Urinary bladder cancer is a worldwide issue that calls for critical attention of effective biosensors for early cancer detection. The advent of virus-biosensor technology presents a promising and non-invasive solution by quantitatively detecting bladder cancer using electrical impedance-based measurements. Virus-biosensor films are prepared on the surface of gold electrodes and consist of a M13 bacteriophage layer that is electrostatically bound to a conductive polymer, polyethylenimine (PEI). More than one type of bacteriophage is incorporated onto a sensor to detect several bladder cancer biomarkers, eliminating total reliance on the detection of only one biomarker which could signify several different health factors. M13 bacteriophage is modified to display peptides for specific, high affinity binding to targeted biomarkers. Each functionalized M13 bacteriophage is then combined with a multichannel electrochemical detection system to provide simultaneous sensing of several target biomarkers. The electrochemical impedance of virus-PEI films increases upon exposure to target biomarkers that selectively bind to the corresponding M13 bacteriophage. Changes in the real component of the impedance are observed for a broad range of frequencies, from 5 Hz to 50 kHz. However, a more significant range is seen from 5 kHz to 20 kHz where the increase in impedance is characterized by a non-linear sigmoidal model. These data show virus-PEI biosensor films follow a dose-response relationship described by the Hill model over a nanomolar concentration range. These results show enhanced detection of arbitrary cancer biomarkers using modified viruses and can be expanded to general biosensing applications.

Multichannel impedance-based biosensing using virus-polyethylenimine films for bladder cancer detection

251st National Meeting (2016)

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