Aptamer-Based LDL Particle Detection System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring LDL particle count (LDL-P) are limited by high costs and the need for bulky instrumentation, restricting widespread use in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk screening and management.
Innovation Solution
Development of aptamers with high binding affinity and selectivity for LDL particles over HDL particles, enabling point-of-care testing through immobilization on surfaces such as gold or silicon-containing chips, allowing for selective detection and quantification of LDL particles in biological samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ultracentrifugation or ion mobility methods are used to measure LDL-P, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical and physical instrumentation systems (NMR spectrometers, ultracentrifuges, ion mobility devices) with a simpler aptamer-based binding assay system. The measurement is achieved through aptamer-LDL particle binding followed by standard detection methods, eliminating the need for expensive and complex specialized instrumentation while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses aptamers as molecular copies or proxies that specifically bind to LDL particles. Instead of directly measuring LDL particles with complex instruments, the aptamers serve as simplified surrogate markers that can be detected through less complex means, effectively copying the detection function with simpler tools.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If NMR, ultracentrifugation or ion mobility instrumentation is used, then LDL-P detection capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to separate blood sample requirements and complex procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the LDL-P detection function with the standard lipid panel testing workflow. The aptamer-based assay can be performed on the same blood sample used for traditional lipid measurements, merging multiple testing functions into a single operational workflow and eliminating the need for separate specialized testing procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The aptamers are designed to automatically and specifically bind to LDL particles in the sample without requiring complex sample preparation, separation, or instrumentation. The binding occurs spontaneously under physiological conditions, making the assay self-service and easy to perform with minimal technical intervention.
3Ease of operation
If traditional lipid panel testing is used, then patient adherence is improved through single visit testing, but LDL-P measurement capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The aptamer-based assay is designed to be universally compatible with standard lipid panel testing workflows. It can detect LDL-P in the same blood sample used for total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglyceride measurements, providing multi-functional testing capability that maintains patient adherence benefits while adding LDL-P measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The aptamer-based system provides a cost-effective and efficient means for CVD risk screening, enabling comprehensive CVD risk assessment and reducing associated costs by facilitating point-of-care testing for LDL-P, thereby improving patient adherence and disease management.
Implementation Method 1
aptamers with high binding affinity and selectivity for LDL particles over HDL particles, enabling point-of-care testing through immobilization on surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are aptamers for binding lipoproteins, systems for binding lipoproteins, and methods of detecting lipoproteins in a sample. The aptamers are useful for detecting the levels of lipoproteins in a biological sample and selectively detecting LDL particles in the presence of HDL particles. The aptamers can also be used as therapeutic agents against various diseases.