When the group included samples from 7 patient nasopharyngeal swabs to the device, the liquid flowed over the electrode, and the scientists discovered a modification in temperature level for samples that had actually formerly evaluated favorable for COVID-19 by RT-PCR. The test needed just 15 minutes, and preliminary outcomes indicated that it could find a 6,000-times lower quantity of SARS-CoV-2 than an industrial quick antigen test. Unlike antibodies, the nanoMIPs stood up to warm temperature levels– which could provide the test a longer life span in hot climates– and acidic pH– which may make it beneficial for keeping track of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and saliva samples. However, to prove that the test has a lower incorrect negative rate than existing rapid antigen tests, it should be checked on much more patient samples, the scientists say.
Recommendation: “Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles Enable Rapid, Reliable, and Robust Point-of-Care Thermal Detection of SARS-CoV-2” by Jake McClements, Laure Bar, Pankaj Singla, Francesco Canfarotta, Alan Thomson, Joanna Czulak, Rhiannon E. Johnson, Robert D. Crapnell, Craig E. Banks, Brendan Payne, Shayan Seyedin, Patricia Losada-Pérez and Marloes Peeters, 13 April 2022, ACS Sensors.DOI: 10.1021/ acssensors.2 c00100.
The authors acknowledge financing and support from Newcastle University, the Rosetrees Trust, the Wellcome Trust, MIP Diagnostics and the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique.
The new test is more sensitive and works under more extreme conditions than antibody-based tests.
The tests utilize antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for detection, which cant hold up against wide varieties of temperature and pH. Marloes Peeters and Jake McClements at Newcastle University, Francesco Canfarotta at MIP Diagnostics, and coworkers wanted to make a low-cost, quick, extremely delicate and robust COVID-19 test that uses molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) instead of antibodies.
The test required only 15 minutes, and initial outcomes showed that it could identify a 6,000-times lower quantity of SARS-CoV-2 than a commercial fast antigen test. To prove that the test has a lower false negative rate than existing fast antigen tests, it must be tested on lots of more patient samples, the scientists say.
When SARS-CoV-2 binds to molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (ruler reveals cm), a 3D-printed device finds temperature modifications. Credit: Adapted from ACS Sensors 2022, DOI: 10.1021/ acssensors.2 c00100.
Rapid antigen tests can quickly and easily inform a person that they are favorable for COVID-19. However, since antibody-based tests arent really sensitive, they can fail to find early infections with low viral loads. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Sensors have established a rapid test that uses molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles, rather than antibodies, to find SARS-CoV-2. The brand-new test is more sensitive and works under more extreme conditions than antibody-based tests.
In contrast, rapid antigen tests are quick (15-30 minutes), and individuals can take them at home with no training. The tests use antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for detection, which cant withstand broad ranges of temperature and pH. Marloes Peeters and Jake McClements at Newcastle University, Francesco Canfarotta at MIP Diagnostics, and coworkers desired to make a low-cost, quick, robust and highly delicate COVID-19 test that uses molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) instead of antibodies.
The researchers produced nanoMIPs against a little fragment, or peptide, of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by developing molecular imprints, or molds, in the nanoparticles. These nanoscale binding cavities had an appropriate shapes and size to recognize and bind the imprinted peptide and, for that reason, the entire protein. They attached the nanoparticles that bound most highly to the peptide to printed electrodes. After showing that the nanoMIPs might bind SARS-CoV-2, they established a 3D-printed model device that spots binding of the virus by determining modifications in temperature.
