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Simultaneous voltammetric immunodetection of alpha-fetoprotein and glypican-3 using a glassy carbon electrode modified with magnetite-conjugated dendrimers

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Abstract

The authors describe an electrochemical immunoassay for simultaneous determination of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and glypican-3 (GPC-3) which are important biomarkers for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) were decorated with hyperbranched amino functionalized dendrimers. The modified NPs were coupled to the antibodies against AFP and GPC-3. The electrochemical behaviour of the Fe3O4 NPs and dendrimer-modified NPs were studied. A glassy carbon electrode was then modified with the NP-conjugated antibodies and biomolecular interactions were studied by using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Dual differential pulse voltammetric sensing was performed by utilizing the redox probes; Prussian blue for AFP and toluidine blue for GPC-3. The biomarkers can be detected best at voltages of 0.25 mV and – 0.54 mV (vs Ag/AgCl) for AFP and GPC-3, respectively. The low working potentials makes the method more selective over other electroactive species present in real human serum samples. Response is linear in 0.02 to 10 ng mL−1 concentration ranges of both AFP and GPC-3; and the respective detection limits are 50 and 70 pg mL−1. The method was validated by analysing spiked human serum samples. In our perception, the method is of great clinical significance as combination of GPC-3 and AFP increases the sensitivity of detection of HCC.

Schematic presentation of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers modified magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles as electrochemical sensing platform using redox dyes Prussian blue and toluidine blue for simultaneous detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and glypican-3 (GPC-3), respectively by differential pulse voltammetry.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, for XRD and VSM measurements. We acknowledge Dr. Kolja Them (University of Hamburg, Germany) for performing nanoparticle characterization by TEM. Authors are grateful for financial support from Nanomission, Department of Science and Technology [Sanction No.: SR/NM/NB-1024/2016(C)], Government of India for providing research project grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SVKM’s NMIMS, Sunandan Divatia School of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Deemed-to-be University, Vile Parle (west), Mumbai, 400056, India

    Priyal Chikhaliwala

  2. Department of HPB and Transplant Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Mulund (west), Mumbai, 400078, India

    Rakesh Rai

  3. SVKM’s NMIMS, Sunandan Divatia School of Science, Department of Chemistry, Deemed-to-be University, Vile Parle (west), Mumbai, 400056, India

    Sudeshna Chandra

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Correspondence to Sudeshna Chandra.

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Chikhaliwala, P., Rai, R. & Chandra, S. Simultaneous voltammetric immunodetection of alpha-fetoprotein and glypican-3 using a glassy carbon electrode modified with magnetite-conjugated dendrimers. Microchim Acta 186, 255 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-019-3354-4

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