Ultrarapid and ultrasensitive detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies in COVID‐19 patients via a 3D‐printed nanomaterial‐based biosensing platform

Abstract

Rapid detection of antibodies during infection and after vaccination is critical for the control of infectious outbreaks, understanding immune response, and evaluating vaccine efficacy. In this manuscript, we evaluate a simple ultrarapid test for SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies in COVID‐19 patients, which gives quantitative results (i.e., antibody concentration) in 10–12 s using a previously reported nanomaterial‐based three‐dimensional (3D)‐printed biosensing platform. This platform consists of a micropillar array electrode fabricated via 3D printing of aerosolized gold nanoparticles and coated with nanoflakes of graphene and specific SARS‐CoV‐2 antigens, including spike S1, S1 receptor‐binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid (N). The sensor works on the principle of electrochemical transduction, where the change of sensor impedance is realized by the interactions between the viral proteins attached to the sensor electrode surface and the antibodies. The three sensors were used to test samples from 17 COVID‐19 patients and 3 patients without COVID‐19. Unlike other serological tests, the 3D sensors quantitatively detected antibodies at a concentration as low as picomole within 10–12 s in human plasma samples. We found that the studied COVID‐19 patients had higher concentrations of antibodies to spike proteins (RBD and S1) than to the N protein. These results demonstrate the enormous potential of the rapid antibody test platform for understanding patients' immunity, disease epidemiology and vaccine efficacy, and facilitating the control and prevention of infectious epidemics.

Review—Prospects in Cancer Diagnosis: Exosome-Chip for Liquid Biopsy

“…Unlike traditional manufacturing, 3D printing provides customizability, complex geometries, and multiplexity of sensor construction. 119,120 A 3D micropillar array electrode called a "multi-length-scale electrode" of gold nanoparticles was coated with a thin layer of graphene to detect the attomole concentration of neurotransmitters. 121 In this multi-length-scale electrode, the micropillar geometry of the electrode reduces the diffusion path of the target to interact with the electrode, while graphene accelerates the electrochemical reactions at the nanoscale due to their comparable size, thus accomplishing an attomolar sensitivity of a neurotransmitter (i.e., dopamine) detection.…”

Graphene-Based Electrochemical Nano-Biosensors for Detection of SARS-CoV-2

“…A quick and facile method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was developed by Ali et al [91] using a 3D biosensing platform made from nanomaterials. The platform features an array of micropillar electrodes created using 3D printing and aerosolized gold nanoparticles and coated with graphene nanoflakes and certain SARS-CoV-2 antigens (Figure 12).…”

Universal nanocomposite coating with antifouling and redox capabilities for electrochemical affinity biosensing in complex biological fluids

“…15,16 Typically, affinity biorecognition elements, including antibodies, aptamers, and nucleic acids are anchored to the electrode surface through physical adsorption via weak Van-der Waals forces, entrapment in solid media such as gels, electrostatic interactions, or covalent binding. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] Among these methods, covalent linkage provides the strongest conjugation and is considered the most ideal approach. 25 It is crucial to note that the spatial configuration of the biorecognition element significantly influences the biorecognition event.…”