Methods and kits for detecting exosomal protein

A method of detecting whether or not one or more exosomal proteins are present in a biological fluid sample to indicate the presence, or absence, or pathological progression of glioma or malignant glioma, the method combining localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a first result by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR);
• and obtaining a second result by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and using the second result to confirm the first result;
• the first result is obtained by step
• a) introducing, from the biological fluid sample, exosomes including at least one exosomal protein to at least a part of a first sensor having a self-assembly gold nano-islands (SAM AuNIs) functionalized with a first antibody that is capable of binding with the at least one exosomal protein to form a first sensor with immobilized exosomal proteins;
• measuring the LSPR's induced strength of phase response of the first sensor with immobilized exosomal proteins to generate the first result;
• and
• the second result is obtained by step
• b) introducing the biological fluid sample or portion of the biological fluid sample to a second sensor having self-assembly gold nano-islands (SAM AuNIs) functionalized with a anti-CD63 antibody to capture the exosomes from the biological fluid sample to form a second sensor with immobilized exosomes for AFM analysis;
• measuring separation force response of the second sensor with immobilized exosomes via atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a probe functionalized with the first antibody to generate the second result, wherein the second result further includes a two-dimensional or three-dimensional topographic image generated on the basis of the separation force response that facilitates studying cellular biophysical properties of the biological fluid sample, thereby enabling confirmation of the first result;
• wherein the at least one exosomal protein is selected from the group consisting of MCT1 protein, CD147 protein, a fragment thereof, and a combination thereof;
• and the first antibody is selected from the group consisting of anti-MCT1 antibody, anti-CD147 antibody and a combination thereof.