Background:

• Prostate cancer diagnosis relies on biomarkers like prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
• Sensitive and specific detection methods are crucial for early diagnosis and monitoring.
• Existing methods may require complex protocols or lack point-of-care applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a label-free detection platform for cancer biomarkers.
• To demonstrate the capability of arrayed nanostructured Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) microchips for detecting free prostate-specific antigen (f-PSA).
• To assess the potential of this platform for point-of-care diagnostics and drug discovery.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of arrayed nanostructured Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) microchips.
• Immobilization of mouse anti-human PSA monoclonal antibody (mAb) on the FPI microchips.
• Label-free detection of free prostate-specific antigen (f-PSA) using the developed microchips.
• Characterization of limit-of-detection, dynamic range, specificity, and selectivity.

Main Results:

• Achieved a limit-of-detection of approximately 10 pg/mL for f-PSA.
• Demonstrated dynamic tunability of the upper detection range by adjusting mAb immobilization density.
• Confirmed excellent specificity and selectivity of the immunoassay protocol through control experiments.
• Showcased potential for detecting cancer biomarkers at trace levels in complex biological samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed nanostructured FPI microchip platform enables sensitive and specific label-free detection of f-PSA.
• The platform's low cost, ease of operation, and batch fabrication capability make it suitable for point-of-care applications.
• This technology holds significant promise for early cancer diagnostics and anticancer drug screening.