FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, and its early detection can be critical for a prompt intervention that can potentially slow down the disease progression and improve the patient’s quality of life. However, a diagnosis based solely on clinical symptoms can be chal...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Antonella Battisti, Maria Grazia Ortore, Silvia Vilasi, Antonella Sgarbossa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Micromachines
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/2/234
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850231001218809856
author Antonella Battisti
Maria Grazia Ortore
Silvia Vilasi
Antonella Sgarbossa
author_facet Antonella Battisti
Maria Grazia Ortore
Silvia Vilasi
Antonella Sgarbossa
author_sort Antonella Battisti
collection DOAJ
description Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, and its early detection can be critical for a prompt intervention that can potentially slow down the disease progression and improve the patient’s quality of life. However, a diagnosis based solely on clinical symptoms can be challenging, especially in the early stages, while the detection of specific biomarkers such as amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and tau proteins can provide objective evidence for diagnosis. In this work, we explored the effects of Aβ peptide on cell membrane properties thanks to fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) combined with the phasor analysis (FLIM-ϕ). The results showed that the membrane viscosity is altered by the presence of Aβ peptide and that cells experience this effect even at nanomolar concentrations of peptide. This considerable sensitivity opens up the possibility of envisioning a cell-based biosensor able to detect very low concentrations of Aβ in a biological fluid, thus enabling timely diagnosis and intervention.
format Article
id doaj-art-0522bcd9e99d4ac3af3756e0d8df6911
institution OA Journals
issn 2072-666X
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Micromachines
spelling doaj-art-0522bcd9e99d4ac3af3756e0d8df69112025-08-20T02:03:40ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2025-02-0116223410.3390/mi16020234FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease DiagnosisAntonella Battisti0Maria Grazia Ortore1Silvia Vilasi2Antonella Sgarbossa3NEST, Nanoscience Institute-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, p.zza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, ItalyDipartimento di Scienze Della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, I-60131 Ancona, ItalyBiophysics Institute-CNR, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, I-90146 Palermo, ItalyNEST, Nanoscience Institute-CNR and Scuola Normale Superiore, p.zza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, ItalyAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, and its early detection can be critical for a prompt intervention that can potentially slow down the disease progression and improve the patient’s quality of life. However, a diagnosis based solely on clinical symptoms can be challenging, especially in the early stages, while the detection of specific biomarkers such as amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and tau proteins can provide objective evidence for diagnosis. In this work, we explored the effects of Aβ peptide on cell membrane properties thanks to fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) combined with the phasor analysis (FLIM-ϕ). The results showed that the membrane viscosity is altered by the presence of Aβ peptide and that cells experience this effect even at nanomolar concentrations of peptide. This considerable sensitivity opens up the possibility of envisioning a cell-based biosensor able to detect very low concentrations of Aβ in a biological fluid, thus enabling timely diagnosis and intervention.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/2/234Alzheimer’s diseasecell-based biosensoramyloid peptide biosensorFLIM-phasor analysisAβ detection
spellingShingle Antonella Battisti
Maria Grazia Ortore
Silvia Vilasi
Antonella Sgarbossa
FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
Micromachines
Alzheimer’s disease
cell-based biosensor
amyloid peptide biosensor
FLIM-phasor analysis
Aβ detection
title FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
title_full FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
title_fullStr FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
title_full_unstemmed FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
title_short FLIM-Phasor Analysis (FLIM-ϕ) of Aβ-Induced Membrane Order Alterations: Towards a Cell-Based Biosensor for Early Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis
title_sort flim phasor analysis flim ϕ of aβ induced membrane order alterations towards a cell based biosensor for early alzheimer s disease diagnosis
topic Alzheimer’s disease
cell-based biosensor
amyloid peptide biosensor
FLIM-phasor analysis
Aβ detection
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/16/2/234
work_keys_str_mv AT antonellabattisti flimphasoranalysisflimphofabinducedmembraneorderalterationstowardsacellbasedbiosensorforearlyalzheimersdiseasediagnosis
AT mariagraziaortore flimphasoranalysisflimphofabinducedmembraneorderalterationstowardsacellbasedbiosensorforearlyalzheimersdiseasediagnosis
AT silviavilasi flimphasoranalysisflimphofabinducedmembraneorderalterationstowardsacellbasedbiosensorforearlyalzheimersdiseasediagnosis
AT antonellasgarbossa flimphasoranalysisflimphofabinducedmembraneorderalterationstowardsacellbasedbiosensorforearlyalzheimersdiseasediagnosis