Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PADMME (Dual-channel paper-based electroanalytical platform for multiple myeloma care)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-09-30
The overall objective of the project is the development of a dual-channel analytical platform combining (bio)electrochemistry with paper-based microfluidics for multiple myeloma (MM) care. The principle is based on the simultaneous detection of i) quantity and ii) specific activity of c-proteasome, a multi-catalytic enzyme complex involved in protein degradation pathways, recently established as a cancer biomarker in body fluids as well as a target for therapeutic intervention in cancer treatment. Proteasome recognition is still a recent research topic in literature and can further be assessed by employing novel sensitive and selective biosensor designs.
A multidisciplinary approach was explored for the synthesis, characterization and optimization of conductive electrospun polymeric scaffolds as electrode materials in paper-based microfluidic electroanalytical devices. For this, both single and dual-channel configurations were investigated and successfully optimized. Immunosensing surfaces based on conductive polymeric scaffolds were designed for the sensitive and selective 20S proteasome protein recognition. Quantity of protein target was assessed through an innovative methodology based on the use of a nanocatalyst tracer for redox cycling based signaling. Activity of protein target was assessed through the electrochemical signal of free labelling compounds after the proteolytic reaction occurred. Both electrochemical methodologies were optimized to take place simultaneously at the dual-channel electroanalytical device without cross sensitivity issues and applied for 20S proteasome protein recognition in cell culture media and in spiked commercial serum samples. Ultimately, PADMMEs main achievements rely on the flexibility, low-cost, ease of modification and overall compatibility of electrospun polymeric scaffolds towards miniaturization in paper-based electroanalytical devices, which allows translation of the developed technology into point-of-care testing systems aiming for multiple myeloma care.
The results for PADMME include the innovative methodology for 20S proteasome protein quantification based on the development of a nanocatalyst tracer to triger redox cycling of ruthenium complexes at low overpotentials, as well as the paper-based electroanalytical device based on electrospun polymeric fiber scaffolds as working electrodes for quantification of targets in complex media.