Nanocellulose as a colorimetric biosensor for effective facile detection of human neutrophil elastase

Authors: LING, ZHE - Beijing Forestry University; XU, FENG - Beijing Forestry University; Edwards, Judson - Vince; Prevost, Nicolette; Nam, Sunghyun; Condon, Brian; French, Alfred - Al

Submitted to: Carbohydrate Polymers
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/2019
Publication Date: 4/8/2019
Citation: Ling, Z., Xu, F., Edwards, J.V., Prevost, N.T., Nam, S., Condon, B.D., French, A.D. 2019. Nanocellulose as a colorimetric biosensor for effective facile detection of human neutrophil elastase. Carbohydrate Polymers. 216:360-368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.04.027.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.04.027

Interpretive Summary: Cotton nanocrystalline cellulose possesses a very high surface area that has many potential uses in sensor technology. Biosensors were prepared to illustrate the highly sensitive levels of detection that are achievable. Colorimetric sensors were prepared and shown to possess sensitivity to proteases that are of diagnostic value in chronic diseases. The biosensor developed has potential as a point of care biomarker for numerous diseases. Thus, the manuscript discusses an approach to designing, preparing and assessing the activity of a form cotton nanocellulose modified with chromogenic peptides to detect human neutrophil elastase at levels found in chronic wounds and other inflammatory diseases, and an approach to using the technology as a biosensor. Thus, the colorimetric sensor is sensitive enough to be useful as a point of care diagnostic for elastase which is a biomarker for chronic wounds and a number of chronic diseases.

Technical Abstract: Nanocellulose has functionalities suitable for efficient sensor transducer surface design including crystallinity, biocompatible and high specific surface area. Here we explore two forms of nanocellulose as transducer surfaces to enable colorimetric detection of human neutrophil elastase (HNE), and a wide range of inflammatory diseases. A deep eutectic solvent (DES) was utilized to mediate formation of cotton cellulose nanocrystals (DCNCs) employed to prepare a peptide-cellulose conjugate as a protease sensor of HNE. The tetrapeptide-cellulose analog on DCNC is contrasted with an analogous derivative of TEMPO-oxidized wood cellulose nanofibrils (WCNFs). DCNCs showed a greater degree of substitution of HNE tetrapeptide and sensitivity to the elastase than WCNFs, despite the smaller surface area and pore sizes. XRD models revealed the higher crystallinity and larger crystallite sizes of DCNCs, indicating the well-arranged cellulose chains for immobilization of the tetrapeptide on (110) lattice reflections of cellulose crystals. The sensitivity of DCNC-based colorimetric sensor was less than 0.005 U/mL, which would provide a convenient, sensitive sensor applicable for improved colorimetric point of care protease biomarker detection.