Towards the detection of human papillomavirus infection by a reagentless electrochemical peptide biosensor

In the present work, we report first results about a technology using a conjugated copolymer poly(5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone-co-5-hydroxy-2-carboxyethyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) acting both as immobilizing and transducing element for reagentless immunosensor, and its application for the detection of HPV infection. It was shown that the reagentless immunosensor was able to detect the interaction between antigenic peptide L1 from HPV-16 major capsid protein, a dominant epitope involved in viral infection as well as in prophylactic vaccine, and the relevant antibody.

► Conjugated monomer bearing a short peptide sequence.
► Peptide coupled to a monomer that is electopolymerizable.
► The immobilized peptide specifically recognizes an antibody in solution.
► The electrochemical transduction mechanism is direct and reagentless.
► Human papillomavirus can be detected selectively.