Sensitive detection of 17 beta-estradiol at a picomolar level using an aptamer-assisted liquid crystal-based optical sensor

A liquid crystal (LC)-based aptasensor was developed that can detect 17 beta-estradiol (E2) at the picomolar level. This aptasensor is based on competitive reactions of the aptamer that interacts with cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and E2 at the aqueous/LC interface. The long alkyl chain of CTAB anchored the 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) to a homeotropic state and controls the local anchoring depending on the extent of electrostatic interaction with the aptamer. Upon addition of the aptamer solution to the CTAB-saturated LC layer, LCs change from dark to bright optical response. This is due to the perturbed orientation of 5CB at the aqueous/LC interface as a result of electrostatic attraction of the cationic group of CTAB and the phosphate group of the aptamer. The conformational change of the aptamer due to specific binding with E2 weakens the electrostatic attraction between CTAB and aptamer. When specific binding becomes relatively dominant, CTAB induces the orientation of LCs to the homeotropic state, resulting in a dark optical image observed. We also analyzed the change in the optical response of LCs according to the interfacial events and compared the grayscale values of the optical image for each concentration of E2 to determine the detection limit. Accordingly, the detection limit of the E2 sensor was found to be 3.1 pM (0.8 pg/ml) in Tris-buffered saline (TBS), and 6.8 pM (1.9 pg/ml) in human urine. The LC-based optical aptasensor was thus shown to be highly sensitive and selective with no requirement for complex analysis equipment.

Automated summary

An LC-based aptasensor has been developed to detect 17 beta-estradiol (E2) at picomolar levels by utilizing competitive reactions and interfacial events. The aptasensor changes the optical response of liquid crystals (LCs) through electrostatic interactions with a cationic surfactant (CTAB) and the aptamer. The conformational change of the aptamer due to binding with E2 weakens the electrostatic attraction, resulting in a dark optical image. The E2 sensor showed a detection limit of 3.1 pM in TBS and 6.8 pM in human urine, demonstrating high sensitivity and selectivity without the need for complex analysis equipment.