Ultrasensitive Ti3C2TX MXene/Chitosan Nanocomposite-Based Amperometric Biosensor for Detection of Potential Prostate Cancer Marker in Urine Samples.

Alica Vikartovska,Jan Tkac,Stefania Hroncekova,Eduard Jane,Michal Hires,Tomas Bertok,Peter Kasak,Lenka Lorencova,Aisha Tanvir

doi:10.3390/pr8050580

Abstract

Two-dimensional layered nanomaterial Ti3C2TX (a member of the MXene family) was used to immobilise enzyme sarcosine oxidase to fabricate a nanostructured biosensor. The device was applied for detection of sarcosine, a potential prostate cancer biomarker, in urine for the first time. The morphology and structures of MXene have been characterised by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical measurements, SEM and AFM analysis revealed that MXene interfaced with chitosan is an excellent support for enzyme immobilisation to fabricate a sensitive biosensor exhibiting a low detection limit of 18 nM and a linear range up to 7.8 µM. The proposed biosensing method also provides a short response time of 2 s and high recovery index of 102.6% for detection of sarcosine spiked into urine sample in a clinically relevant range.

Highlights

Stage diagnostics of prostate cancer (PCa) and therapy monitoring of PCa patients is done by analysis of the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in blood
Atomic force microscopy showed the presence of MXene flakes with thickness of 20.2 ± 3.1 nm
The thickness of the MXene-chitosan flake is shown in Supplementary Figure S3b

Summary

Introduction

Stage diagnostics of prostate cancer (PCa) and therapy monitoring of PCa patients is done by analysis of the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in blood. PSA is a glycoprotein released into the blood stream by the prostate and the protein is responsible for seminal fluid liquefaction. Since PSA is organ-specific rather than cancer-specific, the protein is released into the blood stream as a result of PCa development and progression, but under other conditions such as prostate inflammation. PSA cannot be used as a reliable early stage diagnostic PCa biomarker because of the high false-positive/negative results provided [1,2], with an AUC There is an urgent need to find new sensitive and specific biomarkers for PCa to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies and to enhance PCa patient survival

Methods

Results

Conclusion