The opportunity and challenges associated with the development of cell-based biosensor for detection of urine mycobacterium lipoarabinomannan

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant threat to public health, and one of the primary goals of the EndTB Strategy is the development of non-sputum-based diagnostics. Among the available innovative methods, biosensor technology for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) stands out due to its potential to offer pointof-care (POC) diagnostics, leading to a revolutionary shift in the medical field. In recent years, several biosensor have been developed for detection of MTB, including the lateral flow, optical-based, and plasmonic fiber-optical type. However, cell-based type has proven to be the most enduring due to its ability to directly detect biochemical effects using living cell and convert the effects into digital electrical signals with sensors or transducers. Compared to molecule-based methods, it has a broad spectrum of detection capabilities. Several studies have also shown that it offers distinct advantages for analyte sensing and detection, providing rapid and sensitive analysis for in situ monitoring with cell. One prominent example is the potential use of Lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a component of MTB, as a biomarker for diagnostic tests, particularly in urine samples. LAM is a promising candidate for the development of POC diagnostic test. To develop cell-based biosensor for urine LAM detection, several critical components must be carefully considered. These include selecting an appropriate host cell, choosing suitable reporter genes, constructing cell-based biosensor, and ensuring proper sample preparation methods. Biosensor has been reported to have several limitations in terms of stability, specialized sensor design, and the longevity of cell.