Development of Polydiacetylene-Based Testosterone Detection as a Model Sensing Platform for Water-Insoluble Hormone Analytes

We have developed a polydiacetylene (PDA)-based sensing platform to detect testosterone (T) as a potential biomarker of preterm birth. The insolubility of the steroid hormone in water, where PDA assemblies are dispersed, poses a major issue, since they can hardly interact with each other. To overcome this challenge, acetonitrile was used as a suitable solvent. In addition, to minimize false signals of PDA assemblies caused by the solvent, a mixture of acetonitrile and distilled water was selected. To prove a concept of PDA-based sensing platform for targeting T hormone, we conjugated anti-T antibodies to surface of PDA assemblies to induce selective binding between T and anti-T antibodies. The fluorescence sensory signaling of the PDA-anti-T antibody conjugate was selectively generated for T, over 3.4 times higher sensitivity of the signaling compared to that from other sex steroid hormones studied (beta-estradiol and progesterone).

Automated summary

A sensing platform based on PDA was developed to detect testosterone as a potential biomarker of preterm birth. By conjugating anti-T antibodies to PDA assemblies and using a mixture of acetonitrile and distilled water as a solvent, the platform showed over 3.4 times higher sensitivity for detecting T compared to other sex steroid hormones studied.