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Nanosensors for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2020) | Viewed by 20918

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8560, Japan
Interests: bioanalytical chemistry; biosensor; lab on a chip; electrochemistry; surface plasmon resonance; epigenetics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Various nanomaterials, such nanotubes, -sheets, and -particles, have been reported. The unique features of nanomaterials that are different from conventional bulk material are the large surface area to volume ratio and the appearance of quantum effects. As typical nanomaterials, carbon-based materials such as carbon nanotubes, and metal-based materials such as silver, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide are well known. Nanomaterials are expected to bring great benefits to society in a wide range of fields as a new industrial technology, and their use has been advanced in various fields, such as cosmetics, paints, and inks. Furthermore, application to the biomedical field in the next generation is highly expected. This is because it has been reported that biomolecular detections by combining nanomaterials and various detection techniques (fluorescence, SERS, electrochemistry, surface plasmon resonance, FET, etc.) enable improvements with high sensitivity, specificity, and spatiotemporal resolutions that could not be achieved so far.

In this Special Issue, we invite papers on the development of nanosensors, including top–down, bottom–up, and self-assembly nanostructured materials and their biomedical applications.

Prof. Dr. Ryoji Kurita
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Biomedical Applications
  • Biosensors
  • Bioanalysis
  • Nanomaterials
  • Molecular self-assembly
  • Lab on a chip
  • Healthcare
  • Diagnostics

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 4273 KiB  
Communication
A Miniature Bio-Photonics Companion Diagnostics Platform for Reliable Cancer Treatment Monitoring in Blood Fluids
by Marianneza Chatzipetrou, Lefteris Gounaridis, George Tsekenis, Maria Dimadi, Rachel Vestering-Stenger, Erik F. Schreuder, Anke Trilling, Geert Besselink, Luc Scheres, Adriaan van der Meer, Ernst Lindhout, Rene G. Heideman, Henk Leeuwis, Siegfried Graf, Tormod Volden, Michael Ningler, Christos Kouloumentas, Claudia Strehle, Vincent Revol, Apostolos Klinakis, Hercules Avramopoulos and Ioanna Zergiotiadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Sensors 2021, 21(6), 2230; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21062230 - 23 Mar 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5200
Abstract
In this paper, we present the development of a photonic biosensor device for cancer treatment monitoring as a complementary diagnostics tool. The proposed device combines multidisciplinary concepts from the photonic, nano-biochemical, micro-fluidic and reader/packaging platforms aiming to overcome limitations related to detection reliability, [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present the development of a photonic biosensor device for cancer treatment monitoring as a complementary diagnostics tool. The proposed device combines multidisciplinary concepts from the photonic, nano-biochemical, micro-fluidic and reader/packaging platforms aiming to overcome limitations related to detection reliability, sensitivity, specificity, compactness and cost issues. The photonic sensor is based on an array of six asymmetric Mach Zender Interferometer (aMZI) waveguides on silicon nitride substrates and the sensing is performed by measuring the phase shift of the output signal, caused by the binding of the analyte on the functionalized aMZI surface. According to the morphological design of the waveguides, an improved sensitivity is achieved in comparison to the current technologies (<5000 nm/RIU). This platform is combined with a novel biofunctionalization methodology that involves material-selective surface chemistries and the high-resolution laser printing of biomaterials resulting in the development of an integrated photonics biosensor device that employs disposable microfluidics cartridges. The device is tested with cancer patient blood serum samples. The detection of periostin (POSTN) and transforming growth factor beta-induced protein (TGFBI), two circulating biomarkers overexpressed by cancer stem cells, is achieved in cancer patient serum with the use of the device. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosensors for Biomedical Applications)
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14 pages, 3181 KiB  
Communication
Electrochemical Oxidation of Monosaccharides at Nanoporous Gold with Controlled Atomic Surface Orientation and Non-Enzymatic Galactose Sensing
by Yasuhiro Mie, Shizuka Katagai and Masiki Ikegami
Sensors 2020, 20(19), 5632; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20195632 - 01 Oct 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2512
Abstract
Non-enzymatic saccharide sensors are of great interest in diagnostics, but their non-selectivity limits their practical diagnostic abilities. In this study, we investigated the electrochemical oxidation of monosaccharides at nanoporous gold (NPG) catalysts with different contributions of surface crystallographic orientations. Fructose elicited no clear [...] Read more.
Non-enzymatic saccharide sensors are of great interest in diagnostics, but their non-selectivity limits their practical diagnostic abilities. In this study, we investigated the electrochemical oxidation of monosaccharides at nanoporous gold (NPG) catalysts with different contributions of surface crystallographic orientations. Fructose elicited no clear electrochemical response, but glucose, galactose, and mannose produced clear oxidative current. The onset potentials for oxidation of these saccharides depended on the surface atomic structure of the NPG. The oxidation potential was approximately 100 mV less positive at the Au(100)-enhanced NPG than at the Au(111)-enhanced NPG. Furthermore, the voltammetric responses significantly differed among the saccharides. Galactose was oxidized at less positive potential and exhibited a higher current response than the other saccharides. This tendency was enhanced in the presence of chloride ions. These features enabled the selective and sensitive detection of galactose at an NPG electrode without enzymes under physiological conditions. A linear range of 10 μM to 1.8 mM was obtained in the calibration plot, which was comparable to those in previously reported enzymatic galactose sensors. Thus, we demonstrated that controlling the crystallographic orientation on the nanostructured electrode surface is useful in developing electrochemical sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosensors for Biomedical Applications)
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12 pages, 2238 KiB  
Communication
A Multichannel Pattern-Recognition-Based Protein Sensor with a Fluorophore-Conjugated Single-Stranded DNA Set
by Mari Okada, Hiroka Sugai, Shunsuke Tomita and Ryoji Kurita
Sensors 2020, 20(18), 5110; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20185110 - 08 Sep 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3108
Abstract
Recently, pattern-recognition-based protein sensing has received considerable attention because it offers unique opportunities that complement more conventional antibody-based detection methods. Here, we report a multichannel pattern-recognition-based sensor using a set of fluorophore-conjugated single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs), which can detect various proteins. Three different fluorophore-conjugated [...] Read more.
Recently, pattern-recognition-based protein sensing has received considerable attention because it offers unique opportunities that complement more conventional antibody-based detection methods. Here, we report a multichannel pattern-recognition-based sensor using a set of fluorophore-conjugated single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs), which can detect various proteins. Three different fluorophore-conjugated ssDNAs were placed into a single microplate well together with a target protein, and the generated optical response pattern that corresponds to each environment-sensitive fluorophore was read via multiple detection channels. Multivariate analysis of the resulting optical response patterns allowed an accurate detection of eight different proteases, indicating that fluorescence signal acquisition from a single compartment containing a mixture of ssDNAs is an effective strategy for the characterization of the target proteins. Additionally, the sensor could identify proteins, which are potential targets for disease diagnosis, in a protease and inhibitor mixture of different composition ratios. As our sensor benefits from simple construction and measurement procedures, and uses accessible materials, it offers a rapid and simple platform for the detection of proteins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosensors for Biomedical Applications)
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8 pages, 4921 KiB  
Communication
Development of Neutral pH-Responsive Microgels by Tuning Cross-Linking Conditions
by Satoshi Okada, Satoko Takayasu, Shunsuke Tomita, Yoshio Suzuki and Shinya Yamamoto
Sensors 2020, 20(12), 3367; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20123367 - 14 Jun 2020
Viewed by 2578
Abstract
Polymer microgels that respond in a range of neutral pH can be useful for the development of molecular imaging tools and drug-delivery carriers. Here, we describe a simple approach in developing microgels that undergo volume phase transitions and substantial nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) [...] Read more.
Polymer microgels that respond in a range of neutral pH can be useful for the development of molecular imaging tools and drug-delivery carriers. Here, we describe a simple approach in developing microgels that undergo volume phase transitions and substantial nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometric changes within a narrow pH range of 6.4 to 7.4. The pH-responsive microgels were synthesized using methacrylic acid and a series of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate cross-linkers with repeating units of ethylene glycol that range from one to four. NMR relaxometry demonstrated that the transverse relaxation time (T2) of a suspension containing microgels that were cross-linked with diethylene glycol dimethacrylate sharply decreases at the pH where volume phase transition occurs. The polymer microgels cross-linked with 40 and 45 mol% of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate caused about 50% T2 reduction with decreasing pH from 6.8 to 6.4. These results demonstrated that responses of microgels to a range of neutral pH can be easily tuned by using appropriate cross-linkers with certain cross-linking degree. This approach can be useful in developing highly sensitive molecular sensors for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of tissue pH values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosensors for Biomedical Applications)
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Review

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28 pages, 4952 KiB  
Review
The Power of Assemblies at Interfaces: Nanosensor Platforms Based on Synthetic Receptor Membranes
by Tsukuru Minamiki, Yuki Ichikawa and Ryoji Kurita
Sensors 2020, 20(8), 2228; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20082228 - 15 Apr 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4002
Abstract
Synthetic sensing materials (artificial receptors) are some of the most attractive components of chemical/biosensors because of their long-term stability and low cost of production. However, the strategy for the practical design of these materials toward specific molecular recognition in water is not established [...] Read more.
Synthetic sensing materials (artificial receptors) are some of the most attractive components of chemical/biosensors because of their long-term stability and low cost of production. However, the strategy for the practical design of these materials toward specific molecular recognition in water is not established yet. For the construction of artificial material-based chemical/biosensors, the bottom-up assembly of these materials is one of the effective methods. This is because the driving forces of molecular recognition on the receptors could be enhanced by the integration of such kinds of materials at the ‘interfaces’, such as the boundary portion between the liquid and solid phases. Additionally, the molecular assembly of such self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) can easily be installed in transducer devices. Thus, we believe that nanosensor platforms that consist of synthetic receptor membranes on the transducer surfaces can be applied to powerful tools for high-throughput analyses of the required targets. In this review, we briefly summarize a comprehensive overview that includes the preparation techniques for molecular assemblies, the characterization methods of the interfaces, and a few examples of receptor assembly-based chemical/biosensing platforms on each transduction mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosensors for Biomedical Applications)
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Other

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10 pages, 1716 KiB  
Letter
Influence of Nivolumab for Intercellular Adhesion Force between a T Cell and a Cancer Cell Evaluated by AFM Force Spectroscopy
by Hyonchol Kim, Kenta Ishibashi, Masumi Iijima, Shun’ichi Kuroda and Chikashi Nakamura
Sensors 2020, 20(19), 5723; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20195723 - 08 Oct 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2530
Abstract
The influence of nivolumab on intercellular adhesion forces between T cells and cancer cells was evaluated quantitatively using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two model T cells, one expressing high levels of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) (PD-1high Jurkat) and the other [...] Read more.
The influence of nivolumab on intercellular adhesion forces between T cells and cancer cells was evaluated quantitatively using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two model T cells, one expressing high levels of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) (PD-1high Jurkat) and the other with low PD-1 expression levels (PD-1low Jurkat), were analyzed. In addition, two model cancer cells, one expressing programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) on the cell surface (PC-9, PD-L1+) and the other without PD-L1 (MCF-7, PD-L1), were also used. A T cell was attached to the apex of the AFM cantilever using a cup-attached AFM chip, and the intercellular adhesion forces were measured. Although PD-1high T cells adhered strongly to PD-L1+ cancer cells, the adhesion force was smaller than that with PD-L1 cancer cells. After the treatment of PD-1high T cells with nivolumab, the adhesion force with PD-L1+ cancer cells increased to a similar level as with PD-L1 cancer cells. These results can be explained by nivolumab influencing the upregulation of the adhesion ability of PD-1high T cells with PD-L1+ cancer cells. These results were obtained by measuring intercellular adhesion forces quantitatively, indicating the usefulness of single-cell AFM analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanosensors for Biomedical Applications)
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