Method And System For Virus And Protein-Antibody Interactions Detection And Monitoring Based On Optical Light Intensity And Electrical Parameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022018839-A1
Application number	US-202117379496-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2021
Priority date	Jul 20, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A novel method of detecting and destroying viral transmissions such as SARS-CoV-2 transmission is described. The proposed technique uses a light source such as that from a smart phone and a mobile spectrophotometer to enable detection of proteins in solution. The technique allows for detecting soluble preparations of for example spike protein subunits from SARS-CoV-2, followed by detection of the actual binding potential of the spike protein with its host receptor, for example the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) or other antigens or elements. The results are validated by showing that this method can detect antigen-antibody binding using two independent protein-antibody pairs. Finally, this technique is combined with DC bias to show that introduction of a current in the system can be used to disrupt the antigen-antibody reaction, suggesting that this technique can be a powerful means of disrupting virus transmission by destroying virus-receptor interactions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of opto-electrical detection of the presence of possible bindings or interactions between analytes in a sample, comprising:
exposing a sample to light from a light source; detecting light passing through the sample; applying an electrical field over the sample; determining the values of a selection of light scattering parameters for the light passing through the sample in response to the electrical field; and/or determining the values of a selection of electrical parameters, such as electrical scattering parameters, in response to the electrical field; determining the presence of bindings or interactions between analytes in the sample based on the values of the determined light scattering parameters and/or the determined values of the electrical parameters, for example electrical scattering parameters.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the presence of bindings or interactions between analytes in the sample is determined based on a predetermined characteristic of the detected light scattering parameters, and/or electrical scattering parameters, for specific values of the electric parameters.

3 . (canceled)

4 . (canceled)

5 . (canceled)

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a selection of one or more light scattering parameters, for example intensities, and/or electrical scattering parameters are measured and possibly recorded over a time-period and/or mapped to a time domain.

7 . (canceled)

8 . (canceled)

9 . (canceled)

10 . (canceled)

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the sample is added to a holder or container aligned with the light source and the light detector such that measurement of light passing through the sample is enabled; and measured responses in the form of the determined values of said selection of optical or electrical parameters in response to the electrical field are collected to determine the presence of bindings or interactions between analytes in the sample.

12 . The method of 11 , wherein collecting measured responses comprises one or more of:
collecting directly measured light intensity; and/or collecting directly measured light intensity and establishing direct relationship with time; and/or processing direct measured data to extract parameters or a set of parameters and correlating said parameters with time to establish relationship with the presence of bindings or interactions between analytes in the sample.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a mathematical relation for the determined parameters represents the process of bindings or interactions between analytes in the sample.

15 . (canceled)

16 . (canceled)

17 . (canceled)

18 . (canceled)

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the presence and/or the process of one or more of said bindings or interactions is determined, detected and/or monitored based on measurements of an electrical parameter, for example an electrical scattering parameter, for example one or more of the voltage, the current, the capacitance and/or the impedance over time in relation to a said applied electric field.

20 . (canceled)

21 . (canceled)

22 . (canceled)

23 . The method of claim 1 , used for virus detection and comprising collecting and processing electrical and optical responses individually or simultaneously to extract a set of parameters for detection, quantification and identification of virus.

24 . (canceled)

25 . The method of claim 23 , further being adapted and used for detection of one or more of virus from the group SARS-CoV-2, SARS, MERS, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenoviruses, or any other respiratory virus.

26 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising applying an electrical pulse over or through a sample containing analytes from a test subject and selected antibodies, thereby enabling electro-insertion of said antibodies into any virus cell present in the sample.

27 . (canceled)

28 . The method of claim 23 , wherein a characteristic of the determined light scattering parameters, and/or electrical scattering parameters, for specific values of the electric parameters is determined to measure the viral nucleocapsid protein and anti-N antibody interactions in a sample to differentiate between SARS-CoV-2 negative and positive nasal swab samples.

29 . (canceled)

30 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a said sample is placed and distributed in one or more microfluidic channels; measurement of said light scattering parameters and/or said electrical parameters is conducted for the sample content in each of said microfluidic channels; and virus concentration and/or virus load is determined based on said measured parameters.

31 . (canceled)

32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein:
said sample is placed and distributed in a plurality of parallel microfluidic channels; the antibody content is serially diluted in said plurality of parallel channels, simultaneously measuring said parameters in said plurality of channels; and said virus concentration and/or virus load is determined based on said measured parameters.

33 . (canceled)

34 . A system of opto-electrical detection of the presence of possible bindings or interactions between analytes in a sample, comprising:
a light source configured to emit or transfer natural or manmade light and to expose a sample with said light; an electric field device configured to apply a biasing electric field over the sample; a light detector configured to detect light passing through a said light exposed sample; an electric parameter detector configured to detect electric parameters; a processing device having code portions configured to direct the processor to:
determine the values of a selection of one or more light scattering parameters of the detected light passing through a said light exposed sample;
determine the values of a selection of electrical parameters, for example electric scattering parameters, in response to the electrical field, and to
determine the presence of bindings or interactions between analytes in the sample based on the values of the determined light scattering parameters, and/or electric scattering parameters, and the determined values of the electrical parameters.

35 . The system of claim 30 , wherein the processing device comprises code portions configured to determine the presence of bindings or interactions between analytes in the sample based on a predetermined characteristic of the detected light scattering parameters, and/or detected electrical scattering parameters, for specific values of the electric parameters.

36 . (canceled)

37 . (canceled)

38 . (canceled)

39 . (canceled)

40 . (canceled)

41 . The system of claim 34 , further comprising: a transparent holder or container allowing light to pass through the material without appreciable scattering of light and being configured for holding a sample, for example on or more of a plate, box, tube or any type of transparent paper or other transparent material.

42 . (canceled)

43 . (canceled)

44 .

Assignees

• Univ United Arab Emirates

Inventors

• Al Ahmad Mahmoud F Y
• Rizvi Tahir A
• Mustafa Farah

Classifications

• G01N15/0656

  using electric, e.g. electrostatic methods or magnetic methods (by investigating individual particles G01N15/1031, G01N15/12) · CPC title

• G01N33/56983 Primary

  Viruses · CPC title

• G01N2333/96408

  with EC number · CPC title

• G01N21/31

  Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N2333/165

  Coronaviridae, e.g. avian infectious bronchitis virus · CPC title