Ultra-low HIV-1 p24 detection limits with a bioelectronic sensor

• Published in: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry Vol. 412; no. 4; pp. 811 - 818
• Main Authors: Macchia, Eleonora, Sarcina, Lucia, Picca, Rosaria Anna, Manoli, Kyriaki, Di Franco, Cinzia, Scamarcio, Gaetano, Torsi, Luisa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2020; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Antibodies; Antibodies, Immobilized - chemistry; Biochemistry; Bioelectricity; Biomarkers; Biosensing Techniques - instrumentation; Capsid protein; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Detection limits; Diagnosis; Disease control; Disease transmission; Field effect transistors; Food Science; Health aspects; HIV; HIV (Viruses); HIV Core Protein p24 - analysis; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - virology; HIV testing; HIV-1 - isolation & purification; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Immunoassay - instrumentation; Infection; Laboratory Medicine; Limit of Detection; Low cost; Medical treatment; Models, Molecular; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; New Developments in Biosensors; Proteins; Research Paper; Semiconductor devices; Sensors; Tracking; Transistors; Transistors, Electronic; Viral antibodies; Viral proteins; Viremia; Virus diseases; Viruses; Israel; HIV-1 p24 detection; Electrolyte-gated thin-film transistors; Single molecule detection with a transistor (SiMoT); Organic bioelectronics
• ISSN: 1618-2642; 1618-2650
• DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-02319-7

Early diagnosis of the infection caused by human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) is vital to achieve efficient therapeutic treatment and limit the disease spreading when the viremia is at its highest level. To this end, a point-of-care HIV-1 detection carried out with label-free, low-cost, and ultra-sensitive screening technologies would be of great relevance. Herein, a label-free single molecule detection of HIV-1 p24 capsid protein with a large ( wide-field ) single-molecule transistor (SiMoT) sensor is proposed. The system is based on an electrolyte-gated field-effect transistor whose gate is bio-functionalized with the antibody against the HIV-1 p24 capsid protein. The device exhibits a limit of detection of a single protein and a limit of quantification in the 10 molecule range. This study paves the way for a low-cost technology that can quantify, with single-molecule precision, the transition of a biological organism from being “healthy” to being “diseased” by tracking a target biomarker. This can open to the possibility of performing the earliest possible diagnosis.