Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Microalbuminuria is an important clinical marker of several cardiovascular, metabolic, and other diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cancer. The accurate detection of microalbuminuria relies on albumin quantification in the urine, usually via an immunoturbidity assay; however, like many antibody-based assessments, this method may not be robust enough to function in global health applications, point-of-care assays, or wearable devices. Here, we develop an antibody-free approach using synthetic molecular recognition by constructing a polymer to mimic fatty acid binding to the albumin, informed by the albumin crystal structure. A single-walled carbon nanotube, encapsulated by the polymer, as the transduction element produces a hypsochromic (blue) shift in photoluminescence upon the binding of albumin in clinical urine samples. This complex, incorporated into an acrylic material, results in a nanosensor paint that enables the detection of microalbuminuria in patient samples and comprises a rapid point-of-care sensor robust enough to be deployed in resource-limited settings.
Source: Nature Communications
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,200
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Commonwealth Foundation, Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Tow Foundation, Cycle for Survival, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Office of Strategic Coordination, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: G2051006376, G2295061683, G289723095, G4165928844, G436607608, G4583515593, Transient Metabolite Detection for Single-Cell Metabolomics and Diagnostics, G5109122429, CAREER: A Quantitative Nanosensor to Measure Redox Potential in Living Systems, G6671297155, G675646491, G729500567, G7556015768, G7662121392, Renal tubule-specific nanotherapeutics for acute kidney injury, G9000003249, G9000023522, Cancer Center Support Grant
OpenAlex ID: W2967807443