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A cytokine immunosensor for multiple sclerosis detection based upon label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
Jeffrey T La Belle1, Kinjal Bhavsar, Aaron Fairchild
1Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-6001, USA.
Insights
A novel biosensor detects interleukin-12 (IL-12) using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This cost-effective method enables early diagnosis of diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) by monitoring biomarkers in body fluids.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
- Immunosensing
Background:
- Interleukin-12 (IL-12) overexpression is linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis.
- Accurate and sensitive detection of IL-12 is crucial for disease diagnosis and monitoring.
- Existing methods may lack the sensitivity, real-time capability, or cost-effectiveness for widespread clinical application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a label-free electrochemical biosensor for sensitive detection of serum IL-12.
- To utilize electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for real-time monitoring of IL-12.
- To establish a cost-effective and reproducible platform for biomarker detection.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a disposable biosensor on gold-coated silver ribbon electrodes.
- Immobilization of anti-IL-12 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) onto the electrode surface.
- Label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for IL-12 detection.
Main Results:
- The biosensor demonstrated sensitive detection of IL-12 at physiological levels (<100 fM) with statistical significance (p<0.05).
- The use of silver ribbon electrodes provided a rigid, conductive substrate for reproducible measurements.
- Real-time and label-free detection of IL-12 was achieved.
Conclusions:
- The developed EIS biosensor offers a promising tool for the label-free, real-time detection of IL-12.
- This cost-effective approach is suitable for diagnosing diseases like MS and monitoring various biomolecules.
- The technology has potential applications in healthcare, food safety, and environmental monitoring.
Abstract:
A biosensor for the serum cytokine, interleukin-12 (IL-12), based upon a label-free electrochemical impedance spectroscopy monitoring is described. Overexpression of IL-12 has been correlated to the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The prototype biosensor was fabricated on a disposable gold-coated silver ribbon electrode by immobilizing anti-IL-12 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) onto the surface of the electrode. This technique was advantageous as the silver electrodes provided a more rigid and conductive substrate than thin gold foil electrodes and helped in obtaining more reproducible data when used with the electrode holder. Results indicate that IL-12 can be detected at physiological levels, <100 fM with p<0.05 in a label-free and real-time manner. The cost-effective approach described here can be used for diagnosis of diseases (like MS) with known biomarkers in body fluids and for monitoring physiological levels of biomolecules with healthcare, food, and environmental relevance.
