Verardo Damiano, Liljedahl Leena, Richter Corinna, Agnarsson Björn, Axelsson Ulrika, Prinz Christelle N, Höök Fredrik, Borrebaeck Carl A K, Linke Heiner
NanoLund, Lund University, Box 118, 22100 Lund, Sweden.
Solid State Physics, Lund University, Box 118, 22100 Lund, Sweden.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2021 Jan 16;11(1):227. doi: 10.3390/nano11010227.
Fluorescence-based detection assays play an essential role in the life sciences and medicine. To offer better detection sensitivity and lower limits of detection (LOD), there is a growing need for novel platforms with an improved readout capacity. In this context, substrates containing semiconductor nanowires may offer significant advantages, due to their proven light-emission enhancing, waveguiding properties, and increased surface area. To demonstrate and evaluate the potential of such nanowires in the context of diagnostic assays, we have in this work adopted a well-established single-chain fragment antibody-based assay, based on a protocol previously designed for biomarker detection using planar microarrays, to freestanding, SiO-coated gallium phosphide nanowires. The assay was used for the detection of protein biomarkers in highly complex human serum at high dilution. The signal quality was quantified and compared with results obtained on conventional flat silicon and plastic substrates used in the established microarray applications. Our results show that using the nanowire-sensor platform in combination with conventional readout methods, improves the signal intensity, contrast, and signal-to-noise by more than one order of magnitude compared to flat surfaces. The results confirm the potential of lightguiding nanowires for signal enhancement and their capacity to improve the LOD of standard diagnostic assays.
基于荧光的检测分析在生命科学和医学中发挥着至关重要的作用。为了提供更好的检测灵敏度和更低的检测限（LOD），对具有更高读出能力的新型平台的需求日益增长。在这种背景下，含有半导体纳米线的底物可能具有显著优势，这归因于其已被证实的发光增强、波导特性以及增加的表面积。为了在诊断分析的背景下展示和评估此类纳米线的潜力，在这项工作中，我们采用了一种成熟的基于单链片段抗体的分析方法，该方法基于先前为使用平面微阵列进行生物标志物检测而设计的方案，应用于独立的、涂有SiO的磷化镓纳米线。该分析方法用于在高稀释度下检测高度复杂的人血清中的蛋白质生物标志物。对信号质量进行了量化，并与在已建立的微阵列应用中使用的传统平面硅和塑料底物上获得的结果进行了比较。我们的结果表明，与平面表面相比，将纳米线传感器平台与传统读出方法结合使用，可将信号强度、对比度和信噪比提高一个以上数量级。结果证实了光导纳米线在增强信号方面的潜力及其改善标准诊断分析检测限的能力。
