Dye-Loaded Polymersome-Based Lateral Flow Assay: Rational Design of a COVID-19 Testing Platform by Repurposing SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Cocktail and Antigens Obtained from Positive Human Samples
Faezeh Ghorbanizamani, Kerem Tok, Hichem Moulahoum, Duygu Harmancı, Simge Balaban Hanoglu, Ceren Durmus, Figen Zihnioğlu, Serap Evran, Candan Çiçek, Rüçhan Sertöz, Bilgin Arda, Tuncay Göksel, Kutsal Turhan, Suna Tımur
Abstract
-PCL) diblock copolymers and loaded with a Coomassie Blue dye. The polymersomes were then functionalized with the purified antibodies and applied for the preparation of two types of LFA (antigen test and antibody test). Overall, the proposed diagnostic tests demonstrated 93 and 92.2% sensitivity for antigen and antibody tests, respectively. The repeatability (92-94%) and reproducibility (96-98%) of the tests highlight the potential of the proposed LFA. The LFA test was also analyzed for stability, and after 4 weeks, 91-97% correct diagnosis was observed. The current LFA platform is a valuable assay that has great economical and analytical potential for widespread applications.