Label-free detection of interleukin-6 using electrolyte gated organic field effect transistors

Biointerphases. 2017 Sep 27;12(5):05F401. doi: 10.1116/1.4997760.

Abstract

Cytokines are small proteins that play fundamental roles in inflammatory processes in the human body. In particular, interleukin (IL)-6 is a multifunctional cytokine, whose increased levels are associated with infection, cancer, and inflammation. The quantification of IL-6 is therefore of primary importance in early stages of inflammation and in chronic diseases, but standard techniques are expensive, time-consuming, and usually rely on fluorescent or radioactive labels. Organic electronic devices and, in particular, organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have been proposed in the recent years as novel platforms for label-free protein detection, exploiting as sensing unit surface-immobilized antibodies or aptamers. Here, the authors report two electrolyte-gated OFETs biosensors for IL-6 detection, featuring monoclonal antibodies and peptide aptamers adsorbed at the gate. Both strategies yield biosensors that can work on a wide range of IL-6 concentrations and exhibit a remarkable limit of detection of 1 pM. Eventually, electrolyte gated OFETs responses have been used to extract and compare the binding thermodynamics between the sensing moiety, immobilized at the gate electrode, and IL-6.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Aptamers, Peptide / metabolism
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Electrolytes / metabolism
  • Interleukin-6 / analysis*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Aptamers, Peptide
  • Electrolytes
  • Interleukin-6