Nazir Sophia, Dogan Muhsin, Wei Yinghui, Pan Genhua
Nanomaterials and Devices Laboratory (NMD), School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, University of Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK.
School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, University of Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK.
Biosensors (Basel). 2025 Jul 19;15(7):465. doi: 10.3390/bios15070465.
Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential for effective treatment; however current diagnostic methods are often complex, costly, and unsuitable for point-of-care testing. Graphene-based biosensors offer an alternative due to their affordability, versatility, and high conductivity. However, graphene's conductivity can be compromised when its carbon lattice is oxidized to introduce functional groups for biomolecule immobilization. This study addresses this challenge by developing an electrochemical immunosensor using carboxyl-modified commercial graphene foam (COOH-GF) electrodes. The conductivity of graphene is preserved by enabling efficient COOH modification through π-π non-covalent interactions, while antibody immobilization is optimized via EDC-NHS carbodiimide chemistry. The immunosensor detects tau-441, an AD biomarker, using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), achieving a detection range of 1 fM-1 nM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.14 fM both in PBS and human serum. It demonstrates high selectivity against other AD-related proteins, including tau-217, tau-181, amyloid beta (Aβ and Aβ), and 1% BSA. These findings underscore its potential as a highly sensitive, cost-effective tool for early AD diagnosis.
阿尔茨海默病(AD)的早期诊断对于有效治疗至关重要;然而,目前的诊断方法往往复杂、昂贵,且不适用于即时检测。基于石墨烯的生物传感器因其价格实惠、通用性强和高导电性而提供了一种替代方案。然而,当石墨烯的碳晶格被氧化以引入用于固定生物分子的官能团时,其导电性可能会受到影响。本研究通过开发一种使用羧基修饰的商用石墨烯泡沫(COOH-GF)电极的电化学免疫传感器来应对这一挑战。通过π-π非共价相互作用实现高效的COOH修饰,从而保留石墨烯的导电性,同时通过EDC-NHS碳二亚胺化学优化抗体固定。该免疫传感器使用差分脉冲伏安法(DPV)检测AD生物标志物tau-441,在PBS和人血清中的检测范围均为1 fM - 1 nM,检测限(LOD)为0.14 fM。它对其他AD相关蛋白,包括tau-217、tau-181、淀粉样β蛋白(Aβ和Aβ)以及1%牛血清白蛋白表现出高选择性。这些发现强调了其作为早期AD诊断的高灵敏度、经济高效工具的潜力。