title: Nanocrystalline diamond impedimetric aptasensor for the label-free detection of human IgE.
abstract: Like antibodies, aptamers are highly valuable as bioreceptor molecules for protein biomarkers because of their excellent selectivity, specificity and stability. The integration of aptamers with semiconducting materials offers great potential for the development of reliable aptasensors. In this paper we present an aptamer-based impedimetric biosensor using a nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) film as a working electrode for the direct and label-free detection of human immunoglobulin E (IgE). Amino (NH(2))-terminated IgE aptamers were covalently attached to carboxyl (COOH)-modified NCD surfaces using carbodiimide chemistry. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was applied to measure the changes in interfacial electrical properties that arise when the aptamer-functionalized diamond surface was exposed to IgE solutions. During incubation, the formation of aptamer-IgE complexes caused a significant change in the capacitance of the double-layer, in good correspondence with the IgE concentration. The linear dynamic range of IgE detection was from 0.03 μg/mL to 42.8 μg/mL. The detection limit of the aptasensor reached physiologically relevant concentrations (0.03 μg/mL). The NCD-based aptasensor was demonstrated to be highly selective even in the presence of a large excess of IgG. In addition, the aptasensor provided reproducible signals during six regeneration cycles. The impedimetric aptasensor was successfully tested on human serum samples, which opens up the potential of using EIS for direct and label-free detection of IgE levels in blood serum.
authors.affiliation: BIOSYST-MeBioS, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. thidinh.tran@biw.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Dinh T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Veronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vermeeren
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grieten
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wenmackers
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pollet
authors.forename: Kris P F
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lammertyn
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018130:Diamond; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D053758:Nanoparticles; D036103:Nanotechnology
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D018130:Diamond