High-Performance Paper-Based DNA-Conjugated Ti3C2Tx Bionanoelectrode for Rapid Point-of-Care Detection of HPV-16

Abstract

Cervical cancer remains a significant global health concern, with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), particularly the genotype 16, identified as a key etiological factor with a significantly high mortality rate. The conventional diagnostic methods suffer from limitations related to efficiency and affordability, thereby necessitating the development of novel miniaturized biosensing platforms. In this study, we present the creation of an electroanalytical genosensor utilizing Ti₃C₂T_x/DNA hybrid screen-printed paper electrode strips for the detection of cervical cancer, based on varying concentrations of HPV-16. The Mxene nanostructures were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The performance of the bionanoelectrode toward HPV-16 detection was examined using cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis. The sensitivity and limit of detection (LoD) were calculated to be $1.65~\mu $ A/fM/mm² and 2.4 fM, respectively, while demonstrating selectivity to HPV-16 DNA and generating a shelf life of ~1 month. The developed bionanoelectrode was further integrated with miniaturized electronics and 3-D printing technology, and the resulting device—Cervicare demonstrated appreciable performance (LoD = 0.02 pM). This indicates significant potential of the developed Cervicare device for implementation in point-of-care (PoC) scenario, toward providing affordable healthcare among the affected populace.