Researchers have reported simple and accurate meter-based tests that include novel fusion proteins. They say consumers will one day be able to use this test to monitor their SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. The results were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and infection with the virus itself can protect against future infections for some time, but it’s unclear exactly how long that protection lasts. A good indication of immune protection is a person’s SARS-CoV-2 antibody level, but the gold standard measure – the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) – requires expensive equipment and specialized technicians. Enter blood glucose meters, which are readily available, easy to use, and can be integrated with remote clinical services. The researchers adapted these devices to detect other target molecules, by coupling the detection to the production of glucose.
For example, if a detection antibody in the test binds to an antibody in a patient’s blood, a reaction occurs that produces glucose, which the device detects very well. Invertase is an attractive enzyme for this type of analysis because it converts sucrose to glucose, but attaching the enzyme to detection antibodies with chemical approaches is difficult. So Netzahualcoyotl Arroyo-Curras, Jamie B. Spangler and colleagues wanted to see if producing a fusion protein composed of both invertase and a detection antibody would work in a test that would read the levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with a glucose meter.
Researchers have designed and produced a novel fusion protein containing both invertase and a mouse antibody that binds to human immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies. They showed that the fusion protein bound to human IgG and successfully produced glucose from sucrose. Next, the team made test strips with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on them. When dipped into samples from COVID-19 patients, the patients’ SARS-CoV-2 antibodies bound to the spike protein. The addition of the invertase/IgG fusion protein, then of sucrose, leads to the production of glucose, detectable by a glucometer. They validated the test by performing the analysis with glucometers on a variety of patient samples and found that the new test performed as well as four different ELISAs. The researchers say the method can also be adapted to test for variants of SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases.
The authors acknowledge funding from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Emerson Collective Cancer Research Fund, and the National Institutes of Health. The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization accredited by the United States Congress. ACS’s mission is to advance the broader chemical enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all his people.
The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, conferences scientists, its electronic books and its weekly periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, trusted and widely read in the scientific literature; however, the ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing global scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are located at Washington, CCand Columbus, Ohio. (ANI)
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