1 research outputs found
Recommended from our members
The Role of Nanoparticle Design in Determining Analytical Performance of Lateral Flow Immunoassays
Rapid, simple, and
cost-effective diagnostics are needed to improve
healthcare at the point of care (POC). However, the most widely used
POC diagnostic, the lateral flow immunoassay (LFA), is ∼1000-times
less sensitive and has a smaller analytical range than laboratory
tests, requiring a confirmatory test to establish truly negative results.
Here, a rational and systematic strategy is used to design the LFA
contrast label (i.e., gold nanoparticles) to improve the analytical
sensitivity, analytical detection range, and antigen quantification
of LFAs. Specifically, we discovered that the size (30, 60, or 100
nm) of the gold nanoparticles is a main contributor to the LFA analytical
performance through both the degree of receptor interaction and the
ultimate visual or thermal contrast signals. Using the optimal LFA
design, we demonstrated the ability to improve the analytical sensitivity
by 256-fold and expand the analytical detection range from 3 log<sub>10</sub> to 6 log<sub>10</sub> for diagnosing patients with inflammatory
conditions by measuring C-reactive protein. This work demonstrates
that, with appropriate design of the contrast label, a simple and
commonly used diagnostic technology can compete with more expensive
state-of-the-art laboratory tests