Development and evaluation of a lyophilization protocol for colorimetric RT-LAMP diagnostic assay for COVID-19.

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101563288 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2045-2322 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 20452322 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Sci Rep Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: London : Nature Publishing Group, copyright 2011-

Freeze Drying* ; COVID-19*/diagnosis ; COVID-19*/virology ; SARS-CoV-2*/isolation & purification ; SARS-CoV-2*/genetics ; Colorimetry*/methods ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques*/methods ; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques*/methods ; RNA, Viral*/analysis ; RNA, Viral*/genetics; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic/standards ; COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing/methods

Molecular diagnostics involving nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are regarded as extremely functional tools. During the 2020 global health crisis, efforts intensified to optimize the production and delivery of molecular diagnostic kits for detecting SARS-CoV-2. During this period, RT-LAMP emerged as a significant focus. However, the thermolability of the reagents used in this technique necessitates special low-temperature infrastructure for transport, storage, and conservation. These requirements limit distribution capacity and necessitate cost-increasing adaptations. Consequently, this report details the development of a lyophilization protocol for reagents in a colorimetric RT-LAMP diagnostic kit to detect SARS-CoV-2, facilitating room-temperature transport and storage. We conducted tests to identify the ideal excipients that maintain the molecular integrity of the reagents and ensure their stability during room-temperature storage and transport. The optimal condition identified involved adding 5% PEG 8000 and 75 mM trehalose to the RT-LAMP reaction, which enabled stability at room temperature for up to 28 days and yielded an analytical and diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 83.33% and 90%, respectively, for detecting SARS-CoV-2. This study presents the results of a lyophilized colorimetric RT-LAMP COVID-19 detection assay with diagnostic sensitivity and specificity comparable to RT-qPCR, particularly in samples with high viral load.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)

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Keywords: COVID-19; Colorimetric kit; Lyophilization; RT-LAMP

0 (RNA, Viral)
0 (Reagent Kits, Diagnostic)

LAMP assay

Date Created: 20240508 Date Completed: 20240508 Latest Revision: 20240512

20240513

PMC11078981

10.1038/s41598-024-61163-7

38719936