A diagnostic tool for detection of brain fever by epitope-imprinted piezoelectric device

2^nd International Conference on Biomechanics, Bioengineering & Audiology

November 07-08, 2016 Las Vegas, USA

Meenakshi Singh, Neha gupta, Kavita Shah and R. Prasad

Medicines for Malaria Ventures, India
Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development, India
Banaras Hindu University, India

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Bioengineer & Biomedical Sci

Abstract :

Neisseria meningitides, a human-specific bacterial pathogen causes bacterial meningitis by invading the meninges of central nervous system. High mortality rate associated with the disease therefore requires proper medical diagnosis and early treatment. Diagnosing bacterial meningitis is currently cumbersome and involves isolating the bacteria from sterile cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through lumbar puncture followed by observing presence of meningococci under microscope by a neurologist. A computational approach identified candidate T-cell epitopes from outer membrane proteins Por B- (273KGLVDDADI282 in loop VII and 170GRHNSESYH179 in loop IV) present on the exposed surface of immunogenic loops of class 3 OMP allele of N. Meningitides as well as another epitope sequence identified from N. meningitides iron acquisition protein viz. an iron regulated outer membrane protein frpB. These epitopes are used for designing a diagnostic tool via molecularly imprinted piezoelectric sensor (MIP-QCM) for N. meningitides strain MC58. Methacrylic acid (MAA) and acrylic acid (AA) with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN) were used as functional monomers, crosslinker and initiator, respectively. The epitope can be simultaneously bound to functional monomer and fitted into the shape-selective cavities. On extraction of epitope sequence from thus grafted polymeric film, shape-selective and sensitive sites were generated on EQCM crystal i.e known as epitope imprinted polymers (EIPs). Imprinting was characterized by atomic force microscopy images. The epitope-imprinted sensor was able to selectively bind Neisseria meningitides proteins present in blood serum of patients suffering from brain fever. Thus, fabricated sensor can be used as a diagnostic tool for meningitis disease.

Biography :

Email: meenakshi_s4@rediffmail.com