Chemosensors for routine measurement of neurotransmitters

Certain biochemical processes in the body allow conclusions to be drawn about the state of health and diseases such as cancer, diabetes or neurological disorders. A high serotonin or metanephrine level, for example, can be directly linked to cancer. For this reason, urine or blood samples are often examined for specific biomarkers in suspected cases. Early detection of disease-relevant biomarkers enables timely diagnosis and treatment.

State of the art

Two established methods are usually used in biomedical diagnostics: mass spectroscopy and antibody-based assays. Both laboratory methods provide very precise measurement results, but are not suitable for widespread clinical use due to their complexity and high costs. Simpler rapid tests are already established in some areas, such as blood sugar levels or pregnancy tests.

Technology

Researchers from the Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) have developed a robust chemosensor that enables the rapid and qualitative determination of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in urine and blood. The sensor principle is based on the binding of these substances to a hybrid novel sensor material consisting of nanozeolite compounds and fluorescent dyes. The micropores of the zeolite mimic the specific binding pockets of receptor proteins for the desired analyte. When the analyte is molecularly bound, a direct optical signal in the form of decreasing fluorescence occurs within milliseconds. The decrease in emission intensity (i.e. luminosity) is used to detect both the presence and concentration of the analyte. Different compositions of the zeolite material framework and the dye offer practically unlimited possibilities for the detection of biorelevant molecules such as dopamine, metanephrine, histamine, noradrenaline & adrenaline, trypotophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan.

Advantages

The new chemosensor with high sensitivity and selectivity measures biomarkers quickly and precisely without additional washing steps for signal development. It also works reliably as a solution or substrate under different conditions. Due to its simple application and cost-effective production, the sensor is predestined as a rapid test for pre-screening.

Options for companies

In order to be able to use the chemosensors routinely in medical practices and hospitals as well as in pharmacies directly for molecular diagnostics in the future, KIT is looking for partners from the clinical and industrial sectors for further development.