A fully-automated, six-plex single molecule immunoassay for measuring cytokines in blood.

We report a system and assay for performing fully-automated measurement of 6 proteins simultaneously with single molecule sensitivity. The system combines handling of samples, reagents, and consumables, with a module for imaging single molecule arrays (Simoa) to enable immunoassays that have high sensitivity (~fg/mL), are multiplexed, and are fully-automated. A 6-plex cytokine Simoa assay for IL-6, TNF-α, GM-CSF, IL-10, IL-1ß, and IL-1α was developed on the system. The assays had limits of detection in the range 0.01-0.03pg/mL, and the average imprecision (CV) of the Simoa signal was 4.2%. This assay was used to measure the concentrations of these cytokines in the plasma of patients with Crohn's Disease (CD), before and after treatment with anti-TNF-α antibody drugs, and in the serum of Type 1 diabetics. Concentrations of TNF-α and IL-6 in the CD samples determined using the fully-automated, multiplex Simoa assay had good correlation with the manual, single-plex assays previously reported. Drug treatment caused reductions in the mean concentration of all 6 cytokines in the plasma of CD patients. The concentrations of 4 cytokines were significantly higher in diabetics compared to healthy controls. The system could enable the widespread, multiplexed measurement of protein biomarkers with low abundance.

Direct detection of bacterial genomic DNA at sub-femtomolar concentrations using single molecule arrays.

We report a method for the sensitive measurement of genomic DNA based on the direct detection of single molecules of DNA in arrays of femtoliter wells. The method begins by generating short fragments of DNA from large, double-stranded molecules of genomic DNA using either restriction enzymes or sonication. Single-stranded fragments are then generated by melting the duplex, and these fragments are hybridized to complementary biotinylated detection probes and capture probes on paramagnetic beads. The resulting DNA complexes are then labeled with an enzyme (streptavidin-ß-galactosidase), and single enzymes associated with these complexes on beads are detected in single molecule arrays (Simoa). DNA concentration is quantified by determining the average number of enzymes per bead via Poisson statistics (digital) or the average bead intensity (analog). The Simoa DNA assay was used to detect genomic DNA purified from S. aureus with an average limit of detection (LOD) of 0.07 fM, or 2100 DNA molecules per 50 µL sample. We used this assay to detect S. aureus spiked into (a) whole blood, with an average LOD of 1100 bacteria per 25 µL sample (0.074 fM), and (b) water from the Charles River, with an LOD of 1300 bacteria per 50 µL sample (0.042 fM). Bacteria were detected in river water without prior purification of DNA. The Simoa DNA assay, which directly detects target DNA molecules without molecular replication, is an attractive alternative to existing sensitive DNA detection technologies that rely on amplification using polymerases, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).