A Novel, Quick, and Reliable Smartphone-Based Method for Serum PSA Quantification: Original Design of a Portable...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Oncology

Background:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a crucial biomarker for prostate cancer (PCa) detection.
• Accurate and sensitive quantification of PSA is essential for effective PCa management.
• Existing diagnostic methods may lack portability, speed, or cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a versatile, portable, and simple microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor for PSA detection.
• To assess the analytical performance and clinical utility of the developed platform for PCa diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Covalent immobilization of anti-PSA monoclonal antibody on magnetic microbeads within a microfluidic device.
• Characterization of magnetic microbeads using image flow cytometry and scanning electron microscopy.
• Direct sandwich immunoassay employing horseradish peroxidase-conjugated antibody and amperometric detection.

Main Results:

• Linear detection range for PSA from 10 pg mL^-1 to 1500 pg mL^-1.
• Achieved a low detection limit of 2 pg mL^-1 with a coefficient of variation of 6.16% for reproducibility.
• Demonstrated high specificity and correlation with gold standards in clinical serum samples from PCa patients.

Conclusions:

• The developed analytical platform is a promising tool for sensitive and reliable PSA measurement in PCa patients.
• The platform's portability, low cost, and high performance support its potential for widespread clinical application.
• Further research is recommended to validate findings and explore broader healthcare applications.