Detection and quantification of ergothioneine in human serum using surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Analytical Chemistry
• Biomarker Discovery
• Oxidative Stress Research

Background:

• Ergothioneine (ERG) is a natural antioxidant amino acid vital for human health, with roles in anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anti-aging processes.
• Accurate quantification of ERG in biofluids is essential for understanding its connection to oxidative stress-related diseases.
• Current methods for ERG detection lack the speed, cost-effectiveness, or reliability needed for widespread clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective method for quantifying ergothioneine (ERG) levels in human serum.
• To establish a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique that overcomes previous quantification challenges.
• To validate the developed SERS method against a gold-standard UHPLC-MS/MS reference method.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel SERS-based assay incorporating an internal standard specific to ergothioneine (ERG).
• Optimization of sample preparation and SERS analysis for enhanced signal reproducibility and accuracy.
• Validation of the SERS method using a blind test set of real human serum samples and comparison with UHPLC-MS/MS results.

Main Results:

• The developed SERS method provides rapid quantification of ERG in human serum within 20 minutes per sample.
• The assay achieved a limit of quantification of 0.71 μM, demonstrating high sensitivity.
• The SERS results showed excellent agreement with the established UHPLC-MS/MS reference method, confirming its accuracy and reliability.

Conclusions:

• This study presents a breakthrough in ergothioneine (ERG) quantification using SERS, enabling faster and more reliable measurements in human serum.
• The developed method addresses the critical need for efficient tools to study ERG's role in health and disease.
• This SERS technique holds significant potential for clinical diagnostics and research into oxidative stress-related conditions.