An optical biosensor assay for rapid dual detection of Botulinum neurotoxins A and E

Sci Rep. 2015 Dec 9:5:17953. doi: 10.1038/srep17953.

Abstract

The enzymatic activity of the pathogenic botulinum neurotoxins type A and E (BoNT/A and E) leads to potentially lethal paralytic symptoms in humans and their prompt detection is of crucial importance. A chip assay based on Surface Plasmon Resonance monitoring of the cleavage products is a simple method that we have previously established to detect BoNT/A activity. We have now developed a similar format assay to measure BoNT/E activity. A monoclonal antibody specifically recognizing SNAP25 cleaved by BoNT/E was generated and used to measure the appearance of the neo-epitope following injection of BoNT/E over SNAP-25 immobilized on a chip. This assay detects BoNT/E activity at 1 LD50/ml within minutes and linear dose-responses curves were obtained using a multiplexed biosensor. A threshold of 0.01 LD50/ml was achieved after 5 h of cleavage. This assay is 10-fold more sensitive than the in vivo assay for direct detection of BoNT/E in serum samples. The SNAP25 chip assay is able to discriminate in an automated manner the presence of BoNT/E, BoNT/A or a combination of both toxins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Botulinum Toxins* / immunology
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A* / immunology
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
  • Microchip Analytical Procedures
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Epitopes
  • Botulinum Toxins
  • Botulinum Toxins, Type A
  • incobotulinumtoxinA