Impedimetric aptasensor for the label-free and selective detection of Interleukin-6 for colorectal cancer screening

Despite the fact that cancer research has experienced important advances and remarkable improvement in the curing processes during the last decades, this disease still occupies a leading position among the causes of death worldwide. It has been demonstrated that there is an interconnection between the overexpression of interleukin-6 cytokine and the tumor growth, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance in several types of malignancies. Herein, a highly sensitive and selective aptasensor for quantitative detection of interleukin-6 was developed by using a glassy carbon electrode modified with p-aminobenzoic acid, p-aminothiophenol and gold nanoparticles. A thio-terminated aptamer specific for interleukin-6 was immobilized on the surface of the modified electrode via the formation of gold-sulfur bonds. This DNA oligonucleotide was then used as a detection probe to capture the target protein at the biosensor surface allowing label-free detection by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The developed aptasensor showed a good linear response from 5 pgmL−1 to 100 ngmL−1 with a detection limit of 1.6 pgmL−1, within the range of physiological concentration of the protein. The biosensor exhibited high selectivity and has been successfully used to detect interleukin-6 in blood samples collected from patients suffering of colorectal cancer, with excellent recoveries after the addition of known amount of the target protein. [Display omitted] •A novel nanocomposite platform was proposed for IL-6 detection in human blood.•Electrodes modified with p-aminobenzoic acid, p-aminothiophenol and Au nanoparticles.•DNA oligonucleotide was used as a detection probe for the target protein.•A detection limit of 1.6 pgmL−1 was correlated with the physiological concentration.•IL-6 was detected in blood from patients with colorectal cancer.