Conducting polymer based fluorescence quenching as a new approach to increase the selectivity of immunosensors

Biosens Bioelectron. 2007 Nov 30;23(4):499-505. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2007.06.013. Epub 2007 Jul 21.

Abstract

Polypyrrole (Ppy) has been shown to be a superior matrix for fluorescence detection based immunosensors: (i) the fluorescence of polypyrrole and polypyrrole modified by entrapped proteins was almost not detectable when this polymer was excited by near UV 325 nm light; (ii) polypyrrole quenched the fluorescence of such fluorescence agents as fluoresceine 5(6)-isothiocyanate, rhodamine B and enzyme-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by almost 100% if they were deposited in the solution as a drop at the Ppy surface followed by evaporation of the solvent. According to our knowledge, this work is first application of Ppy in the design of a fluorescence-based immunosensor, where low Ppy fluorescence background and Ppy induced fluorescence quenching were exploited. These sensors were devoted to the detection of antibodies against bovine leukemia virus (BLV) protein gp51 (anti-gp51-Ab). A biological recognition system of this fluorescence immunosensor model was based on polypyrrole with entrapped BLV proteins gp51 (gp51/Ppy). This gp51/Ppy layer was applied for the detection of anti-gp51-Ab. Secondary antibodies against anti-gp51-Ab labeled with HRP (Ab*) were applied as fluorescence-detectable labels that are able to recognize specifically and interact with the complex of gp51 proteins and anti-gp51-Ab antibodies (gp51/anti-gp51-Ab). It was demonstrated that fluorescence of non-specifically adsorbed Ab* was almost completely quenched by the Ppy substrate. In addition, enzymatic activity of HRP was exploited as a traditional reference method for verification of the formation of the immune complex gp51/anti-gp51-Ab/Ab*.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Fluorescence*
  • Immunoassay / methods
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Pyrroles / chemistry*

Substances

  • Polymers
  • Pyrroles
  • polypyrrole