Nanomaterial-based Signal Amplification Strategies for Surface Plasmon Resonance Immunosensors

Recently, the use of nanomaterials in bioanalytical chemistry, medicine, and pharmacy has been growing. Researchers continuously explore innovative technological strategies to develop sensitive, selective, rapid, and precise immunosensors for the determination of clinically important biomarkers in body fluids. With the rapid advancements in nanotechnology, nanomaterial-based optical and electrochemical immunosensors have emerged as promising and powerful diagnostic tools for detecting challenging biomolecules at nanomolar to attomolar concentrations [1-2]. Among optical immunosensors, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based immunosensors are prevalent due to their distinctive ability to sensitively monitor the biomolecule binding events in real-time.
In this contribution, the trends and challenges in the applications of nanoparticles in SPR immunosensors will be discussed. The main focus will be on the utilization of quantum dots, gold nanoparticles and magnetic-gold coated nanoparticles for the analytical signal amplification using indirect biomarker detection strategies. Special attention will be given to antibody immobilization on the nanoparticles and evaluation of their surface density impact on the performance of immunosensors. Various strategies for the amplification of the analytical signal of the SPR immunosensor using nanoparticles will be discussed.

Acknowledgement: This research was funded by a grant (No. S-MIP-22-46) from the Research Council of Lithuania.

References:
[1] A. Kausaite-Minkstimiene, A. Popov, A. Ramanaviciene, Ultra-sensitive SPR immunosensors: A comprehensive review of labeling and interface modification using nanostructures, TrAC Trends Anal. Chem. 2024, 170, 117468.
[2] A. Popov, B. Brasiunas, K. Blazevic, A. Kausaite-Minkstimiene, and A. Ramanaviciene, Ultra-sensitive electrochemical immunosensors for clinically important biomarker detection: Prospects, opportunities, and global trends, Curr. Opin. Electrochem. 2024, 46, 101524.