Peptide-Based Sensor and Microfluidic Platform for IgG Antibody Detection by Differential Impedance Sensing

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Immunology

Background:

• Serological assays are crucial for infection screening and epidemiological surveillance.
• Accurate antibody detection is vital for early diagnosis, disease severity assessment, and prognosis.
• Existing methods may have limitations in sensitivity or ease of operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, highly sensitive serological assay for IgG antibody detection.
• To establish a quantitative method for evaluating disease severity and prognosis.
• To improve upon existing diagnostic and surveillance tools for infectious diseases.

Main Methods:

• Utilized differential impedance sensing for antibody detection.
• Employed polystyrene nanoparticles for signal amplification and antibody labeling.
• Integrated an electrode differential configuration, electronic reading, and microfluidic protocol.
• Quantified commercial IgG antibodies spiked in buffer.

Main Results:

• Achieved a limit of detection below 100 pg/mL for IgG antibodies.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of nanoparticle functionalization for signal amplification.
• Validated the assay's performance using commercial IgG antibodies.

Conclusions:

• The developed differential impedance sensing assay offers a highly sensitive method for IgG antibody detection.
• This approach has significant potential for early diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, and disease management.
• The assay's sensitivity and quantitative capabilities represent an advancement in serological testing.