A research team led by Prof. HUANG Qing at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, developed an advanced biosensing platform using Aptamer-based Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (Aptamer-SERS) technology to detect Alzheimer's-related biomarkers in blood samples with high sensitivity, which helped Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnostics.
The study has been published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.
AD has traditionally been challenging to diagnose due to invasive procedures and high costs associated with conventional methods.
In this study, the researchers successfully used a new biosensing platform to track AD in both mouse models and human blood samples. They found a clear link between changes in biomarkers and the progression of AD over time. The system was able to measure multiple biomarkers at once, giving real-time information on the disease's progress.
“This new platform is highly sensitive and specific,” explained Dr. Muhammad. It used specially designed aptamer-nanoprobes that produced Raman spectrum when they bound to target molecules, making it possible to detect even minute amounts of biomarkers—critical for diagnosing AD at early stages. The design also ensured the biomarkers were specifically targeted, minimizing the chance of false positives, which was common with traditional methods.
“Another advantage is that it is minimally invasive," added Dr. Muhammad, "it requires only a small blood sample for analysis, and it provides faster, and reliable results.”
This platform held potential for earlier AD detection and monitoring disease progression, offering hope for significant advances in AD diagnostic technology.
Schematic illustration of AD-biomarkers monitoring in blood using aptamer-SERS-microfluidic chips technology. (Image by Muhammad)
Preparation steps of (A) capturing probe and (B) reporter probes through modification with aptamer 1 and aptamer 2. (C) The general execution of nanoprobes to analyze AD-related biomarkers in mice serum using SERS-multiwell glass chip setup. (Image by Muhammad)
