A Microfluidic Love-Wave Biosensing Device for PSA Detection Based on an Aptamer Beacon Probe

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Biosensing Technology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Prostate cancer is a significant health concern, necessitating sensitive and specific diagnostic tools.
• Current methods for prostate specific antigen (PSA) detection can be complex and time-consuming.
• Label-free biosensing offers advantages in simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a label-free and selective biosensing device for prostate specific antigen (PSA) detection.
• To utilize aptamer beacons for enhanced specificity and sensitivity in PSA quantification.
• To establish a potential point-of-care diagnostic tool for PSA.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a Love-wave biosensor on a LiTaO3 substrate with a SiO2 waveguide layer.
• Immobilization of DNA aptamer beacons on a gold film for specific PSA capture.
• Integration of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic channels for automated sample handling.

Main Results:

• The aptamer beacon demonstrated highly selective and specific PSA detection through target-induced conformational changes.
• The biosensing device achieved quantitative PSA detection in the range of 10 ng/mL to 1 μg/mL.
• A low detection limit of 10 ng/mL for PSA was established after experimental optimization.

Conclusions:

• The developed aptamer beacon-based Love-wave biosensor provides a sensitive and selective platform for PSA detection.
• The integration of microfluidics enables automated sample injection, facilitating practical application.
• This technology shows potential as a valuable tool for point-of-care prostate cancer diagnostics.