Electrochemical Detection of Oxidative DNA Damage Biomarkers

Oxidative damage to DNA is implicated in ageing, cancer and various chronic diseases. Among oxidative lesions, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) serves as a robust biomarker of oxidative stress. Electrochemical detection harnesses the intrinsic redox activity of damaged bases to deliver rapid, sensitive and cost-effective assays. By applying a controlled potential to a working electrode, target molecules undergo oxidation or reduction, generating current signals proportional to concentration. Advances in electrode materials and surface functionalisation with nanostructures—such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and metal nanoparticles—have dramatically enhanced sensitivity, selectivity and response time. The portability of screen-printed formats and integration with miniaturised electronics now enable point-of-care testing in biofluids including urine and saliva. A growing body of work focuses on optimising transducer design, refining signal amplification strategies and validating real-world performance. Collectively, these developments are transforming the landscape of oxidative DNA damage assessment, with implications for early diagnosis, therapeutic monitoring and population-scale screening programmes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A paper-based three-electrode platform was engineered using carbon-ink on a paper substrate coupled to differential pulse voltammetry. Incorporation of nanostructured carbon and the conducting polymer PEDOT enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of 8-OHdG without chemical labels or lengthy incubations. The sensor achieved a wide linear range and low detection limit, demonstrating reproducible, stable and selective performance amenable to miniaturisation for in-situ analysis of biological samples.

A printed circuit board immunosensor was developed for 8-OHdG detection in urine, featuring zinc oxide nanorods and reduced graphene oxide composites as antibody-immobilisation scaffolds. Systematic control of electrode thickness, nanorod composition and antibody loading optimised charge transfer and reproducibility. The resulting device exhibited high sensitivity across sub-nanogram per millilitre concentrations and was validated in clinical urine samples, illustrating its potential for scalable, low-cost oxidative stress monitoring.

Electrochemical Detection of Oxidative DNA Damage Biomarkers publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrochemical detection of oxidative dna damage biomarkers across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electrochemical sensor: Device that converts chemical interactions into measurable electrical signals for quantitative analysis.

8-Hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG): Oxidative DNA lesion widely used as a marker of cellular oxidative stress.

Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV): Electroanalytical technique that applies a series of potential pulses to enhance sensitivity and resolution.

Screen-printed electrode: Disposable electrode fabricated via printing conductive inks onto substrates for portable assays.

Point-of-care testing (POCT): Diagnostic testing performed at or near the site of patient care, enabling rapid decision-making.

References

1. Paper-Based Sensing Device for Electrochemical Detection of Oxidative Stress Biomarker 8-Hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in Point-of-Care. Scientific Reports (2017).
2. Oxidative Stress Sensing System for 8-OHdG Detection Based on Plasma Coupled Electrochemistry by Transparent ITO/AuNTAs/PtNPs Electrode. Biosensors (2023).
3. Electrochemical sensing of guanine, adenine and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine at glassy carbon modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes covalently functionalized with lysine. RSC Advances (2016).
4. Detection of 8-Hydroxy-2′-Deoxyguanosine Biomarker with a Screen-Printed Electrode Modified with Graphene. Sensors (2019).