An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer Biomarkers
In the era of liquid biopsies, the reliable and cost-effective detection and screening of cancer biomarkers has become of fundamental importance, thus paving the way for the advancement of research in the field of point-of-care testing and the development of new methodologies and technologies. Indee...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Chemosensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/11/4/234 |
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| author | Giulia Moro Leonardo Ferrari Alessandro Angelini Federico Polo |
| author_facet | Giulia Moro Leonardo Ferrari Alessandro Angelini Federico Polo |
| author_sort | Giulia Moro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the era of liquid biopsies, the reliable and cost-effective detection and screening of cancer biomarkers has become of fundamental importance, thus paving the way for the advancement of research in the field of point-of-care testing and the development of new methodologies and technologies. Indeed, the latter ones can help designing advanced diagnostic tools that can offer portability, ease of use with affordable production and operating costs. In this respect, impedance-based biosensing platforms might represent an attractive alternative. In this work, we describe a proof-of-concept study aimed at designing portable impedimetric biosensors for the monitoring of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (h-uPA) cancer biomarker by employing small synthetic receptors. Aberrant levels of h-uPA were correlated with different types of cancers. Herein, we report the use of two bicyclic peptides (P<sub>2</sub> and P<sub>3</sub>) which have been engineered to bind h-uPA with high affinity and exquisite specificity. The synthetic receptors were immobilized via biotin-streptavidin chemistry on the surface of commercial screen-printed electrodes. The impedimetric changes in the electrode/solution interface upon incubation of spiked h-uPA samples in the presence of a redox probe were followed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The P<sub>3</sub>-based impedimetric assay showed the best outcomes in terms of dynamic range and linearity (0.01–1 μg mL<sup>−1</sup>) and sensitivity (LOD = 9 ng mL<sup>−1</sup>). To fully assess the performances of P<sub>3</sub> over P<sub>2</sub>, and to compare the label-free architecture vs. labelled architecture, a voltammetric assay was also developed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:08:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea53011891ce47d9b29eca3174f95512 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9040 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:08:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chemosensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea53011891ce47d9b29eca3174f955122023-11-17T18:44:46ZengMDPI AGChemosensors2227-90402023-04-0111423410.3390/chemosensors11040234An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer BiomarkersGiulia Moro0Leonardo Ferrari1Alessandro Angelini2Federico Polo3Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30172 Venice, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30172 Venice, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30172 Venice, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, 30172 Venice, ItalyIn the era of liquid biopsies, the reliable and cost-effective detection and screening of cancer biomarkers has become of fundamental importance, thus paving the way for the advancement of research in the field of point-of-care testing and the development of new methodologies and technologies. Indeed, the latter ones can help designing advanced diagnostic tools that can offer portability, ease of use with affordable production and operating costs. In this respect, impedance-based biosensing platforms might represent an attractive alternative. In this work, we describe a proof-of-concept study aimed at designing portable impedimetric biosensors for the monitoring of human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (h-uPA) cancer biomarker by employing small synthetic receptors. Aberrant levels of h-uPA were correlated with different types of cancers. Herein, we report the use of two bicyclic peptides (P<sub>2</sub> and P<sub>3</sub>) which have been engineered to bind h-uPA with high affinity and exquisite specificity. The synthetic receptors were immobilized via biotin-streptavidin chemistry on the surface of commercial screen-printed electrodes. The impedimetric changes in the electrode/solution interface upon incubation of spiked h-uPA samples in the presence of a redox probe were followed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The P<sub>3</sub>-based impedimetric assay showed the best outcomes in terms of dynamic range and linearity (0.01–1 μg mL<sup>−1</sup>) and sensitivity (LOD = 9 ng mL<sup>−1</sup>). To fully assess the performances of P<sub>3</sub> over P<sub>2</sub>, and to compare the label-free architecture vs. labelled architecture, a voltammetric assay was also developed.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/11/4/234bicyclic peptideliquid biopsypoint-of-care diagnosticsurokinase-type plasminogen activatorcancer biomarkerelectrochemical sensors |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Moro Leonardo Ferrari Alessandro Angelini Federico Polo An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer Biomarkers Chemosensors bicyclic peptide liquid biopsy point-of-care diagnostics urokinase-type plasminogen activator cancer biomarker electrochemical sensors |
| title | An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer Biomarkers |
| title_full | An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer Biomarkers |
| title_fullStr | An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer Biomarkers |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer Biomarkers |
| title_short | An Impedimetric Biosensing Strategy Based on BicyclicPeptides as Bioreceptors for Monitoring h-uPA Cancer Biomarkers |
| title_sort | impedimetric biosensing strategy based on bicyclicpeptides as bioreceptors for monitoring h upa cancer biomarkers |
| topic | bicyclic peptide liquid biopsy point-of-care diagnostics urokinase-type plasminogen activator cancer biomarker electrochemical sensors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9040/11/4/234 |
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