Multi-engineered Graphene Extended-Gate Field-Effect Transistor for Peroxynitrite Sensing in Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

The expression of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ), a pathological indicator of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), was reported to be inapparent in the early stage of AD. While peroxynitrite (ONOO – ) is produced excessively and emerges earlier than Aβ plaques in the progression of AD, it is thus significant to sensitively detect ONOO – for early diagnosis of AD and its pathological research. Herein, we unveiled an integrated sensor for monitoring ONOO –, which consisted of a commercially available field-effect transistor (FET) and a high-performance multi-engineered graphene extended-gate (EG) electrode. In the configuration of the presented EG electrode, laser-induced graphene (LIG) intercalated with MnO 2 nanoparticles (MnO 2 /LIG) can improve the electrical properties of LIG and the sensitivity of the sensor, and graphene oxide (GO)-MnO 2 /Hemin nanozyme with ONOO – isomerase activity can selectively trigger the isomerization of ONOO – to NO 3 – . With this synergistic effect, our EG-FET sensor can respond to the ONOO – with high sensitivity and selectivity. Moreover, taking advantage of our EG-FET sensor, we modularly assembled a portable sensing platform for wireless tracking ONOO – levels in the brain tissue of AD transgenic mice at earlier stages before massive Aβ plaques appeared, and we systematically explored the complex role of ONOO – in the occurrence and development of AD.