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Published on: March 24, 2015
Application of Label-Free Detection Using Tapered Optical Fiber System for Head and Neck Cancer and Infectious
Casey Collet1, Cong Deng2, De-Chen Lin1,3
1Keck School of Medicine, Caruso Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Objective:
To investigate the feasibility of a tapered optical fiber sensor (TOFS) platform for sensitive detection of a cancer-associated biomarker and a viral target in biologically relevant media.
Study Design:
Experimental proof-of-concept study.
Methods:
TOFS devices were functionalized with antibody-antigen complexes directed against interleukin-8 (IL-8) and human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43). IL-8 detection was evaluated in phosphate-buffered saline, and HCoV-OC43 detection was evaluated in saliva. Sensor performance was assessed by measuring optical phase changes generated by target binding.
Results:
TOFS detected IL-8 at low concentrations in phosphate-buffered saline, supporting its utility for sensitive protein detection. The platform also detected HCoV-OC43 in saliva, demonstrating feasibility in a complex biologic matrix. Together, these results show that TOFS can be adapted to distinct targets in different media while maintaining high analytical sensitivity.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates the feasibility of TOFS as a rapid, portable, and potentially low-cost sensing platform for biomarker and pathogen detection. Further validation in clinically derived specimens is warranted to define its role in point-of-care diagnostic applications.
