Beyond the Debye length in high ionic strength solution: direct protein detection with field-effect transistors (FETs) in human serum

Chia-Ho Chu; Indu Sarangadharan; Abiral Regmi; Yen-Wen Chen; Chen-Pin Hsu; Wen-Hsin Chang; Geng-Yen Lee; Jen-Inn Chyi; Chih-Chen Chen; Shu-Chu Shiesh; Gwo-Bin Lee; Yu-Lin Wang

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05426-6

Beyond the Debye length in high ionic strength solution: direct protein detection with field-effect transistors (FETs) in human serum

Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 12;7(1):5256. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-05426-6.

Authors

Chia-Ho Chu¹, Indu Sarangadharan¹, Abiral Regmi¹, Yen-Wen Chen¹, Chen-Pin Hsu¹, Wen-Hsin Chang¹, Geng-Yen Lee², Jen-Inn Chyi², Chih-Chen Chen^{1

3}, Shu-Chu Shiesh⁴, Gwo-Bin Lee^{5

6

7}, Yu-Lin Wang^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.
² Department of Electrical engineering, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan County, 320, Taiwan, R.O.C.
³ Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.
⁴ Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, 701, Taiwan, R.O.C.
⁵ Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.. gwobin@pme.nthu.edu.tw.
⁶ Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.. gwobin@pme.nthu.edu.tw.
⁷ Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.. gwobin@pme.nthu.edu.tw.
⁸ Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.. ylwang@mx.nthu.edu.tw.
⁹ Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, R.O.C.. ylwang@mx.nthu.edu.tw.

Abstract

In this study, a new type of field-effect transistor (FET)-based biosensor is demonstrated to be able to overcome the problem of severe charge-screening effect caused by high ionic strength in solution and detect proteins in physiological environment. Antibody or aptamer-immobilized AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are used to directly detect proteins, including HIV-1 RT, CEA, NT-proBNP and CRP, in 1X PBS (with 1%BSA) or human sera. The samples do not need any dilution or washing process to reduce the ionic strength. The sensor shows high sensitivity and the detection takes only 5 minutes. The designs of the sensor, the methodology of the measurement, and the working mechanism of the sensor are discussed and investigated. A theoretical model is proposed based on the finding of the experiments. This sensor is promising for point-of-care, home healthcare, and mobile diagnostic device.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aluminum Compounds / chemistry*
Antibodies, Immobilized / chemistry*
Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry*
Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
Biosensing Techniques / methods
Blood Proteins / analysis*
Equipment Design
Gallium / chemistry*
Humans
Osmolar Concentration
Point-of-Care Systems
Transistors, Electronic*

Substances

Aluminum Compounds
Antibodies, Immobilized
Aptamers, Nucleotide
Blood Proteins
aluminum gallium nitride
Gallium