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. 2024 Apr;416(10):2411-2422.
doi: 10.1007/s00216-024-05223-x. Epub 2024 Mar 8.

NT-proBNP detection with a one-step magnetic lateral flow channel assay

Affiliations

NT-proBNP detection with a one-step magnetic lateral flow channel assay

Dan Strohmaier-Nguyen et al. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2024 Apr.

Abstract

Point-of-care sensors targeting blood marker analysis must be designed to function with very small volumes since acquiring a blood sample through a simple, mostly pain-free finger prick dramatically limits the sample size and comforts the patient. Therefore, we explored the potential of converting a conventional lateral flow assay (LFA) for a significant biomarker into a self-contained and compact polymer channel-based LFA to minimize the sample volume while maintaining the analytical merits. Our primary objective was to eliminate the use of sample-absorbing fleece and membrane materials commonly present in LFAs. Simultaneously, we concentrated on developing a ready-to-deploy one-step LFA format, characterized by dried reagents, facilitating automation and precise sample transport through a pump control system. We targeted the detection of the heart failure biomarker NT-proBNP in only 15 µL human whole blood and therefore implemented strategies that ensure highly sensitive detection. The biosensor combines streptavidin-functionalized magnetic beads (MNPs) as a 3D detection zone and fluorescence nanoparticles as signal labels in a sandwich-based immunoassay. Compared to the currently commercialized LFA, our biosensor demonstrates comparable analytical performance with only a tenth of the sample volume. With a detection limit of 43.1 pg∙mL-1 and a mean error of 18% (n ≥ 3), the biosensor offers high sensitivity and accuracy. The integration of all-dried long-term stable reagents further enhances the convenience and stability of the biosensor. This lateral flow channel platform represents a promising advancement in point-of-care diagnostics for heart failure biomarkers, offering a user-friendly and sensitive platform for rapid and reliable testing with low finger-prick blood sample volumes.

Keywords: Cardiac; Immunoassay; Lateral flow assay; Magnetic bead; One-step; Point-of-care.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests. Antje J. Baeumner is the editor of this journal but was not involved in the peer review of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic (not-to-scale) illustration of the sandwich-based fluorescence assay in a lateral flow channel with MNPs as capturing particles, an external magnet for fixing the MNPs in the detection zone, fluorescence nanoparticles as label, and a fluid control system for sample transportation. Upon sample application (15 µL) at the inlet (1), the dried reagents undergo rehydration and subsequent transport through the mixing area, initiating the immunoreaction process (2). Positioned within the detection zone, an external magnet captures the MNP-immunosandwich complex (3), enabling the quantification of analyte-dependent fluorescence. Adapted from “Microfluidic Device,” by BioRender.com (2023). Retrieved from https://app.biorender.com/biorender-templates
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Optimization of the capture efficiency by the external magnetic field in the lateral flow channel in dependency of the particle size and flow rate. Plot of the transmittance of the sample against the flow rate and particle size (a). Two hundred microliter of MNP (2% (w/v)) in HEPES buffer was transported with different flow rates through the channel, and the transmittance of the sample was then analyzed in the photometer. Plot of the assay signal against the rehydration time of the dried reagents (b). Control c represents the assay signal with Ab-fluorescent NPs, capture Ab, and MNPs in solution. Standard deviations were calculated based on three parallel measurements on three different lateral flow channels (n = 3)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Optimization of the immunoassay by varying the concentration of the dried reagents and the flow rate. Plot of the assay signal against the capture antibody (cAb) concentration (a), plot of the assay signal against the Ab-fluorescent NP (dAb) concentration (b), plot of the assay signal against the MNP concentration (c), and plot of the assay signal against the flow rate (d). Error bars represent mean values ± 1 σ (n = 5)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Dose–response curve of NT-proBNP concentration in undiluted whole blood with logistic fit (blue line), 95% confidence interval (shaded blue curve) (a), and fluorescence images representing NT-proBNP concentration (b). Standard deviations were calculated based on three parallel measurements using four flow channels, while outliers were removed after Q-test (confidence interval 95%). Error bars represent mean values ± 1 σ (n = 3)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Performance stability of the bioassay with dried capture Abs, Ab-fluorescent NPs in 6% (w/v) sucrose, and MNPs in 6% (w/v) dextran at 50 °C, stored at 4 °C over 8 weeks. Standard deviations were calculated based on three parallel measurements on three different LFAs, while outliers were removed after Q-test (confidence interval 95%). Error bars represent mean values ± 1 σ (n = 3). In all measurements, the immunoassay was performed in the lateral flow channel with a constant analyte concentration of 1 ng∙mL1, and signal stability means were normalized to the signal right after drying (storage time = 0)

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