In
this study, a novel label-free electrochemical biosensor based
on the zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-8) was developed for monitoring
protein–protein interactions (PPIs). ZIF-8 was deposited on
interdigitated electrodes and employed as a transducing material and
simultaneously carried the thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) protein, followed
by the deposition of increased concentrations of the cytoplasmic domain
of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17cyto) known as the
Trx-1 binding partner. Structural and morphological characterizations
were used to validate and verify the formation of ZIF-8. The ZIF-8
crystals showed a rhombic dodecahedral structure with mainly exposed
(011) facets, a mean particle size of 205 (±22) nm, and a ZIF-8
film thickness around 61 (±6) nm. The interaction between Trx-1
and ADAM17cyto proteins was analyzed through electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicate a linear and inverse relationship
between the impedance responses at 0.1 Hz for ADAM17cyto concentrations
from 50 nM to 8 μM, with a coefficient of variation from 1.0%
to 11.4%. The proposed biosensor also displayed a significant selectivity
and stability verified by using ADAM17cyto mutant and BSA as controls.
As a proof-of-concept, we compared the results with a widely used
type of PPI assay based on antibody recognition, the solid-phase binding
assay, using the same proteins. The solid-phase binding assay was
able to detect a significant binding only in ADAM17cyto concentrations
above 0.5 μM, with a coefficient of variation varying from 5.4%
to 27.5%. The results demonstrate that the developed biosensor was
10× more sensitive and reproducible than the conventional solid-phase
binding assay. Furthermore, the developed electrochemical biosensor
based on ZIF-8 provides a faster, label-free, and low-cost detection
analysis, representing a novel strategy in detecting PPIs.