Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using electrochemical impedance-based detector

Biosens Bioelectron. 2021 Jan 1:171:112709. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2020.112709. Epub 2020 Oct 7.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization and has caused over 550,000 deaths worldwide as of July 2020. Accurate and scalable point-of-care devices would increase screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of COVID-19 patients. Here, we demonstrate rapid label-free electrochemical detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using a commercially available impedance sensing platform. A 16-well plate containing sensing electrodes was pre-coated with receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and subsequently tested with samples of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody CR3022 (0.1 μg/ml, 1.0 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml). Subsequent blinded testing was performed on six serum specimens taken from COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients (1:100 dilution factor). The platform was able to differentiate spikes in impedance measurements from a negative control (1% milk solution) for all CR3022 samples. Further, successful differentiation and detection of all positive clinical samples from negative control was achieved. Measured impedance values were consistent when compared to standard ELISA test results showing a strong correlation between them (R2=0.9). Detection occurs in less than five minutes and the well-based platform provides a simplified and familiar testing interface that can be readily adaptable for use in clinical settings.

Keywords: Antibodies; Capacitive immunosensors; Impedance spectroscopy; Label-free; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Betacoronavirus / immunology*
  • Biosensing Techniques / economics
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Testing
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques* / economics
  • Coronavirus Infections / blood*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / economics
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology
  • Dielectric Spectroscopy / economics
  • Dielectric Spectroscopy / instrumentation*
  • Electric Impedance
  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Immobilized Proteins / immunology
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / blood*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immobilized Proteins
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2