Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur, have developed a nanosensor capable of detecting cytokines in under 30 minutes. Cytokines are inflammatory biomarkers that play a vital role in the detection of several disorders, including multiple sclerosis, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
The new diagnostic tool can pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic strategies, which can help reduce mortality rates due to delayed diagnosis and a lack of early warnings, the researchers say. They’ve also integrated artificial intelligence (AI) with the tool for quick and accurate data analysis.
What are cytokines?
Cytokines are small proteins made by the immune system that play a crucial role in modulating the growth and function of immune cells and blood cells. “There was a lot of talk about cytokines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whenever there’s any disease or turbulence within our body that affects different organs or organ systems, certain molecules are released; these are cytokines,” says Dr Pradeep Rangappa, consultant intensive care physician, Manipal Hospitals, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore and member of the Karnataka COVID Clinical Expert Committee.
He adds that some cytokines can help the body fight the condition, while others may be harmful. There must be a balance between both for proper recovery. Knowledge of an individual’s cytokine profile helps doctors determine the medications to be prescribed after considering their efficacy to neutralize the harmful proteins.
Further elaborating on the importance of cytokine analysis, Dr Rangappa says this is an adjunctive test that helps clinicians assess one’s disease progression to decide if they require hospitalization.
What do the researchers say?
The sensor is based on semiconductor process technology and uses the Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique to detect analytes at low concentrations with high precision and selectivity.
“By getting a faster and more robust diagnosis of autoimmune diseases and bacterial infections, this sensor possesses the capability to transform a patient’s medical treatment. This way, a patient’s disease can be diagnosed and tracked promptly to guide the future course of treating them,” the researchers said in a statement.
The primary researchers of the study included Akilandeshwari B from the department of bioscience and bioengineering, Sarvar Singh from the department of electrical engineering, Prof Ajay Agarwal, head of the department of electrical engineering and Prof Sushmita Jha from the department of bioscience and bioengineering.
Speaking about the future scope of the tool, Prof Ajay Agarwal said in a statement, “This technique, which is currently in its development stage, has provided exciting and encouraging results for three biomarkers, i.e., interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-β (IL-β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), which are key pro-inflammatory cytokines released by the inflammatory cells. As of now, the testing is done for controlled samples, but the team aims to take the technology to clinical trials soon. The group is also using this technique to develop detection protocols for the early-stage and quick diagnosis of sepsis and fungal infections.”
Elaborating on the role of these biomarkers, Dr Rangappa shares that during the pandemic, doctors measured the levels of IL-6 to determine the severity of COVID. “Based on this measure, we could decide which patients would benefit from being administered tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody,” he adds.
Traditional tests vs the nanosensor
According to the researchers, the currently used techniques for cytokine detection — including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) — are time-consuming, require trained personnel and have a sample preparation or analysis time of over six hours.
Dr Rangappa says the turnaround time of the new sensor is way less than the traditional methods. “There will be certain cytokines that tend to increase during specific conditions, and this tool will detect signals that are generated when cytokine levels rise. However, how much that will help in establishing some meaningful change in disease outcomes remains to be seen,” he adds.
Takeaways
Researchers from IIT, Jodhpur, have developed a nanosensor that can detect cytokines within 30 minutes, facilitating quick diagnosis of several disorders and a decrease in mortality rates. The time-efficient diagnostic tool utilizes Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to detect analytes at low concentrations with high precision and selectivity. While the testing is currently limited to controlled samples, the team plans to take the technology to clinical trials soon.
