title: An electrochemiluminescence-supramolecular approach to sarcosine detection for early diagnosis of prostate cancer.
abstract: Monitoring Prostate Cancer (PCa) biomarkers is an efficient way to diagnosis this disease early, since it improves the therapeutic success rate and suppresses PCa patient mortality: for this reason a powerful analytical technique such as electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is already used for this application, but its widespread usability is still hampered by the high cost of commercial ECL equipment. We describe an innovative approach for the selective and sensitive detection of the PCa biomarker sarcosine, obtained by a synergistic ECL-supramolecular approach, in which the free base form of sarcosine acts as co-reagent in a Ru(bpy)3(2+)-ECL process. We used magnetic micro-beads decorated with a supramolecular tetraphosphonate cavitand (Tiiii) for the selective capture of sarcosine hydrochloride in a complex matrix like urine. Sarcosine determination was then obtained with ECL measurements thanks to the complexation properties of Tiiii, with a protocol involving simple pH changes - to drive the capture-release process of sarcosine from the receptor - and magnetic micro-bead technology. With this approach we were able to measure sarcosine in the μM to mM window, a concentration range that encompasses the diagnostic urinary value of sarcosine in healthy subjects and PCa patients, respectively. These results indicate how this ECL-supramolecular approach is extremely promising for the detection of sarcosine and for PCa diagnosis and monitoring, and for the development of portable and more affordable devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. luca.prodi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. luca.prodi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rampazzo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Industriale, University of Parma and Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali Unità di Ricerca Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. enrico.dalcanale@unipr.it.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biavardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. luca.prodi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, Immunology Section, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fracasso
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. luca.prodi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcaccio
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Industriale, University of Parma and Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali Unità di Ricerca Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. enrico.dalcanale@unipr.it.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, Immunology Section, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Dunia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ramarli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Industriale, University of Parma and Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali Unità di Ricerca Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. enrico.dalcanale@unipr.it.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalcanale
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. luca.prodi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paolucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. luca.prodi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prodi
mesh_terms: D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D049449:Luminescence; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012521:Sarcosine / Q000652:urine*; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012521:Sarcosine