Capacitive aptasensor based on interdigitated electrode for breast cancer detection in undiluted human serum

Abstract

We report the development of a simple and powerful capacitive aptasensor for the detection and estimation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a biomarker for breast cancer, in undiluted serum. The study involves the incorporation of interdigitated gold electrodes, which were used to prepare the electrochemical platform. A thiol terminated DNA aptamer with affinity for HER2 was used to prepare the bio-recognition layer via self-assembly on interdigitated gold surfaces. Non-specific binding was prevented by blocking free spaces on surface via starting block phosphate buffer saline-tween20 blocker. The sensor was characterized using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), atomic force microscopy and contact angle studies. Non-Faradic EIS measurements were utilized to investigate the sensor performance via monitoring of the changes in capacitance. The aptasensor exhibited logarithmically detection of HER2 from 1pM to 100nM in both buffer and undiluted serum with limits of detection lower than 1pM. The results pave the way to develop other aptamer-based biosensors for protein biomarkers detection in undiluted serum.

Keywords: Aptamer; Biosensor; Breast cancer; Capacitance; HER2; Impedimetric.