Chitosan-modified carbon nanotubes-based platform for low-density lipoprotein detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is a key biomarker for cardiovascular disease risk.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of LDL is crucial for early diagnosis and management.
• Existing LDL detection methods can be complex and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel immunosensor for sensitive and quantitative detection of LDL.
• To utilize a carbon nanotube-chitosan (CNT-CH) composite for enhanced sensor performance.
• To investigate the electrochemical impedance properties of the fabricated immunosensor.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an immunosensor using CNT-CH composite on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode.
• Covalent immobilization of anti-apolipoprotein B (AAB) antibody onto the CNT-CH surface.
• Characterization of biofunctionalization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electron microscopy.
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) for performance evaluation.

Main Results:

• The AAB/CNT-CH/ITO electrode demonstrated stable and reproducible biofunctionalization.
• The immunosensor exhibited high sensitivity (0.953 Ω/(mg/dL)/cm²) and a low detection limit (12.5 mg/dL) for LDL.
• A high affinity for LDL molecules was observed, indicated by a low association constant.
• Quantitative estimation of LDL concentration was achieved with distinct impedance signal variations.

Conclusions:

• The developed CNT-CH based immunosensor provides a sensitive and reliable platform for LDL detection.
• The co-entrapment method and covalent antibody functionalization enhance sensor stability and performance.
• This electrochemical immunosensor holds potential for clinical applications in cardiovascular risk assessment.