Development of a paper-based transcription aptasensor for convenient urinary uric acid self-testing

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

• Abnormal urinary uric acid (UA) levels are indicators for diseases like gout and metabolic cardiovascular conditions.
• Current UA detection methods are limited by instrument dependence and invasiveness, hindering home-based monitoring.
• There is a need for accessible, non-invasive methods for regular uric acid level assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a novel aptasensor for convenient and accurate home-based urinary uric acid (UA) testing.
• To create a system that translates UA concentration into measurable fluorescent signals.
• To establish a user-friendly platform for self-monitoring of UA levels.

Main Methods:

• Designed an aptasensor integrating UA-specific transcriptional regulation with a fluorescent RNA aptamer.
• Utilized the aptasensor to convert urinary UA concentration into quantifiable fluorescent signal intensity.
• Developed a paper-based aptasensor enabling smartphone-based colorimetric analysis for UA self-testing.

Main Results:

• The developed aptasensor demonstrated high sensitivity and superior anti-interference capabilities.
• Accurate detection of urinary UA levels was achieved in samples from diverse volunteers.
• A functional paper-based aptasensor for smartphone-assisted UA self-testing was successfully manufactured.

Conclusions:

• The study presents a novel aptasensor approach for sensitive and convenient urinary uric acid detection.
• This technology offers a promising solution for home-based monitoring of uric acid levels.
• The findings pave the way for improved diagnostic tools for diseases associated with abnormal UA levels.