AUTHOR=Andersson Tilde , Bläckberg Anna , Lood Rolf , Ertürk Bergdahl Gizem 

TITLE=Development of a Molecular Imprinting-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Staphylococcus aureus Alpha Hemolysin From Human Serum

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2020.571578

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2020.571578

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Stapylococcus aureus</italic> is a common infectious agent in <italic>e.g.</italic> sepsis, associated with both high mortality rates and severe long-term effects. The cytolytic protein α-hemolysin has repeatedly been shown to enhance the virulence of <italic>S. aureus</italic>. Combined with an unhindered spread of multi drug-resistant strains, this has triggered research into novel anti virulence (<italic>i.e.</italic> anti α-hemolysin) drugs. Their functionality will depend on our ability to identify infections that might be alleviated by such. We therefore saw a need for detection methods that could identify individuals suffering from <italic>S. aureus</italic> infections where α-hemolysin was a major determinant. Molecular imprinted polymers were subsequently prepared on gold coated sensor chips. Used in combination with a surface plasmon resonance biosensor, α-hemolysin could therethrough be quantified from septic blood samples (n = 9), without pre-culturing of the infectious agent. The biosensor recognized α-hemolysin with high affinity (K<sub>D</sub> = 2.75 x 10<sup>-7</sup> M) and demonstrated a statistically significant difference (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001) between the α-hemolysin response and potential sample contaminants. The detection scheme proved equally good, or better, when compared to antibody-based detection methods. This novel detection scheme constitutes a more rapid, economical, and user-friendly alternative to many methods currently in use. Heightening both reproducibility and sensitivity, molecular imprinting in combination with surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-technology could be a versatile new tool in clinical- and research-settings alike.</p>