Detection of Cardiovascular CRP Protein Biomarker Using a Novel Nanofibrous Substrate

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Biosensing

Background:

• Early disease detection relies on identifying specific biomarkers in bodily fluids.
• Biomarkers like C-reactive protein (CRP) are crucial indicators of inflammation and disease onset.
• Sensitive detection methods are needed to identify biomarkers at low concentrations before symptoms appear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize a novel interdigitated sensing device for C-reactive protein (CRP) detection.
• To integrate polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers and carbon nanotubes (CNT) for enhanced biosensor performance.
• To evaluate the sensitivity and performance of the fabricated biosensor in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and human serum (hs).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an interdigitated sensing device incorporating PVA nanofibers and CNT.
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for analyzing sensor response to CRP.
• Finite element analysis (FEA) to understand the charge transduction mechanism.
• Experimental validation in both PBS and human serum.

Main Results:

• Achieved a limit of detection (LOD) for CRP ranging from 1 fg mL⁻¹ to 100 ng mL⁻¹ in PBS and human serum.
• Observed significant changes in electrochemical impedance (38-60% in PBS, 45-70% in human serum) with varying CRP concentrations.
• Demonstrated enhanced sensitivity attributed to non-redox charge transduction and improved charge transfer characteristics.

Conclusions:

• The developed PVA/CNT-based biosensor offers high sensitivity and specificity for CRP detection.
• The device shows potential for early diagnosis of inflammatory diseases through sensitive biomarker quantification.
• FEA simulations provide insights into the electrochemical mechanisms enhancing biosensor performance.