Detecting Exosomes Specifically: A Multiplexed Device
Based on Alternating Current Electrohydrodynamic Induced <i>Nanoshearing</i>
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Abstract
Exosomes show promise as noninvasive
biomarkers for cancer, but
their effective capture and specific detection is a significant challenge.
Herein, we report a multiplexed microfluidic device for highly specific
capture and detection of multiple exosome targets using a tunable
alternating current electrohydrodynamic (ac-EHD) methodology, referred
to as nanoshearing. In our system, electrical body forces generated
by ac-EHD act within nanometers of an electrode surface (i.e., within
the electrical layer) to generate nanoscaled fluid flow that enhances
the specificity of capture and also reduce nonspecific adsorption
of weakly bound molecules from the electrode surface. This approach
demonstrates the analysis of exosomes derived from cells expressing
human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and prostate specific
antigen (PSA), and is also capable of specifically isolating exosomes
from breast cancer patient samples. The device also exhibited a 3-fold
enhancement in detection sensitivity in comparison to hydrodynamic
flow based assays (LOD 2760 exosomes/μL for ac-EHD vs LOD 8300
exosomes/μL for hydrodynamic flow; (<i>n =</i> 3)).
We propose this approach can potentially have relevance as a simple
and rapid quantification tool to analyze exosome targets in biological
applications