Elevated Plasma microRNA-206 Levels Predict Cognitive Decline and Progression to Dementia from Mild Cognitive Impairment.

The need for practical biomarkers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains largely unmet. Here we investigated the use of blood-based microRNAs as prognostic biomarkers for AD and their application in a novel electrochemical microfluidic device for microRNA detection. MicroRNA transcriptome was profiled in plasma from patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD.

Cardiac Troponin I: Ultrasensitive Detection Using Faradaic Electrochemical Impedance.

An electrochemical biosensor for the detection of cardiac troponin I, cTnI, an important cardiac biomarker, is described. A combination of a novel monoclonal antibody, mAb20B3, and a novel Ir(III)-based metal complex was used for detection using faradaic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. A limit of detection of 10 ag/mL was achieved, which is significantly lower than established assays.

Fibrinogen Motif Discriminates Platelet and Cell Capture in Peptide-Modified Gold Micropore Arrays.

Human blood platelets and SK-N-AS neuroblastoma cancer-cell capture at spontaneously adsorbed monolayers of fibrinogen-binding motifs, GRGDS (generic integrin adhesion), HHLGGAKQAGDV (exclusive to platelet integrin αβ), or octanethiol (adhesion inhibitor) at planar gold and ordered 1.6 μm diameter spherical cap gold cavity arrays were compared. In all cases, arginine/glycine/aspartic acid (RGD) promoted capture, whereas alkanethiol monolayers inhibited adhesion.

Hemispherical platinum : silver core : shell nanoparticles for miRNA detection.

Defects within a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of dodecanethiol on gold have been used as nucleation sites for the electrodeposition of mushroom shaped platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). The top surfaces of these PtNPs were then decorated with a layer of silver creating a hemispherical - platinum : silver core : shell nanoparticle (Pt-AgNP). Thiolated probe strand miRNA was then immobilised onto the upper silver surface.

Peptide-Mediated Platelet Capture at Gold Micropore Arrays.

Ordered spherical cap gold cavity arrays with 5.4, 1.6, and 0.

Detection of prostate specific antigen based on electrocatalytic platinum nanoparticles conjugated to a recombinant scFv antibody.

Highly sensitive and label free detection of prostate specific antigen (PSA) still remains a challenge in prostate cancer diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a sensitive electrochemical immunosensor based on electrocatalytic platinum nanoparticles conjugated to a recombinant scFv antibody. Gold disc electrodes functionalised with a l-Cysteine (Cys) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) were used to covalently bind PSA specific monoclonal antibody (anti-PSA) using N-ethyl-N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) chemistry.

Ligand capture and activation of human platelets at monolayer modified gold surfaces.

Blood platelet adhesion is crucial in dictating haemocompatibility of medical implants and in platelet capture in diagnostics. Understanding the role of platelet activation in dictating platelet adhesion at chemically modified interfaces is important but relatively unexplored. Using scanning electron microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy a quantitative assessment of capture of blood platelets at self-assembled monolayers and mixed monolayers (SAMs) on gold as a function of the activation status of the platelets was conducted.

RGD labeled Ru(II) polypyridyl conjugates for platelet integrin αIIbβ3 recognition and as reporters of integrin conformation.

The ability of two novel ruthenium(II) polypyridyl-Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide conjugates to act as molecular probes for reporting on the presence and conformation of integrin αIIbβ3 in solution and in live cells was described. The compounds are [Ru(bpy)2PIC-RGD](2+), bpy-RGD, and [Ru(dpp)2PIC-RGD](2+), dpp-RGD, where dpp is 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, and PIC is 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline. Bpy-RGD is hydrophilic, whereas dpp-RGD is comparatively hydrophobic.

Peptide directed transmembrane transport and nuclear localization of Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes in mammalian cells.

The targeted delivery of luminescent Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes to the nucleus of live mammalian cells by a Nuclear Localisation Signal (NLS) peptide; NF-κB is demonstrated.