EAPSI: Portable Smartphone-Based Detection of Vaspin Protein in Human Blood Serum

Vaspin是一种由脂肪组织分泌的蛋白质，许多研究表明，它与2型糖尿病、胰岛素敏感性、肥胖和葡萄糖代谢密切相关。适配体是高度稳定和特异的分子探针，可以连接到金纳米颗粒上，用于生物传感器应用。该项目将探索在纸微流控分析中使用这种靶向金纳米粒子作为更便宜、一次性和便携式的比色指示剂。将设计、开发一种集成智能手机的功能，并将其用于图像分析，以检测人血清中的血管素浓度。该项目的目的是制造一种便携式，低成本，护理点（POC）系统，可用于诊断和监测胰岛素相关代谢在低资源和可及性的地区。此次研究将与高丽大学适体生产、鉴定、分析领域的知名专家万宝具博士共同进行。在许多研究中，Vaspin是一种由脂肪组织分泌的脂肪细胞因子，与2型糖尿病、胰岛素敏感性、肥胖和葡萄糖代谢密切相关。适配体是一种寡核苷酸序列，它可以特异性地结合某些感兴趣的分子，与抗体相比，它具有生物相容性、低成本和化学稳定性，因此一直是生物传感器感兴趣的话题。新发现的同源双适体（V1和V49）在两个不同的结合位点靶向vaspin，进一步提高了特异性和亲和力。将适配体-金纳米颗粒（适配体- aunp）偶联物作为生物传感器，通过三明治型表面等离子体共振（SPR）金芯片检测和测量缓冲溶液和人血清稀释液中的血管素浓度。使用这种血管蛋白靶向适配体- aunp偶联物，可以使用智能手机集成的功能和分析开发比色纸微流控分析。该项目的目的是制造一种便携式，低成本，护理点（POC）的诊断系统，这将有利于资源匮乏和可获得医疗保健的地区。该奖项是由美国国家科学基金会（NSF）和韩国国立科学研究财团（National research Foundation）共同资助的东亚太平洋暑期研究所（East Asian and Pacific Summer Institutes）项目，为美国研究生的暑期研究提供支持。

Vaspin, a protein secreted from fat tissue, has been shown in numerous studies to be closely related to type 2 diabetes, insulin sensitivity, obesity, and glucose metabolism. Aptamers, highly stable and specific molecular probes, can be linked onto gold nanoparticles for its use in biosensor applications. This project will explore the use of this vaspin targeting gold nanoparticle in a paper microfluidic assay as a cheaper, disposable, and portable colorimetric indicator. A smartphone-integrated capability will be designed, developed, and used for image analysis to detect vaspin concentration in human blood serum. The aim of this project is to fabricate a portable, low cost, point of care (POC) system that can be used for diagnostics and monitoring for insulin-related metabolism in areas of low resources and accessibilities. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Man Bock Gu, a noted expert on aptamer production, characterization, and analysis, at Korea University. In numerous studies Vaspin, an adipocytokine secreted from adipose tissue, has been closely related to type 2 diabetes, insulin sensitivity, obesity, and glucose metabolism. Aptamers, oligonucleotide sequences that can specifically bind to certain molecules of interest, have been a topic of interest in biosensors for its biocompatibility, low cost, and chemical stability in comparison to antibodies. A newly-developed cognate duo aptamer (V1 and V49) targets vaspin at two different binding sites, further increasing specificity and affinity. Aptamer-gold nanoparticle (aptamer-AuNP) conjugations were used as biosensors to detect and measure vaspin concentrations in both buffer solutions and human blood serum dilutions via sandwich-type surface plasmon resonance (SPR) gold chips. Using this vaspin targeting aptamer-AuNP conjugate, a colorimetric paper microfluidic assay can be developed with use of smart-phone-integrated capabilities and analysis. The aim of this project is to fabricate a portable, low cost, point of care (POC), diagnostic system that will be beneficial to areas of low resources and accessibility to healthcare. This award, under the East Asian and Pacific Summer Institutes program, supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the National Research Foundation of Korea.