Detection of the breast cancer cells is important for early diagnosis of the cancer. We applied thickness shear mode acoustics method (TSM) for detection of SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells using DNA aptamers specific to HER2 positive membrane receptors. The biotinylated aptamers were immobilized at the neutravidin layer chemisorbed at gold surface of TSM transducer. Addition of the cells resulted in decrease of resonant frequency, fs, and in increase of motional resistance, Rm. Using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), modified by aptamers it was possible improving the limit of detection (LOD) that reached 550 cells/mL, while without amplification the sensitivity of the detection of SK-BR-3 cells was 1574 cells/mL. HER2 negative cell line MDA-MB-231 did not resulted in significant changes of fs. The viability studies demonstrated that cells are stable at experimental conditions used during at least 8 h. AuNPs were not toxic on the cells up to concentration of 1 μg/mL.
Keywords: DNA aptamer; HER2 receptors; acoustic biosensor; breast cancer cells; gold nanoparticles.