Annually 300,000 new cases of oral cancer are detected worldwide. The best way to combat oral cancer is to detect it in its early stages. When detected early, there is an 80 to 90% cure rate. At present, there are no rapid accurate methods for early detection of oral cancer using saliva. Using a patient-based genomic search we have discovered a salivary protein interleukin-8 (IL8) can serve as a salivary biomarker for oral cancer (St. John et al., Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2004; 130: 929-935).

Objective: Our goal is to develop an automated NEMS (nano-electrical-mechanical system)-based biosensor for detection of IL-8 protein in saliva for early stage oral cancer diagnostics.

Methods: We have developed a highly sensitive and specific sensor that is able to quantitatively detect IL-8 protein in whole saliva. The protein sensor implements NEMS surface modification techniques such as self-assembled monolayers (SAM), covalent coupling chemistry (CCC), and the immobilization of specific capture probes through biotin-streptavidin bonds. The detection is quantified optically through fluorescent probes.

Results: The protein sensor for IL-8 detection has a range of detection spanning four orders of magnitude (pg/ml to ug/ml) and a sensitivity of 100 pg/ml (~12pM). This sensor uses sample volumes that are six times smaller than conventional methods such as ELISA. We have demonstrated that the IL-8 protein sensor can accurately diagnose patients with oral cancer, correctly discriminating 10 oral cancer from 10 normal subject salivas. The sensor has been integrated into an automated microfluidic device, allowing for an increase in consistency, a reduction in performance time, a reduction in sample/reagent volumes required, and an increase in sensitivity.

Conclusions: The detection system is accomplished and will be further optimized and miniaturized to a “lab-on-a-chip” format.

Supported by PHS Grants UO1-DE15018 and a grant from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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