Highly sensitive detection of cancer cells with an electrochemical cytosensor based on boronic acid functional polythiophene

The detection of cancer cells through important molecular recognition target such as sialic acid is significant for the clinical diagnosis and treatment. There are many electrochemical cytosensors developed for cancer cells detection but most of them have complicated fabrication processes which results in poor reproducibility and reliability. In this study, a simple, low-cost, and highly sensitive electrochemical cytosensor was designed based on boronic acid-functionalized polythiophene. In cytosensors fabrication simple single-step procedure was used which includes coating pencil graphite electrode (PGE) by means of electro-polymerization of 3-Thienyl boronic acid and Thiophen. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were used as an analytical methods to optimize and measure analytical performances of PGE/P(TBA0.5Th0.5) based electrode. Cytosensor showed extremely good analytical performances in detection of cancer cells with linear rage of 1×101 to 1×106 cellsmL−1 exhibiting low detection limit of 10 cellsmL−1 and incubation time of 10min. Next to excellent analytical performances, it showed high selectivity towards AGS cancer cells when compared to HEK 293 normal cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSCs). This method is promising for future applications in early stage cancer diagnosis. •Boronic acid functional polythiophene coated electrode was specifically recognize cancer cells.•A cytosensor with high sensitivity and selectivity was developed.•The detection concentration range of AGS cells was from 10 to 106 cells/mL.