Biosensors (Mar 2023)

Microfluidic Platform Integrated with Carbon Nanofibers-Decorated Gold Nanoporous Sensing Device for Serum PSA Quantification

  • Emiliano Felici,
  • Matías D. Regiart,
  • Sirley V. Pereira,
  • Francisco G. Ortega,
  • Lúcio Angnes,
  • Germán A. Messina,
  • Martín A. Fernández-Baldo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13030390
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 3
p. 390

Abstract

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Prostate cancer is a disease with a high incidence and mortality rate in men worldwide. Serum prostate-specific antigens (PSA) are the main circulating biomarker for this disease in clinical practices. In this work, we present a portable and reusable microfluidic device for PSA quantification. This device comprises a polymethyl methacrylate microfluidic platform coupled with electrochemical detection. The platinum working microelectrode was positioned in the outflow region of the microchannel and was modified with carbon nanofibers (CNF)-decorated gold nanoporous (GNP) structures by the dynamic hydrogen bubble template method, through the simultaneous electrodeposition of metal precursors in the presence of CNF. CNF/GNP structures exhibit attractive properties, such as a large surface to volume ratio, which increases the antibody’s immobilization capacity and the electroactive area. CNFs/GNP structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, and cyclic voltammetry. Anti-PSA antibodies and HRP were employed for the immune-electrochemical reaction. The detection limit for the device was 5 pg mL−1, with a linear range from 0.01 to 50 ng mL−1. The coefficients of variation within and between assays were lower than 4.40%, and 6.15%, respectively. Additionally, its clinical performance was tested in serum from 30 prostate cancer patients. This novel device was a sensitive, selective, portable, and reusable tool for the serological diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer.

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