Novel fluorescent microarray platforms: a case study in neurodegenerative disorders

Abstract

This review focuses on the fluorescent protein microarrays applied to neurodegenerative disorders, a major health problem in our aging society. Biomarker discovery studies and work on new diagnostic tests are both included. Three platforms are described: antibody planar microarrays, comprising an array of well-defined antibodies for the simultaneous capture of biomarkers; antigen planar microarrays in which proteins, peptides or small molecules are immobilized and probed with biological samples to chase specific antibodies; and bead-based array platforms, which are flow cytometry-based methods in which capture molecules are coupled to fluorescent microspheres, facilitating the simultaneous quantification of several analytes.

Keywords::

• Alzheimer’s disease
• antibody
• biomarkers
• fluorescence
• microarrays
• neurodegeneration

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors were supported partially by the EU through FP7 NADINE (NAnosystems for early DIagnosis of NEurodegenerative Diseases) project contract number 246513 and MIUR (Italian Ministry of University and Research) through project N-CHEM (Nanomax Flag Project). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Key issues

• • Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are variably associated with dementia, personality changes, language abnormalities or progressive muscle weakness. Because the greatest risk factor for NDs is age, these diseases are major health and quality of life problems in our aging society.

• • Analytical platforms for neurochemical biomarkers require a multiplexed panel analysis to discriminate among the various types of dementia.

• • High sensitivity is a prerequisite, due to the low concentration of validated biomarkers for Alzheimer’s diseasein cerebrospinal fluid and to provide effective analytical tools for new biomarkers in easily collectible samples, such as serum, where these specimens will be even more diluted.

• • Fluorescent microarray platforms perfectly comply with these features and can be roughly classified into three types: antibody planar microarrays, antigen planar microarrays and bead-based suspension arrays.

• • The three platforms provide relevant information in the research environment for disease differentiation, biomarker discovery and the mechanism underlying ND disease pathologies.

• • The clinical routine application of these tests are limited, reflecting the lack of well-characterized standards and calibrators.

Notes