Exosomal membrane proteins analysis using a silicon nanowire field effect transistor biosensor

Exosomes are of great significance in clinical diagnosis, due to their high homology with parental generation, which can reflect the pathophysiological status. However, the quantitative and classification detection of exosomes is still faced with the challenges of low sensitivity and complex operation. In this study, we develop an electrical and label-free method to directly detect exosomes with high sensitivity based on a Silicon nanowire field effect transistor biosensor (Si-NW Bio-FET). First, the impact of Debye length on Si-NW Bio-FET detection was investigated through simulation. The simulation results demonstrated that as the Debye length increased, the electrical response to Si-NW produced by charged particle at a certain distance from the surface of Si-NW was greater. A Si-NW Bio-FET modified with specific antibody CD81 on the nanowire was fabricated then used for detection of cell line-derived exosomes, which achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1078 particles/mL in 0.01 × PBS. Furthermore, the Si-NW Bio-FETs modified with specific antibody CD9, CD81 and CD63 respectively, were employed to distinguish exosomes derived from human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell line in three different states (control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammation group, and LPS + Romidepsin (FK228) drug treatment group), which was consistent with nano-flow cytometry. This study provides a highly sensitive method of directly quantifying exosomes without labeling, indicating its potential as a tool for disease surveillance and medication instruction.