Point‐of‐care detection of neutrophils in live skin microsamples using chemiluminescence

Abstract

Many skin diseases are defined by the presence of neutrophils, which are among the first cells to respond to infection and inflammation. Currently, neutrophil identification in the skin is costly and slow. The objectives of the present work are to investigate the feasibility of detecting the presence of neutrophils in live skin microsamples using chemiluminescence and develop a device and procedures that will enable preclinical and clinical investigations. Our approach consists of collecting skin microsamples and exposing them to reagents that activate neutrophils and amplify the light emission produced by chemiluminescence.Experiments using live pig skin with and without inflammation show that it is feasible to detect the presence of neutrophils in the skin. The proposed method is minimally invasive, simple, fast, and does not require user specialization.The developed system is compact in size with a small footprint, which makes it portable and suitable for point-of-care diagnostics.

Increase in the level of oral neutrophils with gingival inflammation – A population survey

“…For instance, techniques quantifying neutrophils in nasal wash samples ( Morris et al, 2017 ) and tear secretions ( Postnikoff and Nichols 2017 ) and differentiation of airway inflammation by examining sputum samples in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been reported ( Gao et al, 2017 ). The central role of neutrophils in skin inflammation has led to investigations for developing point-of-care diagnostics for these samples ( Ibarra-Silva et al, 2020 , Langhorst et al, 2016 ). These efforts are directed at early detection of incipient disease, and they may offer advantages that augment the clinical management of patients.…”

“…Neutrophils in the saliva have been reported in previous investigations ( Nicu et al, 2018 , Takubo et al, 1997 , Bhadbhade at l., 2012), and they were found in denture wearers ( Gasparoto et al, 2011 ), children ( Seyedmajidi et al, 2015 ), and clinically healthy individuals in their saliva, gingival crevice, and periodontal pockets samples ( Crawford et al, 2000 ). In addition to determining the neutrophil count, several investigations have evaluated neutrophil-derived markers to aid in clinical decisions ( Ibarra-Silva et al, 2020 , Langhorst et al, 2016 , Tamimi et al, 2018 , Marcaccini et al, 2010 , Tan et al, 2020 ). The relative ease of salivary sampling ( Marcaccini et al, 2010 , Tan et al, 2020 ) with its many intrinsic advantages has increased the focus on this approach for both diagnostic and research initiatives ( Tan et al, 2020 , Hofman, 2001 ) supporting biomarker discovery for high-frequency monitoring ( Hofman, 2001 , Castagnola et al, 2017 , François et al, 2019 ).…”

Increasing oral PMN during experimental gingivitis and its reversal by prophylaxis

“…In interventional studies, dietary supplementation with vitamin E [ 61 ] or flaxseed and cassava powder [ 62 ] reportedly influence PMN function to aid in the recovery from pneumococcal disease for persons of all ages. It is noteworthy that cytological analyses for nasal inflammation have been explored for approvals due to their favorable clinical correlation, cost-effectiveness and non-invasive point-of-care applications [ 19 ] with other efforts reported from the skin [ 23 ]. In this regard, these studies have similarities with the existing priorities in dentistry.…”

“…PMN recruitment represents a critical step in clearing nasopharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae, responsible for otitis media and upper respiratory infection amongst children [ 18 ]. Neutrophils are identified in nasal cytology samples [ 19 , 20 ], sputum [ 21 ], used to identify occupational exposures [ 22 ], examine inflammation in skin [ 23 ] and other regions including the eye [ 24 ]. The literature broadly describes oral neutrophils in the human mouth including teeth and implants [ [25] , [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] , [30] ] with studies reporting collection from distinct oral samples [ [31] , [32] , [33] , [34] , [35] ], along with functional aspects in disease [ [36] , [37] , [38] ].…”

Point-of-care diagnostics for infectious diseases: From methods to devices

“…Chemiluminiscence biosensors are very common sensors for disease diagnosis due to their high sensitivity, high signal-to-noise ratio, wide dynamic range, and simpler reader instruments, which have long been widely studied for POC diagnostic adaptations [207] , [208] , [209] , [210] , [211] , [212] , [213] . As early as in 2002, an accurate and sensitive chemiluminiscence POC diagnostics, called the ZstatFlu®-II test, for the detection of influenza virus infections was developed, which has already been commercialized [214] , [215] .…”