A nanobiosensor based on the use of porous magnetic microspheres (PMM) as efficient capturing/pre-concentrating platform is presented for detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers. These PMMs prepared by a multistep swelling polymerization combined with iron oxide precipitation afford carboxyl functional groups suitable for immobilization of antibodies on the particle surface allowing an enhanced efficiency in the capturing of AD biomarkers from human serum samples. The AD biomarkers signaling is produced by gold nanoparticle (AuNP) tags monitored through their electrocatalytic effect towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Novel properties of PMMs in terms of high functionality and high active area available for enhanced catalytic activity of the captured AuNPs electrocatalytic tags are exploited for the first time. A thorough characterization by scanning transmission electron microscope in high angle annular dark field mode (STEM-HAADF) demonstrates the enhanced ability of PMMs to capture a higher quantity of analyte and consequently of electrocatalytic label, when compared with commercially available microspheres. The optimized and characterized PMMs are also applied for the first time for the detection of beta amyloid and ApoE at clinical relevant levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum and plasma samples of patients suffering from AD.

ICN2 Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia Campus UAB Bellaterra 08193 Spain

ICN2 Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group Institut Catala de Nanociencia i Nanotecnologia Campus UAB Bellaterra 08193 Spain; ICREA Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats Barcelona 08010 Spain

Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Heyrovského Sq 2 Prague 6 162 06 Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

Magnetic nanoparticles for smart electrochemical immunoassays: a review on recent developments