Surface plasmon resonance and surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy for sensitive detection of tumor markers

Methods Mol Biol. 2009:503:3-20. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-567-5_1.

Abstract

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), which provides real-time, in situ analysis of dynamic surface events, is a valuable tool for studying interactions between biomolecules. In the clinical diagnosis of tumor markers in human blood, SPR is applied to detect the formation of a sandwich-type immune complex composed of a primary antibody immobilized on a sensor surface, the tumor marker, and a secondary antibody. However, the SPR signal is quite low due to the minute amounts (ng-pg/mL) of most tumor markers in blood. We have shown that the SPR signal can be amplified by applying an antibody against the secondary antibody or streptavidin-conjugated nanobeads that specifically accumulate on the secondary antibody. Another method employed for highly sensitive detection is the surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy-based immunoassay, which utilizes the enhanced electric field intensity at a metal/water interface to excite a fluorophore. Fluorescence intensity attributed to binding of a fluorophore-labeled secondary antibody is increased due to the enhanced field in the SPR condition and can be monitored in real time.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods
  • Blood Chemical Analysis / instrumentation*
  • Blood Chemical Analysis / methods
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Humans
  • Immunoassay / instrumentation
  • Immunoassay / methods
  • Neoplasm Proteins / blood
  • Neoplasms / blood*
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / instrumentation*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence / methods
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / instrumentation*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / methods

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Neoplasm Proteins