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Detecting circulating antibodies by controlled surface modification with specific target proteins: Application to
Ana R Cardoso1, Gustavo Cabral-Miranda2, Arturo Reyes-Sandoval2
1BioMark/CINTESIS-ISEP, School of Engineering of the Polytechnique School of Porto, Portugal.
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
|February 4, 2017
Summary
A new biosensor detects malaria antibodies in unmodified blood serum within minutes. This sensitive device uses carbon nanotubes and electrochemical methods for rapid, on-site epidemic monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Immunosensing
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Sensitive antibody detection is crucial for epidemic monitoring and control.
- Existing methods may require sample manipulation or extensive processing.
- Malaria diagnosis relies on detecting antibodies against Plasmodium vivax.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel biosensor for rapid and specific antibody detection.
- To measure antibodies against Plasmodium vivax in unmodified human serum.
- To enable on-site, real-time disease monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a carbon nanotube (CNT)-based working electrode.
- Surface functionalization with amine and Plasmodium vivax antigen fragments.
- Electrochemical analysis using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and square wave voltammetry (SWV).
Main Results:
- The biosensor successfully detected antibodies against Plasmodium vivax in serum.
- Antibody binding caused a decrease in charge-transfer resistance, indicating detection.
- Detection limits ranged from approximately 6-50 pg/L, with measurements possible in undiluted serum.
Conclusions:
- A novel CNT-based biosensor enables sensitive and specific detection of malaria antibodies.
- The system operates in real-time using unmodified serum, facilitating on-site diagnostics.
- This technology holds promise for rapid epidemic surveillance and control.
