Stimuli-responsive polymer diagnostic assay comprising magnetic nanoparticles and capture conjugates
AssigneeUniversity of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
InventorsPatrick S. Stayton, Jriuan Lai, Barrett J. Nehilla, Selvi Srinivasan
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Abstract
The present disclosure utilizes the aggregation of stimuli-responsive polymers to isolate a diagnostic target (e.g., an antigen) from a solution using magnetophoresis. Isolating the diagnostic target provides a route to identify the presence of the diagnostic target in the solution.
Claims20
A method of concentrating a target in a liquid, comprising applying a magnetic field to an aggregate in the liquid to provide a collected aggregate by magnetophoresis, wherein the aggregate comprises:
- (a) a stimuli-responsive magnetic nanoparticle comprising a first stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a magnetic core;
- and
- (b) a stimuli-responsive capture conjugate comprising a second stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a capture moiety, wherein the capture moiety is capable of binding to a target;
- wherein the aggregate is formed through associative interaction between the first stimuli-responsive polymer and the second stimuli-responsive polymer.
A stimuli-responsive reagent, comprising:
- (a) a stimuli-responsive magnetic nanoparticle comprising a first stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a magnetic core;
- and
- (b) a stimuli-responsive capture conjugate comprising a second stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a first capture moiety, wherein the first capture moiety is capable of binding to a target.
A method of capturing a target in a liquid, comprising:
- (a) contacting a liquid to be tested for the presence of a target with a stimuli-responsive reagent for a pre-determined period of time sufficient to effect binding of the target, if present, to the stimuli-responsive capture conjugate, comprising:
- (i) a stimuli-responsive magnetic nanoparticle comprising a first stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a magnetic core;
- and
- (ii) a stimuli-responsive capture conjugate comprising a second stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a capture moiety, wherein the capture moiety is capable of binding to a target;
- (b) applying an effective stimulus to provide an aggregate in the liquid formed through associative interaction between the first stimuli-responsive polymer and the second stimuli-responsive polymer, wherein the aggregate comprises:
- (i) a stimuli-responsive magnetic nanoparticle comprising a first stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a magnetic core;
- and
- (ii) a stimuli-responsive capture conjugate comprising a second stimuli-responsive polymer attached to a capture moiety, wherein the capture moiety is bound to the target when the target is present in the liquid,
- (c) subjecting the aggregate to a magnetic field to magnetophorese the aggregate to a site within the liquid to provide a magnetophoresed aggregate in the liquid;
- and
- (d) analyzing the magnetophoresed aggregate to determine if the target is present.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.