Protein Stabilization via Thermal Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for stabilizing analytes in body samples during transportation and storage often rely on chemical preservatives that are toxic, or require refrigeration, which poses environmental and energy consumption concerns, and may not ensure analyte integrity due to temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the heating of solubilized body samples in a suitable medium, potentially with denaturing agents, to stabilize analytes without the need for chemical preservatives or refrigeration, allowing for accurate and quantitative determination of proteins through denaturing immunoassays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical preservatives are used to stabilize analytes, then analyte integrity is maintained, but toxicity to operators and environmental damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the stabilization parameter from chemical preservation to thermal treatment. By heating the sample at specific temperatures (e.g., 37°C for 10-30 minutes), the analyte integrity is maintained without requiring toxic chemical preservatives, thus eliminating the harmful effects while preserving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical preservation mechanism with a physical thermal process. Instead of using chemicals to stabilize analytes, the invention employs heat treatment to achieve the same stabilization effect, substituting a harmful chemical system with a safer physical process
2Reliability
If refrigeration is used to stabilize analytes, then analyte integrity is maintained, but energy consumption increases and transportation becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using heat instead of cold to stabilize analytes. Instead of requiring refrigeration to maintain analyte integrity, the invention demonstrates that controlled heating at physiological temperatures (37°C) achieves stabilization, thereby eliminating the need for energy-intensive cooling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from sub-zero refrigeration to physiological temperature heating. This parameter change transforms the stabilization mechanism from an energy-intensive cooling process to a simple thermal treatment that can be performed at ambient or body temperature, significantly reducing energy consumption
3Reliability
If refrigeration is used to stabilize analytes, then analyte integrity is maintained, but temperature fluctuations during transportation compromise stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary heat treatment to the sample before transportation and storage. By heating the sample at 37°C for 10-30 minutes prior to storage, the analyte structure is stabilized in advance, making it resistant to subsequent temperature fluctuations during transportation, thereby ensuring consistent stability without requiring controlled temperature conditions
4Ease of operation
If denaturing agents are added to solubilize proteins, then protein accessibility is improved, but protein structure is altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses heat treatment as a parameter change to achieve protein solubilization and denaturation without requiring strong chemical denaturing agents. By controlling temperature (e.g., 37°C for 10-30 minutes), the protein structure is partially unfolded and solubilized, improving accessibility for detection while maintaining a more gentle and controllable process than chemical denaturation
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
This method effectively stabilizes analytes, enabling reliable detection and analysis of proteins, even at ambient temperatures, without the use of toxic preservatives or energy-intensive cooling, thereby improving the integrity and accessibility of diagnostic samples.
Implementation Method 1
stabilizing said body sample contained within the sample medium by heating said sample medium for a certain period of time
Implementation Method 2
bringing a sample containing proteins into contact with a denaturing agent and heating said sample in the presence of the denaturing agent to allow the protein to be denatured
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for stabilization of analytes in solutions of solubilized body samples. The method comprises the steps of solubilizing the body samples obtained from a subject in a suitable sample medium and stabilizing said body sample contained within the sample medium by heating said sample medium for a certain period of time. A further aspect of the invention is a method of a denaturing immunoassay of proteins in solution. The method comprises the steps of bringing a sample containing proteins into contact with a denaturing agent and heating said sample in the presence of the denaturing agent to allow the protein to be denatured.