Concentric interdigitated dielectrodes on silica substrate to monitor neuroprotective effect of anesthetics

Abstract

General anesthesia is commonly used in major surgeries, in most cases it is completely reversible and central nerve system returns normal after the elimination of anesthetic agent. At the same time, usage of anesthetic agents may result in a long-lasting neurological effect due to increasing level of neural injury biomarker. Various neuro-proteins have been identified to provide a clear insight of neurological injury, among them, tau protein level fluctuates during the pre- and post-operative periods, which leads to different neurological complications, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. This research was focused to develop a sensitive tau protein biosensor on modified concentric interdigitated dielectrode surface and measured by impedance spectroscopy. The sensing surface with silica substrate and embedded gold dielectrodes were used for aptamer-antibody sandwich assay and attained the detection limit of tau protein to 1 fM on a linear regression range until 1 nM (R2 = 0.9899; y = 535.04x −398). Further, selective experiments in tau protein spiked artificial cerebrospinal fluid increases the current responses with the concomitant increment of tau protein. Experiments with complementary aptamer, amyloid-β40 and recombinant human complement failed to response. This tau biosensor helps to quantify tau protein levels silica-gold hybrid surface and monitor the neuroprotective effect of anesthetics.