3D-printed supercapacitor-powered electrochemiluminescent protein immunoarray

Herein we report a low cost, sensitive, supercapacitor-powered electrochemiluminescent (ECL) protein immunoarray fabricated by an inexpensive 3-dimensional (3D) printer. The immunosensor detects three cancer biomarker proteins in serum within 35min.

The 3D-printed device employs hand screen printed carbon sensors with gravity flow for sample/reagent delivery and washing. Prostate cancer biomarker proteins, prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and platelet factor-4 (PF-4) in serum were captured on the antibody-coated carbon sensors followed by delivery of detection-antibody-coated Ru(bpy)3(2+) (RuBPY)-doped silica nanoparticles in a sandwich immunoassay. ECL light was initiated from RuBPY in the silica nanoparticles by electrochemical oxidation with tripropylamine (TPrA) co-reactant using supercapacitor power and ECL was captured with a CCD camera. The supercapacitor was rapidly photo-recharged between assays using an inexpensive solar cell. Detection limits were 300-500fgmL(-1) for the 3 proteins in undiluted calf serum. Assays of 6 prostate cancer patient serum samples gave good correlation with conventional single protein ELISAs. This technology could provide sensitive onsite cancer diagnostic tests in resource-limited settings with the need for only moderate-level training.

Biosensors & bioelectronics. 2015 Sep 11 [Epub ahead of print]

Karteek Kadimisetty, Islam M Mosa, Spundana Malla, Jennifer E Satterwhite-Warden, Tyler M Kuhns, Ronaldo C Faria, Norman H Lee, James F Rusling

Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. , Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Department of Chemistry, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt. , Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. , Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. , Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. , Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil. , Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. , Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, USA; School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland; Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. 

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