Impedimetric biosensor for detection of cancer cells employing carbohydrate targeting ability of Concanavalin A

Ankan Dutta Chowdhury; Akhilesh Babu Ganganboina; Enoch Y Park; Ruey-An Doong

doi:10.1016/j.bios.2018.08.039

Impedimetric biosensor for detection of cancer cells employing carbohydrate targeting ability of Concanavalin A

Biosens Bioelectron. 2018 Dec 30:122:95-103. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2018.08.039. Epub 2018 Aug 18.

Authors

Ankan Dutta Chowdhury¹, Akhilesh Babu Ganganboina², Enoch Y Park³, Ruey-An Doong⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, 1001 University Road, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
² Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 101 Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
³ Laboratory of Biotechnology, Research Institute of Green Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan; College of Agriculture, Academic Institute, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan.
⁴ Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, 1001 University Road, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 101 Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan. Electronic address: radoong@mx.nthu.edu.tw.

PMID: 30245327
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2018.08.039

Abstract

The successful development of selective detection of cancer cells from normal cells is a highly demanded but challenging task. Herein, we have developed a rapid and label-free impedimetric biosensor for quantitative determination of cancer cells with high glycoprotein expression. Homogenously distributed 2-9 nm graphene quantum dots (GQDs) was anchored on the surface Fe₃O₄ through covalent bonding. Concovalin A (ConA) was then adhered onto GQDs by physical mixing to fabricate ConA-GQD@Fe₃O₄ nanosensing probe. A good dynamic range in the cell concentration of 5 × 10²-1 × 10⁵ cells mL^-1 with LOD values of 246 and 367 cells mL^-1 for HeLa and MCF-7, respectively, is obtained. The impedimetric responses to the cancerous HeLa and MCF-7 cells are 16.7 and 13.1 times higher than those of their original sensor electrodes. However, the interaction between sensing probe and normal MCF-10 and bEnd.3 cells is negligible, confirming the specific selectivity toward cancer cells. Cellular uptake images as well as in-vitro cytotoxicity corroborates the electrochemical results. In addition, the successful detection of cancer cells in human serum and circulating tumor cells in blood sample envisions the feasibility of using ConA-GQD@Fe₃O₄ as the nanosensing probe for clinically early diagnosis of cancer cells with high glycoprotein expression.

Keywords: Cancer cell detection; Concanavalin A (ConA); Graphene quantum dots (GQDs); Impedimetric biosensor; Label-free.

MeSH terms

Biosensing Techniques / methods*
Carbohydrates / analysis
Cell Line
Concanavalin A / chemistry*
Electric Impedance
Electrodes
Glycoproteins / analysis
Graphite / chemistry*
HeLa Cells
Humans
Immobilized Proteins / chemistry
MCF-7 Cells
Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Quantum Dots / chemistry*
Quantum Dots / ultrastructure

Substances

Carbohydrates
Glycoproteins
Immobilized Proteins
Concanavalin A
Graphite