Core-Shell Palladium Telluride Quantum Dot-Hemethiolate Cytochrome Based Biosensor for Detecting Indinavir Drug

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Interindividual variability in indinavir metabolism necessitates real-time dosage monitoring.
• Current methods lack the speed and sensitivity for point-of-care indinavir level determination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and rapid biosensor for quantifying indinavir metabolism.
• To enable real-time monitoring of indinavir concentrations for personalized anti-retroviral therapy.

Main Methods:

• Functionalization of a gold electrode with cysteamine, palladium telluride quantum dots (PdTeQD), and cytochrome P450-3A4 (CYP3A4).
• Characterization of core-shell PdTeQD using Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
• Electrochemical measurements using Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) to determine optimal detection potential and biosensor performance.

Main Results:

• Core-shell 3-mercaptopropionic acid-capped PdTeQD particles with a 4.7 nm diameter were synthesized.
• The biosensor exhibited a sensitivity of 0.0218 μA/nM and a dynamic linear range of 0.0004-0.01 nM.
• The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.023×10⁻⁷ mg L⁻¹, which is below the maximum plasma concentration of indinavir.

Conclusions:

• The developed indinavir biosensor offers high sensitivity and a low LOD for real-time drug monitoring.
• The biosensor's performance is suitable for point-of-care applications, facilitating personalized anti-retroviral therapy.
• This technology addresses the urgent need for precise indinavir dosage management in HIV treatment.