Integration and synergy in protein-nanomaterial hybrids for biosensing: Strategies and in-field detection applications

Recent Advancements in Electrochemical Sensors Based on MOFs and Their Derivatives

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are composed of metal nodes and organic linkers that can self-assemble into an infinite network. The high porosity and large surface area of MOFs facilitate the effective enrichment and mass transfer of analytes, which can enhance the signal response and improve the sensitivity of electrochemical sensors. Additionally, MOFs and their derivatives possess the properties of unsaturated metal sites and tunable structures, collectively demonstrating their potential for electrochemical sensing. This paper summarizes the preparation methods, structural properties, and applications of MOFs and their derivatives in electrochemical sensing, emphasizing sensors' selectivity and sensitivity from the perspectives of direct and indirect detection. Additionally, it also explores future directions and prospects for MOFs in electrochemical sensing, with the aim of overcoming current limitations through innovative approaches.

Perovskite-based electrochemiluminescence analysis of H2O2

The detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) represents an extensive requirement across various domains, including food, environmental, and medical fields. This study introduces a highly sensitive technique for the quantification of H2O2, integrating the electrochemiluminescence properties of perovskite with bio-catalyzed precipitation. A water-soluble perovskite-based electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensing interface was constructed, wherein H2O2 catalyzes a precipitation reaction that leads to the formation of an insoluble precipitate on the electrode surface. This occurrence effectively quenches the electrochemiluminescence signal of the perovskite, thus facilitating the quantitative detection of H2O2. The modified perovskite demonstrated excellent ECL performance, offering a stable signal source, while the bio-catalyzed precipitation reaction significantly amplified the quenching effect, thereby enhancing detection sensitivity. This strategy exhibits excellent stability and sensitivity, presenting a promising method for the detection of hydrogen peroxide, which holds great potential for applications in various fields.

Classification and applications of nanomaterials in vitro diagnosis

With the rapid development of clinical diagnosis and treatment, many traditional and conventional in vitro diagnosis technologies are unable to meet the demands of clinical medicine development. In this situation, nanomaterials are rapidly developing and widely used in the field of in vitro diagnosis. Nanomaterials have distinct size-dependent physical or chemical properties, and their optical, magnetic, electrical, thermal, and biological properties can be modulated at the nanoscale by changing their size, shape, chemical composition, and surface functional groups, particularly because they have a larger specific surface area than macromaterials. They provide an amount of space to modify different molecules on their surface, allowing them to detect small substances, nucleic acids, proteins, and microorganisms. Combining nanomaterials with in vitro diagnosis is expected to result in lower detection limits, higher sensitivity, and stronger selectivity. In this review, we will discuss the classfication and properties of some common nanomaterials, as well as their applications in protein, nucleic acids, and other aspect detection and analysis for in vitro diagnosis, especially on aging-related nanodiagnostics. Finally, it is summarized with guidelines for in vitro diagnosis.

Recent Advances in Electrochemiluminescence Biosensors for MicroRNA Detection

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) as an analytical technology with a perfect combination of electrochemistry and spectroscopy has received considerable attention in bioanalysis due to its high sensitivity and broad dynamic range. Given the selectivity of bio-recognition elements and the high sensitivity of the ECL analysis technique, ECL biosensors are powerful platforms for the sensitive detection of biomarkers, achieving the accurate prognosis and diagnosis of diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial biomarkers involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes, whose aberrant expression is often related to serious diseases, especially cancers. ECL biosensors can fulfill the highly sensitive and selective requirements for accurate miRNA detection, prompting this review. The ECL mechanisms are initially introduced and subsequently categorize the ECL biosensors for miRNA detection in terms of the quenching agents. Furthermore, the work highlights the signal amplification strategies for enhancing ECL signal to improve the sensitivity of miRNA detection and finally concludes by looking at the challenges and opportunities in ECL biosensors for miRNA detection.

Ultrasensitive and specific photoelectrochemical sensor for hydrogen peroxide detection based on pillar[5]arene-functionalized Au nanoparticles and MWNTs hybrid BiOBr heterojunction

A photoelectrochemical sensor for target detection of hydrogen peroxide was designed based on a new heterojunction nanocomposite which was sulfhydryl-borate ester-modified A1/B1-type pillar[5]arene (BP5)-functionalized Au NPs and multi-walled carbon nanotubes hybridized with bismuth bromide oxide (Au@BP5/MWNTs-BiOBr). The specific sensor was based on the direct induction of oxidation by hydrogen peroxide of the borate ester group of pillar[5]arene. Additionally, the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Au NPs enhanced visible light capture, the host-guest complexation of BP5 with H2O2 enhanced photocurrent response, the layer-by-layer stacked nanoflower structure of BiOBr provided large specific surface area with more active sites, and the conductivity of MWNTs enhanced the charge separation efficiency and significantly improves the stability of PEC. Their synthesis effect significantly increased the photocurrent signal and further enhanced the detection result. Under the optimal conditions, the linear concentration range of H2O2 detected by the Au@BP5/MWNTs-BiOBr sensor was from 1 to 60 pmol/L. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method were 0.333 pmol/L and 1 pmol/L, respectively, and the sensitivity was 6.471 pmol/L. Importantly, the PEC sensor has good stability, reproducibility, and interference resistance and can be used for the detection of hydrogen peroxide in real cells.

Advancements in Biosensors Based on the Assembles of Small Organic Molecules and Peptides

Over the past few decades, molecular self-assembly has witnessed tremendous progress in a variety of biosensing and biomedical applications. In particular, self-assembled nanostructures of small organic molecules and peptides with intriguing characteristics (e.g., structure tailoring, facile processability, and excellent biocompatibility) have shown outstanding potential in the development of various biosensors. In this review, we introduced the unique properties of self-assembled nanostructures with small organic molecules and peptides for biosensing applications. We first discussed the applications of such nanostructures in electrochemical biosensors as electrode supports for enzymes and cells and as signal labels with a large number of electroactive units for signal amplification. Secondly, the utilization of fluorescent nanomaterials by self-assembled dyes or peptides was introduced. Thereinto, typical examples based on target-responsive aggregation-induced emission and decomposition-induced fluorescent enhancement were discussed. Finally, the applications of self-assembled nanomaterials in the colorimetric assays were summarized. We also briefly addressed the challenges and future prospects of biosensors based on self-assembled nanostructures.

Recent progress in assembly strategies of nanomaterials-based ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence biosensors for food safety and disease diagnosis

The Electrochemiluminescence (ECL)-based biosensors have received considerable attention in food contaminants and disease diagnosis, due to their fascinating advantages such as low cost, fast analysis speed, wide linear range, high sensitivity, and excellent anti-interference ability. Meanwhile, with the vigorous development and improvement of nanotechnology, biosensor assembly strategies tend to diversify and be multifunctional. This review focuses on the representative ECL biosensors in food safety and disease diagnosis reported by our research group and other research groups based on nanomaterials assembly strategies in recent years. According to the different roles of nanomaterials played in the constitution of ECL biosensors, nanomaterials would be divided into the following two categories to be summarized: (1) Nanomaterials for signal amplification. (2) Nanomaterials as ECL emitters. Finally, this review prospects the perspectives on the future development direction of ECL biosensor in food safety and disease diagnosis.

Biomedical Applications of Microfluidic Devices: A Review

Both passive and active microfluidic chips are used in many biomedical and chemical applications to support fluid mixing, particle manipulations, and signal detection. Passive microfluidic devices are geometry-dependent, and their uses are rather limited. Active microfluidic devices include sensors or detectors that transduce chemical, biological, and physical changes into electrical or optical signals. Also, they are transduction devices that detect biological and chemical changes in biomedical applications, and they are highly versatile microfluidic tools for disease diagnosis and organ modeling. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the significant advances that have been made in the development of microfluidics devices. We will discuss the function of microfluidic devices as micromixers or as sorters of cells and substances (e.g., microfiltration, flow or displacement, and trapping). Microfluidic devices are fabricated using a range of techniques, including molding, etching, three-dimensional printing, and nanofabrication. Their broad utility lies in the detection of diagnostic biomarkers and organ-on-chip approaches that permit disease modeling in cancer, as well as uses in neurological, cardiovascular, hepatic, and pulmonary diseases. Biosensor applications allow for point-of-care testing, using assays based on enzymes, nanozymes, antibodies, or nucleic acids (DNA or RNA). An anticipated development in the field includes the optimization of techniques for the fabrication of microfluidic devices using biocompatible materials. These developments will increase biomedical versatility, reduce diagnostic costs, and accelerate diagnosis time of microfluidics technology.

Design and Application of Electrochemical Sensors with Metal-Organic Frameworks as the Electrode Materials or Signal Tags

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with fascinating chemical and physical properties have attracted immense interest from researchers regarding the construction of electrochemical sensors. In this work, we review the most recent advancements of MOF-based electrochemical sensors for the detection of electroactive small molecules and biological macromolecules (e.g., DNA, proteins, and enzymes). The types and functions of MOF-based nanomaterials in terms of the design of electrochemical sensors are also discussed. Furthermore, the limitations and challenges of MOF-based electrochemical sensing devices are explored. This work should be invaluable for the development of MOF-based advanced sensing platforms.

Indirect competitive-structured electrochemical immunosensor for tetrabromobisphenol A sensing using CTAB-MnO2 nanosheet hybrid as a label for signal amplification

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a kind of brominated flame retardant that is usually added to products to reduce their flame retardancy. However, its extensive use has resulted in their residues being found in the environment, which is very harmful. Herein, an indirect competitive immunosensor has been established for TBBPA detection based on the signal amplification system. Pd nanospheres in situ reduced on the surface of MnO₂ nanosheet hybrid (MnO₂/Pd) was used as the label for the secondary antibody through the Pd-N bond, and gold-toluidine blue composite was loaded onto MWCNTs (MWCNTs/Au-TB), which functioned as the platform for the immunosensor. The spherical structure of Pd had abundant catalytic active sites, which enhanced the catalytic activity of MnO₂/Pd as the label, hence amplifying the signal response. Besides, MWCNTs/Au-TB improved electron transfer and produced a strong signaling pathway for immobilizing antigens through the Au-NH₂ bond, which can specifically recognize primary antibodies to improve sensitivity. The immunosensor had a linear concentration range of 0-81 ng/mL, a low detection limit of 0.17 ng/mL (S/N = 3), with good stability, selectivity, and reproducibility based on the above advantages. Additionally, the acceptable accuracy and recoveries (recoveries, 92-124%; CV, 3.3-8.8%) in the real water sample analysis indicated that this strategy is promising for emerging pollutant analysis.

Enzyme embedded microfluidic paper-based analytic device (μPAD): a comprehensive review

Low-cost paper-based analytical devices are the latest generation of portable lab-on-chip designs that offers an innovative platform for the on/off-site analysis (biosensing) of target analytes, especially in rural and remote areas. Recently, microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) have attained significant recognition owing to their exciting fundamental features such as: ease of fabrication, rapid operation, and precise interpretations. The incorporation of enzymes with paper-based analytical devices significantly improves analytical performance while exhibiting excellent chemical and storage stability. In addition to that, these devices are highly compact, portable, easy-to-use, and do not require any additional sophisticated equipment for the detection and quantification of target analytes. This review provides a holistic insight into design, fabrication, and enzyme immobilization strategies for the development of enzyme-μPADs, which enables them to be widely implemented for in-field analysis. It also highlights the recent application of enzyme-μPADs in the area of: biomedical, food safety, and environmental monitoring while exploring the mechanisms of detection involved. Further, in order to improve the accuracy of analysis, researchers have designed a smartphone-based scanning tool for multi-variant point-of-care devices, which is summarized in the latter part of the review. Finally, the future perspectives and outlook of major challenges associated with enzyme-μPADs are discussed with their possible solutions. The development of enzyme integrated μPADs will open a new avenue as an exceptional analytical tool to explore various applications.HIGHLIGHTSEnzyme embedded paper-based analytical devices are a revolution in the field of biosensing.The design, fabrication, and enzyme immobilization on μPADs have been comprehensively discussed.The application of enzyme-μPADs food safety, environmental monitoring, and clinical diagnostic have been reviewed.Smartphones can be used as an on-site, user-friendly, and compact next-gen scanning tool for biosensing.

BIO bragg gratings on microfibers for label-free biosensing

Discovering nanoscale phenomena to sense biorecognition events introduces new perspectives to exploit nanoscience and nanotechnology for bioanalytical purposes. Here we present Bio Bragg Gratings (BBGs), a novel biosensing approach that consists of diffractive structures of protein bioreceptors patterned on the surface of optical waveguides, and tailored to transduce the magnitude of biorecognition assays into the intensity of single peaks in the reflection spectrum. This work addresses the design, fabrication, and optimization of this system by both theoretical and experimental studies to explore the fundamental physicochemical parameters involved. Functional biomolecular gratings are fabricated by microcontact printing on the surface of tapered optical microfibers, and their structural features were characterized. The transduction principle is experimentally demonstrated, and its quantitative bioanalytical prospects are assessed in a representative immunoassay, based on patterned protein probes and selective IgG targets, in label-free conditions. This biosensing system involves appealing perspectives to avoid unwanted signal contributions from non-specific binding, herein investigated in human serum samples. The work also proves how the optical response of the system can be easily tuned, and it provides insights into the relevance of this feature to conceive multiplexed BBG systems capable to perform multiple label-free biorecognition assays in a single device.

Integrated Graphene Oxide with Noble Metal Nanoparticles to Develop High-Sensitivity Fiber Optic Particle Plasmon Resonance (FOPPR) Biosensor for Biomolecules Determination

In this research, a direct, simple and ultrasensitive fiber optic particle plasmon resonance (FOPPR) biosensing platform for immunoglobulin G (IgG) detection was developed using a gold nanoparticle/graphene oxide (AuNP/GO) composite as signal amplification element. To obtain the best analytical performance of the sensor, experimental parameters including the surface concentration of GO on the AuNPs, formation time of the GO, the concentration of the anti-IgG and incubation time of anti-IgG were optimized. The calibration plots displayed a good linear relationship between the sensor response (ΔI/I₀) and the logarithm of the analyte concentrations over a linear range from 1.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ g/mL of IgG under the optimum conditions. A limit of detection (LOD) of 0.038 ng/mL for IgG was calculated from the standard calibration curve. The plot has a linear relationship (correlation coefficient, R = 0.9990). The analytical performance of present work’s biosensor was better than that of our previously reported mixed self-assembled monolayer of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid/6-mercapto-1-hexanol (MUA/MCH = 1:4) method by about three orders of magnitude. The achieved good sensitivity may be attributed to the synergistic effect between GO and AuNPs in this study. In addition, GO could immobilize more antibodies due to the abundant carboxylic groups on its surface. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that the results from this sensor have good reproducibility, with coefficients of variation (CVs) < 8% for IgG. Therefore, the present strategy provides a novel and convenient method for chemical and biochemical quantification and determination.

(Nano)tag-antibody conjugates in rapid tests

Antibodies (Abs) are naturally derived materials with favorable affinity, selectivity, and fast binding kinetics to the respective antigens, which enables their application as promising recognition elements in the development of various types of biosensors/bioassays, especially in rapid tests. These tests are low-cost and easy-to-use biosensing devices with broad applications including medical or veterinary diagnostics, environmental monitoring and industrial usages such as safety and quality analysis in food, providing on-site quick monitoring of various analytes, making it possible to save analysis costs and time. To reach such features, the conjugation of Abs with various nanomaterials (NMs) as tags is necessary, which range from conventional gold nanoparticles to other nanoparticles recently introduced, where magnetic, plasmonic, photoluminescent, or multi-modal properties play a critical role in the overall performance of the analytical device. In this context, to preserve the Ab affinity and provide a rapid response with long-term storage capability, the use of efficient bio-conjugation techniques is critical. Thanks to their prominent role in rapid tests, many studies have been devoted to the design and development of Abs-NMs conjugates with various chemistries including passive adsorption, covalent coupling, and affinity interactions. In this review, we present the state-of-the-art techniques allowing various Ab-NM conjugates with a special focus on the efficiency of the developed probes to be employed in in vitro rapid tests. Challenges and future perspectives on the development of Ab-conjugated nanotags in rapid diagnostic tests are highlighted along with a survey of the progress in commercially available Ab-NM conjugates.