Disposable inkjet-printed electrochemical platform for detection of clinically relevant HER-2 breast cancer biomarker

Biosens Bioelectron. 2018 May 1:104:158-162. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2018.01.003. Epub 2018 Jan 4.

Abstract

Rapidly fabricated, disposable sensor platforms hold tremendous promise for point-of-care detection. Here, we present an inexpensive (< $0.25) fully inkjet printed electrochemical sensor with integrated counter, reference, and working electrodes that is easily scalable for commercial fabrication. The electrochemical sensor platform featured an inkjet printed gold working 8-electrode array (WEA) and counter electrode (CE), along with an inkjet -printed silver electrode that was chlorinated with bleach to produce a Ag/AgCl quasi-reference electrode (RE). As proof of concept, the electrochemical sensor was successfully applied for detection of clinically relevant breast cancer biomarker Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER-2). Capture antibodies were bound to a chemically modified surface on the WEA and placed into a microfluidic device. A full sandwich immunoassay was constructed following a simultaneous injection of target protein, biotinylated antibody, and polymerized horseradish peroxide labels into the microfluidic device housing the WEA. With an ultra fast assay time, of only 15mins a clinically relevant limit of detection of 12pgmL-1 was achieved. Excellent reproducibility and sensitivity were observed through recovery assays preformed in human serum with recoveries ranging from 76% to 103%. These easily fabricated and scalable electrochemical sensor platforms can be readily adapted for multiplex detection following this rapid assay protocol for cancer diagnostics.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2); Immunoassay; Inkjet printing; Microfluidic; Printed electronics.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies / chemistry
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / isolation & purification*
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Breast Neoplasms / blood*
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Electrodes
  • Female
  • Gold
  • Humans
  • Limit of Detection
  • Printing
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / blood
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Gold
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2