Guei-Sam Lim

Copper-glucosamine microcubes: synthesis, characterization, and C-reactive protein detection.

Cubelike microstructures of glucosamine-functionalized copper (GlcN-CuMCs) have been fabricated by the integration of injection pump and ultrasonochemistry. Although bulk microstructures and the nanostructure of metallic copper exhibit distinct applications, the amino sugar surface-functionalized copper is almost biocompatible and exhibits advanced features such as more crystallinity, high thermal stability, and electrochemical feasibility toward biomolecule (C-reactive protein, CRP) detection. An electrochemical test of this GlcN-CuMCs was demonstrated by immobilization on a conventional gold-PCB (Au-PCB) electrode. The combination of a biointerface membrane, from glucosamine functionalization, and electroactive sites of metallic copper provides a very efficient electrochemical response against various concentration of CRP. A perfect scaling of steady-state currents with r(2) values of 0.9862 (I(pa)) and 0.9972 (I(pc)) indicate the promise of this kind of biofunctionalized microstructure electrode for many surface and interface applications.

Label-free, needle-type biosensor for continuous glucose monitoring based on competitive binding.

With the goal of developing a method for the continuous monitoring of blood glucose, an implantable sensor was developed by placing an optical fiber probe within the internal hollow space of a syringe needle. A glucose binder, concanavalin A (Con A), was immobilized on the probe tip and a protein (e.g., bovine serum albumin) chemically coupled with a sugar ligand (e.g., mannose) was loaded as a solution inside of the needle, which were then closed using a semi-permeable membrane. Upon immersion in the glucose sample, small molecules were able to freely pass through the membrane and compete with the ligand conjugate for Con A binding. This changed the molecular layer thickness on the probe surfaces depending on the glucose concentration, which shifted the wavelength of the guided light along the fiber. Such interference in the wavelength pattern was measured using a commercial sensor system, Octet, without employing a label. Using this analytical approach, two major steps controlling the performance of glucose detection were overcome: permeation of glucose (optimum with 50 nm-porous polycarbonate membrane under the experimental conditioned used) and molecular diffusion of the ligand conjugate within the sensor compartment (19 gauge-needle, offering minimal demensions for the probe). Under optimal conditions, the sensor was able to monitor glucose fluctuations, even in serum medium, with a response time of less than 15 min in a range 10-500 mg/dL. This, however, could be further shortened down to about 5 min in principle by miniaturizing the sensor dimensions.

Premature antibodies with rapid reaction kinetics and their characterization for diagnostic applications.

In this study, rapidly reversible antibodies were produced and the binding kinetics, stability, and utility as an analytical binder were evaluated. The number of times the animals were immunized with the antigen (myoglobin as marker for acute myocardial infarction [AMI]) was limited to two, increasing the chances of producing premature antibodies that rapidly reacted with the binding partner in both association and dissociation. The rate constants were higher than 1×10(6)M(-1)s(-1) and 1×10(-3)s(-1), respectively, and the affinity exceeded 10(8)M(-1). They responded to an abrupt environmental change (acidic pH in this study) where the reaction kinetics was changed to slow binding, particularly for dissociation, resulting in a 10-fold increase in affinity. The binding characteristic before and after the transition were stable at 37°C for longer than 1 month, suggesting that the rapidly reversible antibody was the intermediate of the slow binder. The rapid kinetic antibody was used as the primary binder in the conventional competitive immunoassay, which displayed a lower sensitivity than the transformed antibody due to its lower affinity. We further demonstrated that, on combination with a microfluidic label-free sensor, the reaction could be continuously monitored in serum medium by recycling the same antibody without employing the regeneration step.

Performance characteristics of monoclonal antibodies as recyclable binders to cardiac troponin I.

Acute myocardial infarction is a typical disorder that requires continuous monitoring for early detection of potential life-threatening situations. To this end, we used different methods to screen for rapidly reversible antibodies, among 22 hybridoma clones, against cardiac troponin I (cTnI), which is a specific marker indicating the disease. The dissociation rates of antibodies were underestimated by up to a factor of 1000 because of bivalent binding when tested with the antigen immobilized on solid surfaces. This effect was also observed in a sandwich immunoassay, in which the detection antibody cross-linked with various antigen molecules already bound to the capture antibody. Although multiple binding events contributed to enhanced detection capability, it was difficult to recycle the immunosensor. We then devised a screening system by arranging the test antibody for the capture binder immobilized on a label-free sensor. This enabled us to select fast reactive antibodies of which one (clone 24) was shown to be recyclable, even in serum-containing medium. Using this antibody, repetitive detection of cTnI with a rapid response time (half-life of dissociation: about 4min on average) and high detection capability (0.1ng/ml) was achieved, which is very important for detection in a clinical setting.

Biochemical-immunological hybrid biosensor based on two-dimensional chromatography for on-site sepsis diagnosis

A hybrid-biosensor system that can simultaneously fulfill the immunoassay for protein markers (e.g., C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT)) and the enzyme assay for metabolic substances (e.g., lactate) in the same sepsis-based sample has been devised. Such a challenge was pursued through the installation of an enzyme-reaction zone on the signal pad of the typical immuno-strip for the rapid two-dimensional (2-D)-chromatography test. To minimize the mutual interference in the hybrid assays, a pre-determined membrane site was etched in a pattern and mounted with a biochemical-reaction pad, thereby allowing a loaded sample to enter and then stay in the pad for a colored-signal production over the course of an immunoassay. By employing such a constructed system, a serum sample was analyzed according to the vertical direction flowing along the strip, which supplied lactate to the biochemical-reaction zone and then protein markers to the immunological-binding area that was pre-coated with capture antibodies. Thereafter, the enzyme-signal tracers for the immunoassay and the substrate solution were sequentially furnished using a horizontal path for the tracing of the immune complexes that were formed with CRP or PCT. The color signal that was produced from each assay was detected at a pre-determined time and quantified on a smartphone-based detector. Under the optimal conditions, the dynamic ranges for the analytes covered the respective clinical ranges, and the total coefficient of variation was between 8.6% and 13.3%. The hybrid biosensor further showed a high correlation (R2 > 0.95) with the reference systems for the target markers.

Chemiluminometric Immunosensor for High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Employing a Polymerized Enzyme Conjugate as a Tracer.

To detect high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI; <0.01 ng/mL) at points of care, we developed a rapid immunosensor by using horseradish peroxidase polymerized in 20 molecules on average (Poly-HRP) as a tracer conjugated with streptavidin (SA-Poly-HRP). As shown in the conventional system, enhanced sensitivity could be achieved by using a sequential binding scheme for the complex formation to contain the huge molecular tracer. We used a 2-dimensional chromatographic technology to carry out the sequential bindings in cross-flow directions. After the complex formation of antigen-antibody with analyte in a vertical direction, SA-Poly-HRP was horizontally supplied across the membrane strip for additional binding via a biotin-SA linkage. The HRP substrate was subsequently supplied along the same direction to produce a chemiluminometric signal, which was measured by a cooled charge-coupled device. Hs-cTnI analysis was completed in this format within 25 min, and the results showed a high correlation with those of the CentaurXP® reference system (R2 > 0.99). The detection limit of the rapid immunosensor was 0.003 ± 0.001 ng/mL cTnI, corresponding to a 10-fold improvement compared to results using the plain enzyme tracer. This demonstrated the measurement of hs-cTnI in a much more cost-effective manner compared to the automated versions currently available.

Conformation-sensitive antibody-based point-of-care immunosensor for serum Ca2+ using two-dimensional sequential binding reactions

To assess the homeostasis of Ca(2+) metabolism, we have developed a rapid immunosensor for ionic calcium using a membrane chromatographic technique. As calcium-binding protein (CBP) is available for the recognition and undergone conformation change upon Ca(2+) binding, a monoclonal antibody sensitive to the altered structure of CBP has been employed. The sequential binding scheme was mathematically simulated and shown to match with the experimental results. At the initial stage, the rapid analytical system using lateral flow was constructed by immobilizing the antibody on the immuno-strip nitrocellulose membrane and labeling CBP with colloidal gold as a tracer. A major problem with this system in measuring ionic calcium levels was retarded migration of the gold tracer along the immuno-strip. It was conceivable that the divalent cation at a high concentration caused a change in the physical properties of the tracer, resulting in a non-specific interaction with the membrane surface. This problem was circumvented by first eluting a sample containing biotinylated CBP along the immuno-strip and then supplying the gold coupled to streptavidin across the signal generation pad of the strip. The color signal was then generated via biotin-SA linkage and measured using a smartphone-based detector developed in our laboratory. This two-dimensional chromatographic format completed the Ca(2+) analysis within 15min, the analytical performance covered the clinical dynamic range (0.25-2.5mM) and highly correlated with that of the reference system, i-STAT. These results inspired us to eventually investigate a dual-immunoassay system that measures simultaneously ionic calcium and parathyroid hormone, which regulates the ionic calcium level in serum. This will significantly simplify the current diagnostic protocols, which involve separate devices.