Phthalocyanine-functionalized field-effect transistor biosensor for in situ monitoring of cell-released hydrogen sulfide

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important endogenous gas transmitter that is closely associated with human pathological and physiological states. Therefore, the accurate and quantitative detection of H2S has attracted great research interest in the biomedical field. In this paper, we report a phthalocyanine-functionalized field-effect transistor (FET) biosensor for ultra-sensitive, in situ, real-time monitoring of H2S released from cells. The reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and cobalt phthalocyanine RGO nanocomposites (CoGPCs) were layer to layer assembled on a prefabricated FET device surface. The excellent electrical conductivity of graphene and the high catalytic property and specificity of metal phthalocyanines ensure sensitive and specific detection of H2S. The biosensor was capable of detecting H2S in the range of 10 pM to 1 mM with detection limit down to 10 pM. In addition, the sensor exhibited good selectivity and biocompatibility. The excellent performance allowed the sensor to in situ and real-time monitor H2S release from different cell lines, and investigate the effect of inhibitors on H2S release from colon cancer cells. This FET biosensor provides a new approach for in situ and real-time monitoring of H2S release, which may help us understand the function of H2S in biological and pathological processes and contribute to drug screening development studies.