An electrochemical immunosensor for the determination of the multifunctional Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGF-β1) cytokine has been prepared using multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-modified screen-printed carbon electrodes. MWCNTs were functionalized by means of copper(I) catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (“click” chemistry) as an efficient strategy for the covalent immobilization of immunoreagents without altering their configurations and preserving their biological activity. Alkyne-functionalized IgGs were also prepared and used to assemble IgG-alkyne–azide–MWCNT conjugates used as scaffolds for the immunosensor preparation. After a blocking step with casein, anti-TGF was immobilized and the target cytokine was sandwiched with biotinylated anti-TGF labeled with poly-HRP-labeled streptavidin. The affinity reaction was monitored amperometrically at −0.20 V using the hydroquinone (HQ)/H₂O₂ system. The calibration plot for TGF-β1 exhibited a range of linearity (r² = 0.995) extending between 5 and 200 pg mL⁻¹ which is suitable for the determination of the target cytokine in human serum. A limit of detection of 1.3 pg mL⁻¹ was achieved. The analytical performance of the immunosensor can be advantageously compared with that claimed for ELISA kits. The immunosensor was applied to the analysis of spiked human serum samples at different concentration levels with excellent recoveries.

This paper reports a dual electrochemical biosensor involving carboxylated- or neutravidin-functionalized magnetic microbeads and dual screen-printed carbon electrodes for the simultaneous determination of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCPA) autoantibodies used as biomarkers for the detection of rheumatoid arthritis autoimmune disease. Sandwich-type biosensors involving Fc fragments of IgG Fc(IgG) and biotinylated cyclic cytrullinated peptide (CCP-biotin) to form CCP-biotin-Neutr-MBs for the specific immobilization of RF and CCPA, respectively, as well as conjugation with HRP-IgM and HRP-IgG for RF and CCPA, respectively, were prepared. Amperometric detection was performed at −0.20 V vs. Ag pseudo-reference electrode using the H₂O₂/hydroquinone (HQ) system upon capturing the bioconjugates onto the corresponding working electrode (WE1 or WE2) of SPCdEs. The dual biosensor exhibits high sensitivity for RF and CCPA with LOD values of 0.8 and 2.5 IU mL⁻¹, respectively. The simultaneous determination can be completed in about two hours using a simple protocol and a sample volume (25 μL) four times smaller than that required by the ELISA method. The dual electrochemical biosensor was used for the determination of both target biomarkers in human serum.