A simple aptamer/gold nanoparticle aggregation-based colorimetric assay for oxidized low-density lipoprotein...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is a primary driver of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of oxLDL is crucial for disease diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, sensitive, and specific colorimetric assay for oxLDL determination.
• To utilize a novel aptamer and salt-induced gold nanoparticle aggregation for oxLDL detection.

Main Methods:

• Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) was used to identify a selective aptamer for oxLDL.
• A colorimetric assay was developed by combining the aptamer with salt-induced gold nanoparticle aggregation.
• The assay was validated using artificial serum and compared to the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) method.

Main Results:

• The aptamer-based assay provided rapid results within 19 minutes.
• It demonstrated a linear response to oxLDL from 0.002 to 0.5 μmol L⁻¹ with high selectivity.
• The assay showed excellent correlation (R² = 0.9792) with the conventional TBARS method, requiring minimal sample preparation.

Conclusions:

• A novel, rapid, and sensitive colorimetric aptasensor for oxLDL detection has been successfully developed.
• This method offers a promising alternative to existing techniques for diagnosing and monitoring cardiovascular diseases.
• The assay's simplicity and high performance make it suitable for clinical applications.