Feasibility studies for assaying alpha-fetoprotein using antibody-activated magnetic nanoparticles

Kai-Wen Huang¹, Shieh-Yueh Yang^2,3, Yu-Wei Hong³, Jen-Jie Chieh³, Che-Chuan Yang³, Herng-Er Horng³, Chau-Chung Wu⁴, Chin-Yih Hong⁵, Hong-Chang Yang^6
1Department of Surgery and Hepatitis Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University, Taipei, ²MagQu Co, Ltd, Sindian Dist, New Taipei City, ³Institute of Electro-optical Science and Technology, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, ⁴Departments of Internal Medicine and Primary Care Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, ⁵Graduate Institute of Bio-medical Engineering, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, ⁶Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract: Some previous reports have already shown the characterizations of immunomagnetic reduction (IMR). The assay technology involves the utilities of biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles to label target biomolecules. However, the detection threshold and interference tests for IMR have not been investigated in detail. In this study, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was used as a target biomolecule. The signals for AFP solutions of various concentrations, or with interfering materials, were detected via IMR. These samples were also used for characterizing the detection threshold and interference with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results of assaying AFP level with IMR and ELISA were compared. The detection threshold for assaying AFP with IMR was found to be 3 ng/mL, which is 15 times lower than that of ELISA, and definitely suppresses false negative. For the interfering materials noted commonly in serum such as hemoglobin, bilirubin, triglyceride, and vascular endothelial growth factor, there was no detectable interfering effect when assaying AFP with IMR. Several serum samples from normal people and liver-tumor-bearing patients were used for the detections of AFP concentration via IMR. These results reveal the feasibilities of assaying AFP in blood using IMR, as well as achieving high-sensitive and high-specific assay for AFP.

Keywords: immunomagnetic reduction, ELISA, biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles