Gold aggregating gold: A novel nanoparticle biosensor approach for the direct quantification of hepatitis C virus RNA in clinical samples.
The affordable and reliable detection of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA is a cornerstone in the management and control of infection, affecting approximately 3% of the global population. However, the existing technologies are expensive, labor intensive and time consuming, posing significant limitations to their wide-scale exploitation, particularly in economically deprived populations. Here, we utilized the unique optical and physicochemical properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to develop a novel assay platform shown to be rapid and robust in sensing and quantifying unamplified HCV RNA in clinical samples. The assay is based on inducing aggregation of citrate AuNPs decorated with a specific nucleic acid probe. Two types of cationic AuNPs, cysteamine and CTAB capped, were compared to achieve maximum assay performance. The technology is simple, rapid, cost effective and quantitative with 93.3% sensitivity, high specificity and detection limit of 4.57IU/µl. Finally, our data suggest that RNA folding impact the aggregation behavior of the functionalized AuNPs, with broader applications in other nucleic acid detection technologies.
Center of Genomics, Helmy institute, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Sheikh Zayed Dist., 12588 Giza, Egypt; Krebs Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; Misr University for Science and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Biochemistry Department, Giza, Egypt.
Sherif M
SM
Shawky
Center of Genomics, Helmy institute, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Sheikh Zayed Dist., 12588 Giza, Egypt.
Ahmed M
AM
Awad
Center of Genomics, Helmy institute, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Sheikh Zayed Dist., 12588 Giza, Egypt.
Walaa
W
Allam
Center for Materials Science, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Sheikh Zayed Dist., 12588 Giza, Egypt.
Mohamed H
MH
Alkordi
Center of Genomics, Helmy institute, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Sheikh Zayed Dist., 12588 Giza, Egypt; Krebs Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. Electronic address: s.el-khamisy@sheffield.ac.uk.
Sherif F
SF
El-Khamisy
D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods*; D003543:Cysteamine / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008958:Models, Molecular; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*
D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D012367:RNA, Viral; D003543:Cysteamine; D006046:Gold; D000077286:Cetrimonium
DNA repair; Gold nanoparticles; HCV; Nucleic acid; RNA detection; Topoisomerase