マイクロ流体チップテクノロジーを応用し、ウイルス感染症の多検体・多項目の遺伝子定 量検査を実現 ～リアルタイムPCRと同等の機能を実現することに成功～
A research team led by Professor Takayuki Shibata (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Actuation and Sensing Devices group, Institute for Research on Next-generation Semiconductor and Sensing Science) at Toyohashi University of Technology, together with Professor Masaru Ihira of Fujita Health University, has developed a microfluidic device capable of simultaneously performing genetic tests on two samples for five targets by applying microfluidic chip technology.
Using this device, the team demonstrated the simultaneous detection of two types of herpes simplex virus (HSV) using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method.
The device eliminates the need for external pumps, such as syringe pumps, for delivering samples and reagents. Its flow-channel design enables simple fluid delivery using an electric pipette, thereby simplifying the testing process and significantly reducing the risk of secondary infection among operators.
The team also proposed an original image-based color analysis method. By analyzing changes in color during the genetic amplification reaction—from purple (negative) to light blue (positive)—in terms of changes in the hue angle, the method enables the acquisition of genetic amplification curves and quantitative analysis of target genes in sample specimens. This successfully provided functionality equivalent to that of real-time PCR.
The research team is currently working toward the practical implementation of this technology, with the goal of creating a world in which anyone can easily perform rapid, simple, and low-cost multiplexed genetic testing of multiple samples and targets, anytime and anywhere.
Publication Information
Daigo Natsuhara, Akira Miyajima, Tomoya Bussho, Shunya Okamoto, Moeto Nagaia, Masaru Ihira, Takayuki Shibata,
“A microfluidic-based quantitative analysis system for the multiplexed genetic diagnosis of human viral infections using colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification,”
Analyst, 149, 12 (2024), 3335–3345.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4AN00215F
Figure. Photograph of the multiplexed genetic testing device (top: simultaneous detection of two types of herpes simplex virus; the color of the reaction chambers showing a positive reaction changes from purple to light blue) and genetic amplification curves obtained using the image-based color analysis technology (bottom: genetic amplification reactions for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2); the target genes in the samples can be quantified based on the time at which the amplification curves begin to rise).
