Insulin: a review of analytical methods

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Clinical Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Insulin is a key hormone regulating carbohydrate metabolism.
• Abnormal insulin levels are linked to diabetes mellitus and chronic hyperglycemia.
• Precise insulin measurement is crucial for diagnosing and managing diabetes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare prevalent methods for insulin quantification.
• To summarize the principles, sensitivity, linearity, and recovery of various assays.
• To discuss the advantages and limitations of different insulin analysis techniques.

Main Methods:

• Immunoassays: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), Radioimmunoassay (RIA), On-chip immunoassay.
• Chromatographic assays: High-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV), Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC), Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Main Results:

• Immunoassays offer high throughput and selectivity with minimal interference.
• Chromatographic assays provide high sensitivity and can detect insulin and its analogues simultaneously.
• Both assay types have distinct advantages and limitations influencing their clinical utility.

Conclusions:

• Reliable insulin quantification is essential for diabetes diagnosis and treatment.
• Immunoassays and chromatographic methods represent the primary approaches for insulin analysis.
• The choice of method depends on specific clinical needs regarding sensitivity, throughput, and multiplexing capabilities.