Sensitive and quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies from vaccinated serum by MoS ₂-field effect transistor

Abstract

Recently, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread globally with major impact on public health. Novel methods that enable fast and efficient detection of the virus and the associated biomarkers, such as SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, may provide alterative opportunities for early diagnosis, disease status monitoring, and the development of vaccines. Here, we report the fabrication of a functionalized MoS ₂-field effect transistor (FET) for sensitive and quantitative detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain (S-RBD) in vaccinated serum specimens. The device was modified by SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD fusion protein on the surface and enabled rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. In addition, an on-chip calibration method was established for quantitative measurement. Furthermore, this method was applied to measure the levels of S-RBD antibodies in serum specimens from vaccinated donors. The devices showed no response to negative control samples from individuals who did not receive vaccination, suggesting the high specificity of this method. This study illustrated the successful fabrication of S-RBD functionalized MoS ₂-FET with potential clinical applications to facilitate vaccine development and efficacy evaluation.