Collaborative Iranian and Romanian chemistry researchers have succeeded in the production of a highly sensitive and simple electrochemical apta-sensor to detect protein marker of breast and uterus cancer.The objective of the research was to design and produce a sensitive and simple electrochemical apta-sensor to measure MUC1 breast and uterus cancer protein marker by employing printing sheet electrodes modified with Gold nanoparticles (AuNP).
Results from the research were in full agreement and comparable with those obtained from usual methods for the measurement of MUC1 protein in clinical tests (range of 0-10 ng/mL). It confirms that the electrochemical method by using aptamers stablised on AuNPs is an appropriate and simple method, which enables the measurement of MUC1 protein in a human sample at very low concentrations (0.95 ng/mL).
Increasing the amount of stablised aptamer chains on the surface of electrode, accessibility to target protein molecules (MUC1) after the completion of apta-sensor structure and subsequently the production of distinguishable and individual signals are among the key issues in aptamer's design based on electrochemical biosensors.
Going forward, the group are currently continuing their research on the production of electrochemical apta-sensors and safety sensors modified by nanomaterials - especially with AuNPs and quantum dots to detect biomarkers of other kinds of cancers and genetic diseases in real samples (including human blood serum by using at most a few micro-liters of blood sample). Original article available here
Please Note results of the above Iranian and Romanian research were published in the Communications Electrochemistry 33, 127-130 (2013)
As has proven when highlighting other nano-fabrication methodologies - DCN Corp strongly believes it can compete with the above electrochemical set-up. Therefore, if you and/or your colleagues are interested in making the above research findings reality - please ensure to contact the company as soon as practicably possible.