Next-gen tech for at-home use can quickly detect endometriosis biomarker in period blood

Nearly 200 million people, including children worldwide, have endometriosis, chronic disease in which the uterus mucosa grows outside the uterus. More serious symptoms, such as extreme pain and potentially infertility, can often be attenuated with early identification and treatment, but no single service point diagnostic test exists despite access to the tissue directly involved.

While Professor of Penn State, Dipanjan Pan, said that the blood and tissues paid to the uterus each month are often overlooked – and even stigmatized by some – as medical waste, menstrual effluents could allow more accessible detection of organic markers earlier to help diagnose this disease.

Pan and its group have developed a concept proof device capable of detecting HMGB1, a protein involved in the development and progression of endometriosis, in menstrual blood with 500% more sensitivity than existing laboratory approaches. The device, which resembles and works a bit like a pregnancy test in the way it detects the protein, depends on a new technique to synthesize nanofeuilles in boroplane of 2D atomically slim equipment, the professor of president of Dorothy Foehr Huck & J. Lloyd Huck in Nanomedicine and the corresponding author of the study of the team.

The study is published and presented on the cover of ACS Central Science.

“Despite the important potential of the menstrual effluent as a diagnostic tool for women’s health, it is often faced with substantial challenges due to social stigma and limited access to affordable diagnostic methods,” said Pan, professor of nuclear engineering and material science and engineering. It is also affiliated with the department of biomedical engineering and radiation.

Existing diagnostic approaches involve intravenous blood tests and laboratory analyzes associated with imaging studies and a large collection of patient history for clinicians in order to make a final diagnosis. Such challenges contribute to delays in the diagnosis of endometriosis, with a study of 218 women revealing a delay of up to 12 years in the United States, he explained.

“By taking advantage of the new 2D material borophene, our approach offers a unique opportunity to reduce menstrual stigmatization while progressing women’s health,” said Pan.

The borophene is a derivative of the boron of chemical element similar to the more commonly studied graphene, a light carbon 2D material, said Pan. The Boropiene, however, has an advantage over the graphene.

“The work of my group demonstrates that the borophene is very biocompatible and a biodegradable material, which makes it very suitable for biomedical applications,” said Pan, but it noted that the manufacture of the pure form of the material can set challenges. Traditional methods involve several stages, which can degrade the quality and performance of the resulting resulting product, and hard solvents, such as isopropyl alcohol, which can make the product unsuitable for biomedical applications.

In this study, researchers exchanged the alcohol solvent for water. They dispersed boron powder in water, decomposing the chemical product and the “virgin” nanofeuilles, according to Pan. The team then fixed antibodies which would recognize the HMGB1 protein at Nanofeuilles.

“Remember to plant a garden,” said Pan. “The ground – Nanofeuilles – must be uniform and clear of weeds before being able to fertilize the soil – by adding the antibodies. Then, you have the best environment to support the desired vegetables – HMGB1 proteins. It was our goal here, to create a uniform base on which antibodies could recognize and capture HMGB1 proteins.”

Pan and his team used several imaging and chemical analysis techniques to validate that antibodies have correctly captured and linked to HMGB1, the protein involved in endometriosis.

The researchers organized the nanofeuilles validated in a test device, similar to a pregnancy test that displays a negative or two line if it is positive. As the blood sample flows on the test strip, if HMGB1 proteins are present, they bind to antibodies, which darkens the test strip.

To test the sensitivity of the device, the researchers caused menstrual blood with various concentrations of HMGB1 and found that the test has successfully detected the protein with low concentrations with five times more sensitivity compared to existing laboratory tests which require in -depth preparation and analysis.

“Clinical evidence indicates that the levels of HMGB1 in menstrual blood are significantly high in people with endometriosis compared to healthy witnesses,” said Pan. “However, cases at an early or asymptomatic stage may only present modest increases – which is why a high sensitivity to the low concentrations of HMGB1 is essential. Early detection is essential for a timely intervention. Unlike other laboratory tests, our approach balances sensitivity with practicality for environments without centralized medical access and laboratory installations, taking into account screening of endometriosis. “. “”

Pan said that the test could even be integrated into menstrual pads, allowing discreet and practical monitoring of HMGB1 levels at home.

“The ability to detect biomarkers of critical importance via a decentralized platform, such as our approach, allows patients by facilitating generalized use in more rural areas or environments without expansive medical resources,” said Pan. “This study highlights the wider research possibilities essential to carry out new generation biotechnologies, with 2D materials at the base, and I am enthusiastic about the potential of this very promising nanomaterial class for advanced health care applications.”

Then, the researchers said they were planning to extend their approach to clinical studies, further improve the sensitivity of the device and extend the test to detect additional biomarkers of diseases such as HPV and cervical cancer.