Detecting transforming growth factor-β release from liver cells using an aptasensor integrated with microfluidics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) is a critical cytokine implicated in inflammatory and pro-fibrotic processes, particularly in liver fibrosis.
• Accurate and continuous monitoring of TGF-β1 is essential for understanding fibrotic disease progression and developing effective therapies.
• Existing methods for TGF-β1 detection can be limited in real-time monitoring capabilities within cellular microenvironments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel aptasensor platform for sensitive and specific detection of TGF-β1.
• To integrate the aptasensor with microfluidic devices containing hepatic stellate cells for localized TGF-β1 monitoring.
• To demonstrate the utility of the microsystem in studying TGF-β1 release from activated cells in a dynamic cellular context.

Main Methods:

• Aptamer-modified gold electrodes were fabricated with redox reporters for electrochemical detection of TGF-β1.
• Reconfigurable microfluidic devices were designed to accommodate cell culture and prevent electrode fouling.
• The aptasensor was integrated into the microfluidic system with human hepatic stellate cells to monitor TGF-β1 release over time.

Main Results:

• The aptasensor exhibited high specificity for TGF-β1 with a detection limit of 1 ng/mL and a linear range up to 250 ng/mL.
• The integrated microsystem successfully monitored TGF-β1 release from activated stellate cells over 20 hours.
• Electrochemical responses correlated with TGF-β1 levels, and antibody infusion confirmed specific binding; validation via ELISA and cell staining supported aptasensor performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed aptasensor integrated with reconfigurable microfluidics provides a sensitive and specific platform for monitoring TGF-β1.
• This microsystem enables localized and continuous detection of TGF-β1 release from activated hepatic stellate cells.
• The platform holds significant potential as a tool for investigating liver fibrosis and other TGF-β1-mediated diseases.