Electrochemical immunosensor for the direct, reagentless detection of tumor biomarkers Conference

Prabhulkar, S, Alwarrapan, S, Naja, GM et al. (2009). Electrochemical immunosensor for the direct, reagentless detection of tumor biomarkers . IFMBE Proceedings, 24 195-196. 10.1007/978-3-642-01697-4_71

cited authors

  • Prabhulkar, S; Alwarrapan, S; Naja, GM; Li, C

abstract

  • Electrochemical techniques employing carbon fiber microelectrodes offer several advantages such as enhanced mass transport, real time measurement, and high sensitivity. In addition, the use of microelectrodes opens up the possibility of in vivo electrical sensing of various biological compounds in living cells and tissue cultures. In the present work, we employ carbon fiber microelectrodes to develop a direct, reagentless, electrochemical, immunosensing strategy for the detection of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) which is a homodimeric glycoprotein overexpressed by various types of cancer cells. VEGF levels can also predict disease prognosis and therapy response. Briefly, in this work ferrocene bound anti-VEGF antibodies were covalently immobilized on the carbon fiber surface using a linker molecule. Upon formation of immunocomplexes, the direct electrochemical signal of ferrocene decreases owing to increased spatial blocking of electrode surface. VEGF concentration can be determined by measuring these signal changes. Results indicate that the electrode assembly designed is capable of sensing VEGF up to a limit of detection of about 2pg/mL. The proto type micro immuno-sensor provides the feasibility of in-vivo detection of cancer biomarkers at single cell level. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

publication date

  • November 6, 2009

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 195

end page

  • 196

volume

  • 24