title: A piezoelectric immunosensor using hybrid self-assembled monolayers for detection of Schistosoma japonicum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The parasite Schistosoma japonicum causes schistosomiasis disease, which threatens human life and hampers economic and social development in some Asian countries. An important lesson learned from efforts to reduce the occurrence of schistosomiasis is that the diagnostic approach must be altered as further progress is made towards the control and ultimate elimination of the disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using mixed self-assembled monolayer membrane (mixed SAM) technology, a mixture of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and mercaptoethanol (ME) was self-assembled on the surface of quartz crystals by gold-sulphur-bonds. Soluble egg antigens (SEA) of S. japonicum were then cross-linked to the quartz crystal using a special coupling agent. As compared with the traditional single self-assembled monolayer immobilization method, S. japonicum antigen (SjAg) immobilization using mixed self-assembled monolayers exhibits much greater immunoreactivity. Under optimal experimental conditions, the detection range is 1:1500 to 1:60 (infected rabbit serum dilution ratios). We measured several infected rabbit serum samples with varying S. japonicum antibody (SjAb) concentrations using both immunosensor and ELISA techniques and then produced a correlation analysis. The correlation coefficients reached 0.973.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have developed a new, simple, sensitive, and reusable piezoelectric immunosensor that directly detects SjAb in the serum. This method may represent an alternative to the current diagnostic methods for S. japonicum infection in the clinical laboratory or for analysis outside the laboratory.
authors: Key Laboratory of Schistosomiasis in Hunan, Department of Parasitology, Xiangya Medical College, Central South University, Changsha, China. spwang@126.com
authors: Shiping
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Tieqiu
authors: T
authors: Yin
authors: Shaohua
authors: S
authors: Zeng
authors: Hongli
authors: H
authors: Che
authors: Feifei
authors: F
authors: Yang
authors: Xiuchun
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Guoli
authors: G
authors: Shen
authors: Zhaoyang
authors: Z
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood*; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000276:immunology; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011817:Rabbits; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000276:immunology*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D008567:Membranes, Artificial