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Point-of-care impedimetric aptasensor to detect the luteinizing hormone

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Abstract

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a useful biomarker for identifying ovulation events in the cows to predict the time of ovulation to achieve a high success rate of conception following artificial insemination. Although antibody-based radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are being used for LH measurement, these techniques are expensive, time-consuming, and require expertise and sophisticated laboratory facilities. So, there is a need for a field-applicable, affordable, easy-to-use method for LH detection. For developing such a specific, quantitative, and inexpensive system, an aptamer-based smartphone-enabled aptasensor has been investigated. The aptamer was used instead of the antibody as a biorecognition element due to its comparative stability at ambient temperature, ease of synthesis, and cost-effectiveness. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been used to obtain label-free detection of LH within 20 min in ~ 20 μL sample volume. The screen-printed gold electrode is compatible with a smartphone-enabled miniaturized device (Sensit Smart; Palmsens BV, The Netherlands) and was fabricated with the aptamer to detect LH in biological fluids (limit of detection 0.80 and 0.61 ng/mL in buffer and undiluted/unprocessed serum, respectively, with the dynamic range of detection of 0.01 to 50 ng/mL). All the data were obtained in the 10 kHz to 0.10 Hz frequency range at a bias potential of 0.30 V with an alternating potential of 10 mV. The clinical relevance of the sensor was evaluated in 10 serum samples collected from dairy animals which established a high correlation with standard LH-ELISA (κ > 0.87). The aptasensor can be stored at room temperature for 30 days without any significant loss in electrochemical sensing ability.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the Department of Biotechnology (grant numbers BT/PR24227/AAQ/1/693/2017 and BT/PR27215/AAQ/1/711/2017), Government of India, for funding the project, and National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) Hyderabad Government of India, for providing the infrastructure and laboratory space to carry out this work. PK is thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India, for Junior and Senior Research fellowships. PK and AD would like to acknowledge the Maniple Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for academic support. AA is thankful to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Government of India, for the Research Associate Fellowship (grant number 5/3/8/17/ITR-F/2022-ITR). AD is thankful to the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India, for Junior and Senior Research fellowships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, near Gowlidoddi Extended Q City Road, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500032, Telangana, India

    Pankaj Kumar, Arumugam Anitha, Ankita Das, Govindarajan Deepalakshmi & Pankaj Suman

  2. Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India

    Pankaj Kumar, Ankita Das & Pankaj Suman

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  1. Pankaj Kumar
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Kumar, P., Anitha, A., Das, A. et al. Point-of-care impedimetric aptasensor to detect the luteinizing hormone. Microchim Acta 191, 115 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-024-06191-w

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