Myoglobin immunoassay based on metal particle-enhanced fluorescence

Metal Enhanced Fluorescence on Silicon Wafer Substrates

We report on the fluorescence enhancement induced by silver island film (SIF) deposited on a silicon wafer. The model immunoassay was studied on silvered and unsilvered wafers. The fluorescence brightness of Rhodamine Red X increased about 300% on the SIF, while the lifetime was reduced by several fold and the photostability increased substantially. We discuss potential uses of silicon wafer substrates in multiplex assays in which the fluorescence is enhanced due to the SIF, and the multiplexing is achieved by using micro transponders.

Effect of the polarization and incident angle of excitation light on the fluorescence enhancement observed with a multilayered substrate fabricated by Ag and Al2O3

The fluorescence from a fluorophore on a multilayered substrate fabricated by a metal and a dielectric is known to be enhanced by more than 100-fold. In the course of this study, we prepared a multilayered substrate with Ag as the metal and Al(2)O(3) as the dielectric and then investigated the effects of the polarization of the excitation light on the enhancement of the multilayered substrate. It was found that the enhancement was attributed to an electric field oscillating parallel to the substrate. Maximum 200-fold enhancement could be achieved with 80 nm thick Al(2)O(3) when an unpolarized excitation light was used with an incident angle of 20 degrees.

Red blood cells do not attenuate the SPCE fluorescence in surface assays

We describe the positive effect of surface plasmon-coupled fluorescence emission (SPCE) on the detection of a signal from a surface immunoassay in highly absorbing or/and scattering samples. A model immunoassay using fluorescently labeled anti-rabbit antibodies that bind to rabbit immunoglobulin on a silver surface was performed, and the signal was detected in the presence of various highly absorbing and/or scattering solutions or suspensions, such as hemoglobin solution, plastic beads, and red blood cells. The results showed that a highly absorbing solution consisting of small molecules (dye, hemoglobin) attenuates the SPCE signal approximately 2-3-fold. In contrast, suspensions with the same absorption containing large particles (large beads, red blood cell suspension) attenuate the SPCE signal only slightly, approximately 5-10%. Also, a suspension of large undyed, highly scattering beads does not reduce the SPCE signal. The effects on the immunoassay signal of the sample background absorption and scattering, the size of the background particles, and the geometry of the experimental set-up are discussed. We believe that SPCE is a promising technique in the development of biosensors utilized for surface-based assays, as well as any assays performed directly in highly absorbing and/or scattering solutions without washing or separation procedures. Figure Red blood cells (unlike hemoglobin) do not attenuate the SPCE fluorescence in surface assays.

Localized surface plasmon coupled fluorescence fiber-optic biosensor with gold nanoparticles

A novel fiber-optic biosensor based on a localized surface plasmon coupled fluorescence (LSPCF) system is proposed and developed. This biosensor consists of a biomolecular complex in a sandwich format of <antibody/antigen/Cy5-antibody-gold nanoparticle (GNP)>. It is immobilized on the surface of an optical fiber where a <Cy5-antibody-GNP> complex forms the fluorescence probe and is produced by mixing Cy5-labeled antibody and protein A conjugated gold nanoparticles (Au-PA). The LSPCF is excited by localized surface plasmon on the GNP surface where the evanescent field is applied near the core surface of the optical fiber. At the same time, the fluorescence signal is detected by a photomultiplier tube located beside the unclad optical fiber with high collection efficiency. Experimentally, this novel LSPCF biosensor is able to detect mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) at a minimum concentration of 1 pg/mL (7 fM) during the biomolecular interaction of the IgG with anti-mouse IgG. The analysis is expanded by a discussion of the amplification of the LSPCF intensity by GNP coupling, and overall, this LSPCF biosensor is confirmed experimentally as a biosensor with very high sensitivity.

Metal particle-enhanced fluorescent immunoassays on metal mirrors

We present fluoroimmunoassays on plain metal-coated surfaces (metal mirrors) enhanced by metal nanoparticles (silver island films [SIFs]). Metal mirrors (aluminum, gold, or silver protected with a thin silica layer) were coated with SIFs, and an immunoassay (model assay for rabbit immunoglobulin G or myoglobin immunoassay) was performed on this surface using fluorescently labeled antibodies. Our results showed that SIFs alone (on glass surface not coated with metal) enhance the immunoassay signal approximately 3- to 10-fold. Using a metal mirror instead of glass as support for SIFs results in up to 50-fold signal enhancement.

Microwave-Accelerated and Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence Myoglobin Detection on Silvered Surfaces: Potential Application to Myocardial Infarction Diagnosis

In this short paper, we describe a novel approach to both significantly accelerate and optically amplify fluorescence-based immunoassays. Our approach utilizes metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) to intrinsically optically amplify fluorescence signatures, which, when combined with the use of low-power microwaves to kinetically accelerate assays, provides for both ultrafast and ultrabright immunoassays. Surprisingly, the use of low-power microwaves and silver nanostructures provides for localized heating, concentrating the effect to the particles themselves as compared to the generic heating of the high dielectric assay fluid. We have subsequently applied our microwave-accelerated MEF approach to the detection of myoglobin, where its rapid quantification is paramount for the clinical assessment of an acute myocardial infarction.

Microwave-Accelerated Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MAMEF): Application to Ultra Fast and Sensitive Clinical Assays

In this rapid communication we describe an exciting platform technology that promises to fundamentally address two underlying constraints of modern assays and immunoassays, namely sensitivity and rapidity. By combining the use of Metal-enhanced Fluorescence (MEF) with low power microwave heating (Mw), we can significantly increase the sensitivity of surface assays as well as >95% kinetically complete the assay within a few seconds. This technology is subsequently likely to find significant importance in certain clinical assays, such as in the clinical assessment of myoglobin, where both the assay rapidity and sensitivity are paramount for the assessment and treatment of acute myocardial infarction.