Electrochemical aptasensor for the detection of placental growth factor protein as a biomarker of preeclampsia using a boron-doped diamond electrode.

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication associated with hypertension and endothelial dysfunction caused by impaired placental vascularization. Early detection is essential to reduce maternal and fetal risks. Placental growth factor (PlGF), a pro-angiogenic biomarker that decreases significantly in preeclampsia, is a promising target for early diagnosis. This study develops a gold-modified boron-doped diamond (BDD/Au) electrochemical aptasensor for sensitive and selective PlGF detection. The selected aptamer is determined based on 3D structure modeling and molecular docking results, followed by electrode fabrication, aptamer immobilization, and characterization using SEM, XPS, CV, EIS, and DPV. The selected aptamer exhibits a docking score of -288.41 and a confidence score of 0.9155. The aptasensor shows a signal-off response, with current decreasing as PlGF concentration increases. It demonstrates excellent linearity (R2 = 0.9952) over 1-10,000 fg/mL, with limits of detection of 2.10 fg/mL in PBS and 2.58 fg/mL in spiked human serum. Selectivity studies against various interfering species show 96.85% selectivity and 83.94% specificity toward PlGF, confirming specific aptamer-target recognition. These findings demonstrate that the BDD/Au aptasensor is a highly sensitive and selective platform with strong potential for early preeclampsia diagnosis.

Abstract as supplied by the indexing source. © the authors / publisher.