Elsevier

Biosensors and Bioelectronics

Volume 87, 15 January 2017, Pages 918-930
Biosensors and Bioelectronics

Rapid biosensing tools for cancer biomarkers

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2016.09.061Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Role of functionalized nanomaterials in biodiagnostics is highly versatile

  • Gold nanoparticles offers wide biosensing approaches for sensitive detection of cancer biomarkers

  • Optical biosensing of cancer biomarkers offer huge possibility of device miniaturization

  • AuNPs and AgNPs possess unique opto-electronic properties viz. SPR, LSPR and SERS

Abstract

The present review critically discusses the latest developments in the field of smart diagnostic systems for cancer biomarkers. A wide coverage of recent biosensing approaches involving aptamers, enzymes, DNA probes, fluorescent probes, interacting proteins and antibodies in vicinity to transducers such as electrochemical, optical and piezoelectric is presented. Recent advanced developments in biosensing approaches for cancer biomarker owes much credit to functionalized nanomaterials due to their unique opto-electronic properties and enhanced surface to volume ratio. Biosensing methods for a plenty of cancer biomarkers has been summarized emphasizing the key principles involved.

Introduction

At present, human mortality due to cancer is next to heart ailments. Moreover, it has been projected that the fatality rates from cancer may surpass heart attacks in the near future (Siegel et al., 2015). Various strategies that are currently being implemented to identify and fight against this disease include therapeutic approaches, molecular imaging techniques and ultrasensitive monitoring of cancer biomarkers using innovative biosensing tools. Therapeutic approaches mainly investigate potential inhibitors against cancer promoting factors. However, this approach is rather remedial instead of preventive. Difficulties in combating cancer in advanced stages strongly recommend precautionary approach via upcoming quick and reliable cancer diagnostics.

Therefore, focus on early monitoring of cancerous tumor is as important as the discovery of lifesaving anticancer drugs and treatments (Hussain and Nguyen, 2014).

Necessity of early cancer prognosis through convenient and economical in vitro diagnostic tests motivates to devise miniaturized, robust and rapid multiplexed analytical platform based point-of-care (POC) devices (Gubala et al., 2012) for monitoring various forms of cancer at preliminary stages. Presently, popular methods for cancer diagnostics include biopsy analysis, tumor imaging, cancer biomarker monitoring through approaches such as enzyme-linked/radio/electrophoretic immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and mass spectrometry based proteomics (Jin et al., 2014).

These complicated, expensive and cumbersome diagnostic methods discourage patients to undergo routine investigative consultation for early signs of cancer which often results in its progression, ultimately reaching incurable advanced stages. To eliminate this diagnostic delay, researchers are investigating auspicious cancer biomarkers and their ultrasensitive monitoring via different novel biosensing approaches. Monitoring of these biomarkers, whose abnormal concentration in blood or serum indicates early warning signs of cancer will prove highly useful in adopting preventive measures. Considering these points, multi-channeled microfluidics based diagnostic automation may result in miniaturized and smart POC devices for mass utility (Raamanathan et al., 2012). Microfluidics allows controlled laminar flow of participating reactants through microchannels during a diagnostic assay and offers benefits such as low material consumption, reduced sample size, real time analysis and high throughput screening (Zhang and Nagrath, 2013). Measurement of altered gene expression during the onset of cancer can be performed through the development of rapid DNA sequencing methods. Use of capillary array electrophoresis in form of microfluidic chip for building multiplexed analytical platform is one of the prime interests in cancer research (Ying and Wang, 2013). Presently, popular POC devices are based on lateral flow immunological or colorimetric strips and glucose sensors. Recently, Su et al., 2012 came up with an innovative solution towards designing POC devices in cancer monitoring via the use of personal glucose sensors for detecting carcinoembryonic antigen. Magnetic beads labeled with secondary antibody were used as carriers for invertase enzyme to perform sandwiched immunoassay.

The present review in general is an attempt to explain the most recent advancements in the field of biosensors for cancer diagnostics and impeccable role of functionalized nanomaterials in improving the biosensor research.

Section snippets

Biosensing approach for cancer biomarkers

Recent years have witnessed extensive research in fabricating miniaturized biosensors for monitoring cancer biomarkers. Quick evaluation of biological fluids for probing potential disease biomarkers requires advanced analytical techniques.

In this aspect, bioluminescence based rapid approaches for evaluation of endotoxicosis in human serum was investigated more than a decade ago (Esimbekova et al., 1999). Monitoring the course of diseases viz. chronic cholecystitis, bronchitis or ulcerous

3. Conclusion and future prospects

Early monitoring and indication of warning alarm for cancer susceptibility in patients is of prime importance in order to save lives through timely treatment; in which the role of easy to use, affordable, highly selective and reliable biosensor is indispensable. The role of functionalized nanomaterials in improving biosensing platform is inevitable especially the versatile role of AuNPs, magnetic nanoparticles, nanomaterials based on silicon and metal oxides, nano graphene and its oxide,

Acknowledgments

The research was partially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project no. 16-34-60100 and No. 16-06-00439), the state budget allocated to the fundamental research Russian Academy of Sciences (Project no. 01201351504).

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