Detection of the Colorectal Cancer TP53 p.R248W Mutation on a Lab-on-Chip ISFET Platform

This paper describes a method of detection for the TP53 mutation that leads to the p.R248W substitution, commonly found in colorectal cancer cases. This is achieved through the design and implementation of a pH-sensitive and mutation specific Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (pH-LAMP) method and the experimental validation using a Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platform, with an integrated array of Ion-Sensitive Field Effect Transistors (ISFETs) that can detect pH changes. Synthetic TP53 DNA was detected in pH-LAMP reactions, on both a qPCR platform and the LoC, using primers that are specific to each allele (wild-type or mutant). Assays successfully detected the target mutation within 20minutes, demonstrating the potential of the method for multi-target testing. This technology, when coupled with a sample preparation method, could allow for a Point-of-Care genetic testing platform for colorectal cancer to be realised, aiding patient stratification and treatment decisions.