Nanomaterial-based Optical and Electrochemical Biosensors for Amyloid beta and Tau: Potential for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2021 Feb;21(2):175-193. doi: 10.1080/14737159.2021.1887732. Epub 2021 Mar 1.

Abstract

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD), a heterogeneous pathological process representing the most common causes of dementia worldwide, has required early and accurate diagnostic tools. Neuropathological hallmarks of AD involve the aberrant accumulation of Amyloid beta (Aβ) into Amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated Tau into neurofibrillary tangles, occurring long before the onset of brain dysfunction.Areas covered:Considering the significance of Aβ and Tau in AD pathogenesis, these proteins have been adopted as core biomarkers of AD, and their quantification has provided precise diagnostic information to develop next-generation AD therapeutic approaches. However, conventional diagnostic methods may not suffice to achieve clinical criteria that are acceptable for proper diagnosis and treatment. The advantages of nanomaterial-based biosensors including facile miniaturization, mass fabrication, ultra-sensitivity, make them useful to be promising tools to measure Aβ and Tau simultaneously for accurate validation of low-abundance yet potentially informative biomarkers of AD..

Expert opinion: The study has identified the potential application of advanced biosensors as standardized clinical diagnostic tools for AD, evolving the way for new and efficient AD control with minimum economic and social burden. After clinical trial, nanobiosensors for measuring Aβ and Tau simultaneously possess innovative diagnosis of AD to provide significant contributions to primary Alzheimer's care intervention.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; amyloid beta; diagnosis; electrochemical biosensor; nanomaterial; optical biosensor; tau.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease* / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease* / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Nanostructures*
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • tau Proteins