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Ratiometric Bioluminescent Indicator for Simple and Rapid Diagnosis of Bilirubin
Yukino Itoh1, Mitsuru Hattori2, Tetsuichi Wazawa2
1Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan.
Insights
A new bioluminescent indicator, BABI, enables sensitive detection of unconjugated bilirubin (UCBR) in blood. This method offers a simple, rapid smartphone-based assay for diagnosing jaundice and related conditions.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Medical Diagnostics
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Bilirubin levels in blood are crucial indicators of health, with unconjugated bilirubin (UCBR) elevation linked to neonatal jaundice.
- Neonatal jaundice can lead to severe complications like kernicterus and hearing loss, necessitating frequent monitoring.
- Current methods for UCBR measurement can be complex and require specialized equipment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel ratiometric bioluminescent indicator for sensitive and quantitative detection of UCBR.
- To establish a rapid and accessible assay for UCBR measurement using a smartphone.
- To provide a tool for early diagnosis and management of conditions associated with high UCBR levels.
Main Methods:
- Development of a ratiometric bioluminescent indicator, BABI, which shifts emission color based on UCBR concentration.
- Utilizing bioluminescence for high signal-to-noise ratio detection, surpassing absorption and fluorescence methods.
- Employing a smartphone camera for quantitative analysis of UCBR in small blood samples.
Main Results:
- BABI demonstrates a color change from blue to green correlating with UCBR concentration.
- The bioluminescent assay achieves high sensitivity and quantitative accuracy for UCBR detection.
- The system allows for rapid UCBR assessment using minimal blood volume.
Conclusions:
- BABI provides a sensitive, quantitative, and user-friendly method for UCBR assessment.
- The smartphone-based platform enables accessible point-of-care diagnostics for jaundice.
- This bioluminescent indicator assay represents a significant advancement in blood-based diagnostics.
Abstract:
Bilirubin in human blood is highly important as a general index of one's physical condition because its concentration changes under the influence of several diseases. In particular, in newborns, jaundice is one of the most common diseases involving unconjugated bilirubin (UCBR), causing serious symptoms such as nuclear jaundice and deafness. Therefore, a frequent measurement of the UCBR levels in the blood is important. Here, we report a ratiometric bioluminescent indicator, BABI (bilirubin assessment with a bioluminescent indicator), that changes the emission color from blue to green depending on the UCBR concentration in a sample. Owing to the use of a bioluminescence signal that has a higher signal-to-noise ratio than the absorption and fluorescence signal, BABI enables highly sensitive and quantitative detection of UCBR for small blood samples using a smartphone camera. The establishment of a UCBR measurement assay using BABI provides the possibility of a simple and rapid method for blood-based diagnosis using bioluminescent indicators and a versatile mobile device.
