Biosensor approaches for the detection of autoantibodies in human serum

The analysis of autoantibodies in human serum plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and follow-up of autoimmune diseases. The analytical tools available for the determination of these analytes, however, are still far from mature, lack standardization, and give low negative predictive values. Approaches using biosensor technology for analysis are an attractive alternative to classical techniques. In special applications, biosensors already have been proven to be effective for clinical diagnostics. This is due to the fact that real-time monitoring of the antigen/antibody interaction gives valuable information on autoantibody affinity to the respective antigenic structure. The potentials of biosensors for the serological analysis of autoantibodies are evident from the increasing number of publications on the subject. Thus, this review focuses on underlying biosensor techniques and published clinical trials. The advantages of multiplexed analyses of autoantibodies by use of microarrays are also emphasized. This promising bioanalytical technique is also particularly important for the structural identification of novel antigens.