Highly Sensitive and Specific SARS-CoV-2 Serological Assay Using a Magnetic Modulation Biosensing System.

Sensitive serological assays are needed to provide valuable information about acute and past viral infections. For example, detection of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgG antibodies could serve as the basis for an "immunity passport" that would enable individuals to travel internationally. Here, utilizing a novel Magnetic Modulation Biosensing (MMB) system and the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, we demonstrate a highly sensitive and specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG serological assay. Using anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-positive and healthy patients' samples, and vaccinees' samples, we compare the MMB-based SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay's analytical and clinical sensitivities to those of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with ELISA, the MMB-based assay has an ~6-fold lower limit of detection (129 ng/L vs. 817 ng/L), and it detects an increase in the IgG concentration much earlier after vaccination. Using 85 RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-positive samples and 79 -negative samples, the MMB-based assay demonstrated similar clinical specificity (98% vs. 99%) and sensitivity (93% vs. 92%) to the ELISA test, but with a much faster turnaround time (45 min vs. 245 min). The high analytical and clinical sensitivity, short turnaround time, and simplicity of the MMB-based assay makes it a preferred method for antibody detection.

High throughput optical modulation biosensing for highly sensitive and rapid detection of biomarkers.

Rapid, highly sensitive, and high-throughput detection of biomarkers at low concentrations is invaluable for early diagnosis of various diseases. In many highly sensitive immunoassays, magnetic beads are used to capture fluorescently labeled target molecules. The target molecules are then quantified by detecting the fluorescent signal from individual beads, which is time consuming and requires a complicated and expensive detection system. Here, we demonstrate a high-throughput optical modulation biosensing (ht-OMB) system, which uses a small permanent magnet to aggregate the beads into a small detection volume and eliminates background noise by steering a laser beam in and out of the cluster of beads. Shortening the aggregation, acquisition, and well-to-well scanning transition times enables reading a 96-well plate within 10 min. Using the ht-OMB system to detect human Interleukin-8, we demonstrated a limit of detection of 0.14 ng/L and a 4-log dynamic range. Testing 94 RNA extracts from 36 confirmed RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-positive patients (Ct≤40) and 58 confirmed RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals resulted in 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity.

A Magnetic Modulation Biosensing-Based Molecular Assay for Rapid and Highly Sensitive Clinical Diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Rapid and sensitive detection of human pathogens, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an urgent and challenging task for clinical laboratories. Currently, the gold standard for SARS-CoV-2-specific RNA is based on quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR), which relies on target amplification by Taq polymerase and uses a fluorescent resonance energy transfer-based hydrolysis probe. Although this method is accurate and specific, it is also time consuming. Here, a new molecular assay is described that combines a highly sensitive magnetic modulation biosensing (MMB) system, rapid thermal cycling, and a modified double-quenched hydrolysis probe. In vitro transcribed SARS-CoV-2 RNA targets spiked in PCR-grade water, were used to show that the calculated limit of detection of the MMB-based molecular assay was 1.6 copies per reaction. Testing 309 RNA extracts from 170 confirmed RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals (30 of whom were positive for other respiratory viruses) and 139 RT-qPCR SARS-CoV-2-positive patients (CT ≤ 42) resulted in 97.8% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 0% cross-reactivity. The total turnaround time of the MMB-based assay is 30 minutes, which is three to four times faster than a standard RT-qPCR. By adjusting the primers and the probe set, the platform can be easily adapted to detect most of the pathogens that are currently being diagnosed by RT-qPCR.

Rapid and Sensitive Inhibitor Screening Using Magnetically Modulated Biosensors.

Inhibitor screening is an important tool for drug development, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most used in vitro inhibitor screening tool is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, ELISA-based inhibitor screening is time consuming and has a limited dynamic range. Using fluorescently and magnetically modulated biosensors (MMB), we developed a rapid and sensitive inhibitor screening tool. This study demonstrates its performance by screening small molecules and neutralizing antibodies as potential inhibitors of the interaction between the spike protein 1 (S1) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. The MMB-based assay is highly sensitive, has minimal non-specific binding, and is much faster than the commonly used ELISA (2 h vs. 7-24 h). We anticipate that our method will lead to a remarkable advance in screening for new drug candidates.