University of Washington researchers have come across a way to increase sensitivity in laboratory testing by using *polydopamine, a material derived from shellfish. According to the study, the sensitivity increase can be 100 to 1,000 times higher, which normally would not be possible without expensive equipment or whole new procedures.
Fortunately, the new approach, called Enzyme-Accelerated Signal Enhancement also known as EASE, requires only two already common substances to boost results. The boost in results is important because it can aid in early detection, especially for difficult to detect disease like HIV and Zika. In these types of diseases, the biomarkers are often too low to be detected by standard tests and can lead to misdiagnosis initially.
Polydopamine is a compound derived from mussels with a protein binding capability known for decades, but the UW team found a way to produce it faster. When **horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and dopamine are combined a polymer chain reactions occur to form polydopamine. Once the compound is made, it coats test vessels like a Petri dish; then doctors can continue testing as normal.
Not only does the method boost lab results, but it can also provide additional information about certain diseases. For example, when the procedure was used on a Zika infected placenta, researchers were able to distinguish which cells had the virus which ones do not.
Although the reason polydopamine helps in tests is unclear, more research can work to understand. In the meantime, the UW team behind the paper, published in Natural Biomedical Engineering, hopes the method can help doctors with their assays and diagnostic procedures.
*polydopamine A polymer formed by the oxidation of dopamine. Source: Wikipedia
**horseradish peroxidase (HRP), The enzyme found in the roots of horseradish, is used extensively in biochemistry applications. It is a metalloenzyme with many isoforms, of which the most studied type is C. Source: Wikipedia
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