Molecular nanoshearing: an innovative approach to shear off molecules with AC-induced nanoscopic fluid flow

Sci Rep. 2014 Jan 16:4:3716. doi: 10.1038/srep03716.

Abstract

Early diagnosis of disease requires highly specific measurement of molecular biomarkers from femto to pico-molar concentrations in complex biological (e.g., serum, blood, etc.) samples to provide clinically useful information. While reaching this detection limit is challenging in itself, these samples contain numerous other non-target molecules, most of which have a tendency to adhere to solid surfaces via nonspecific interactions. Herein, we present an entirely new methodology to physically displace nonspecifically bound molecules from solid surfaces by utilizing a newly discovered "tuneable force", induced by an applied alternating electric field, which occurs within few nanometers of an electrode surface. This methodology thus offers a unique ability to shear-off loosely bound molecules from the solid/liquid interface. Via this approach, we achieved a 5-fold reduction in nonspecific adsorption of non-target protein molecules and a 1000-fold enhancement for the specific capture of HER2 protein in human serum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Humans
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Proteins
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / blood
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Receptor, ErbB-2