Absolute Quantification of Amyloid Propagons by Digital Microfluidics

Anal Chem. 2017 Nov 21;89(22):12306-12313. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b03279. Epub 2017 Nov 1.

Abstract

The self-replicating properties of proteins into amyloid fibrils is a common phenomenon and underlies a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Because propagation-active fibrils are chemically indistinguishable from innocuous aggregates and monomeric precursors, their detection requires measurements of their replicative capacity. Here we present a digital amyloid quantitative assay (d-AQuA) with insulin as model protein for the absolute quantification of single replicative units, propagons. D-AQuA is a microfluidics-based technology that performs miniaturized simultaneous propagon-induced amplification chain reactions within hundreds to thousands of picoliter-sized droplets. At limiting dilutions, the d-AQuA reactions follow a stochastic regime indicative of the detection of single propagons. D-AQuA thus enables absolute quantification of single propagons present in a given sample at very low concentrations. The number of propagons quantified by d-AQuA was similar to that of fibrillar insulin aggregates detected by atomic-force microscopy and to an equivalent microplate-based assay, providing independent evidence for the identity of insulin propagons with a subset of morphologically defined protein aggregates. The sensitivity, precision, and accuracy of d-AQuA enable it to be suitable for multiple biotechnological and medical applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques*
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Particle Size
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides