ABSTRACT
Graphdiyne's (GDY's) outstanding features have made it a novel 2D nanomaterial and a great candidate for electronic gadgets and optoelectronic devices, and it has opened new opportunities for the development of highly sensitive electronic and optical detection methods as well. Here, we testified a non-covalent grafting strategy in which GDY serves as a charge carrier layer and a bioaffinity substrate to immobilize biological receptors on GDY-based field-effect transistor (FET) devices. Firm non-covalent anchoring of biological molecules via pyrene groups and electrostatic interactions in addition to preserved electrical properties of GDY endows it with features of an ultrasensitive and stable detection mechanism. With emerging new forms and extending the subtypes of the already existing fatal diseases, genetic and biological knowledge demands more details. In this regard, we constructed simple yet efficient platforms using GDY-based FET devices in order to detect different kinds of biological molecules that threaten human health. The resulted data showed that the proposed non-covalent bioaffinity assays in GDY-based FET devices could be considered reliable strategies for novel label-free biosensing platforms, which still reach a high on/off ratio of over 104. The limits of detection of the FET devices to detect DNA strands, the CA19-9 antigen, microRNA-155, the CA15-3 antigen, and the COVID-19 antigen were 0.2 aM, 0.04 pU mL-1, 0.11 aM, 0.043 pU mL-1, and 0.003 fg mL-1, respectively, in the linear ranges of 1 aM to 1 pM, 1 pU mL-1 to 0.1 µU mL-1, 1 aM to 1 pM, 1 pU mL-1 to 10 µU mL-1, and 1 fg mL-1 to 10 ng mL-1, respectively. Finally, the extraordinary performance of these label-free FET biosensors with low detection limits, high sensitivity and selectivity, capable of being miniaturized, and implantability for in vivo analysis makes them a great candidate in disease diagnostics and point-of-care testing.
Subject(s)
Biosensing Techniques , COVID-19 , Graphite , MicroRNAs , Biosensing Techniques/methods , HumansABSTRACT
Early diagnosis is very important to reduce morbidity and mortality in Covid-19 infected patients. The aim of this study was to detect of tumor antigens CEA, CA19.9, CA15.3, and AFP and to compare their levels in the serum of 69 Covid-19 patients and 69 healthy individuals who did not have Covid-19. The levels of CEA, CA19.9, CA15.3, and AFP in the serum were measured using ELISA. The levels of the tumor biomark-ers in the serum of CoVId-19 patients were found to be 7.74 ± 4.65 ng/ml for CEA, 29.33 ± 16.35 U/ml for CA19.9, 23.24 ± 13.48 U/ml for CA15.3 and 7.46 ± 5.57 ng/ml for AFP, while in the serum of healthy control patients 9.73 ± 43.58 ng/ml for CEA, 20.66 ± 11.1 for CA19.9, 19.64 ± 10.99 U/ml for CA15.3, and 3.83 ± 9.20 ng/ ml for AFP, indicating no differences in the levels of the studied tumor biomarkers in the two experimental groups. It is concluded that tumor biomarkers CEA, CA19.9, CA15.3, and AFP cannot be used as effective screening tools for patients with COVID-19. © 2022, Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the NASU. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background-aim: Tumor markers (TM) in body fluids have been studied for years and several authors have proposed different cut-off. An apparently more accurate strategy is the one proposed by Molina et al. considering that the ratio TM in fluid with regard to TM in serum >1.2 indicates local production in the pleura, however if the ratio is <1.2 the presence of TM in the fluid would be explained by serum extravasation. Despite enough evidence to manage this biomarkers in body fluids, the practice is not widely extended in the clinical setting yet. Methods: AFP, CA19.9, CA15.3, CEA, CA125, PSA and SCC were analyzed in Alinity i platform (Abbott diagnostics) HCG and NSE was performed in Cobas e411 (Roche diagnostics). Results: Here we describe the case of a 69-year-old patient attending the Emergency Room due to pain in both hemythoraxes. Also remarkable was a wasting syndrome (5 kg weight loss in the past month). In Emergency blood analysis: VSG 50, PT 75%, DD 765 ng/mL, ferritin 368 ng/mL and LDH 385 U/L were outsdanding. Thorax radiology showed a pleural effusion. The patient was diagnosed with COVID19 bronchitis.TC scan evidenced pleural solid metastasis, multiple bone lesions and hepatic M1. Serum TM: AFP, CA19.9, PSA, NSE, SCC and HCG were normal. CA125 2992,60 U/mL (<35), CA15.3 614,70 U/mL (<32), CEA 400.82 ng/mL (<5). Pleural fluid TM: CEA 284.32 ng/mL;CA15.3 2210.3 U/mL. TM ratio: CA15.3: 3.6 (>1.2) this result indicates local synthesis of CA15.3, therefore pleural metastasis;CEA: 0.7 (<1.2) indicates that the CEA found un the fluid was extravasated from serum. Pathological examination was only positive for CK7 and mixt CK. All other markers were negative. It was concluded to be an undifferentiated carcinoma, cytologically reminding of an adenocarcinoma. Due to TTF1 and napsine negativity lung neoplasm could not be discarded.The patient was diagnosed with undifferentiated lung cancer stage IV. Conclusions: This a good example of different molecular patterns reflecting tumor heterogeneity evidenced by protein expression by each lesion: Pleural metastases expressed high amounts of CA15.3, however not CEA. Hepatic metastases and probably main tumor in the lung expressed CEA and CA15.3. It is arguable whether CA15.3 was expressed at lower quantities from the main tumor or the dilution of the protein in the bloodstream results in lower concentrations in relation to the ones found in the pleura.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Collapsing Glomerulopathy (CG) is a rare entity presenting as nephrotic syndrome and rapidly progressive renal deterioration. It has been first identified among African-American patients with nephrotic syndrome. Subsequently, it has been called HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) after a number of patients with HIV were found to have CG. It has re-emerged recently among patients with COVID-19 dubbing it as the new HIVAN. In the Philippines, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the second most common glomerular disease but with no available data on the subtypes.To our knowledge, this is the first case of collapsing glomerulopathy in the country to be published. Methods: This is a case report of primary Collapsing Glomerulopathy seen in our institution. Results: The case is a 36 year-old Filipino female admitted due to edema which started 2 weeks post-partum. She is gravida 3 para 3 (1203), with no complications in all the pregnancies. She had no known comorbidities. Social history was negative for intravenous or illicit drug use. She initially sought consult with her obstetrician where work up showed hypoalbuminemia and diffuse hepatic disease on ultrasound. She was referred to a gastroenterologist where albumin infusion and paracentesis was done but with no improvement. She developed anasarca and was admitted in our institution. Paracentesis was attempted but only minimal ascitic fluid was obtained. Serum ascites albumin gradient was low and baseline laboratories showed high creatinine at 146 mmol/L, hypoalbuminemia at 16 g/L and +3 albumin on urinalysis. Further testing showed a 24-hour urine protein of 11 grams. ANA and anti-DsDNA were negative and c3 and c4 levels were normal. Hepatitis profile was negative for infection. Abdominal CT scan revealed a hypoenhancing pancreatic tail lesion, breast cyst and nodule. Tumor markers showed high CA-125, CA 19-9 and CA 15-3. Breast ultrasound showed simple breast cyst. Gyneocology consult was called where pap smear done was negative for malignancy. Surgery service recommended observation and monitoring for the pancreatic and breast lesions. Kidney biopsy was delayed due to new onset bacterial pneumonia. COVID-19 RT-PCR test was negative. Kidney biopsy was done after lysis of fever. Pending pathologic diagnosis, patient was discharged clinically improved with no edema. She was sent home on prednisone, ARB, statin, fenofibrate and anti-platelet. On follow up at the outpatient clinic, the kidney biopsy result came out to be collapsing glomerulopathy, acute tubular injury, mild interstitial fibrosis and atrophy. HIV test was done and came out negative. Bipedal edema has recurred and albumin/creatinine ration was 731mg/g. She was then started on tacrolimus. She has been on regular follow up and currently has no edema and has ACR of 79mg/g and normal creatinine level. Conclusions: This is an interesting case as the primary glomerular disease has been masked by the initial laboratory findings. The ultrasound showed parenchymal liver disease. Further work-up revealed multiple lesions in the pancreas, breasts and lymph nodes with high tumor-markers which led us to think of paraneoplastic nephrotic syndrome. The renal biopsy revealed a rare diagnosis with no previous local data. This serves as an index case for primary collapsing glomerulopathy in a Filipino patient on remission after being treated with tacrolimus. No conflict of interest