Abstract
Fentanyl and its analogs are highly potent
synthetic opioids. Fentanyl is used to treat patients with severe pain or to
manage pain after surgery. Unfortunately, it can produce drug dependence and
tolerance which can lead to significant issues. Current methods for
fentanyl/fentanyl analogs screening are prone to false negatives and positives,
and a need remains to develop new tools to rapidly and selectively detect these
small molecules.Aptamers are nucleic acid-based or peptides that
are isolated from randomized nucleic-acid or peptides libraries. Their low
cost, ease of modification, and long shelf life make them good candidates as
bioreceptors for biosensing, imaging, and therapeutic applications. Moreover,
aptamers have a cross-reactivity functionality that can be tuned to target a
specific core structure and increase specificity against non-family compounds.
Therefore, aptamers are an excellent alternative as bioreceptors for the
detection of small molecules that share the same core structure, such as fentanyl
and its analogs.FIU scientists have developed aptamers and aptamer-based sensors for the
detection of fentanyl and its analogs in body fluids and seized samples. The
aptamers bind to these small molecules with nanomolar affinity and high specificity
against illicit drugs, adulterants, and cutting agents commonly existing in
seized samples. The aptamers have been used in single-step fluorescence and
electrochemical sensors
Benefit
Rapid detection of target compounds (withing second)Compatible for both clinical and field settingsLow nanomolar-micromolar affinity for the target compounds Minimal response to non-target compounds
Market Application
Drug detection/screeningLaw enforcement Medical diagnosticsEnvironmental monitoringFood safety
Brochure
