Glycobiomarkers in Human Serum Using Electrochemical Strategies

Changes in glycosylation profiles have emerged as indicators of diseases. Altered glycans and
glycoproteins secreted by pathological tissues are found in human serum and are potential
glycobiomarkers for early diagnostic and prognostic of diseases such as inflammation, infection and
cancer. To obtain serum samples is a simple procedure and minimally invasive; thus the detection of
glycobiomarkers in serum is attractive for clinical applications. Electrochemical biosensors are a
friendly strategy for rapid, easy and highly sensitive measuring of glycans and glycoprotein
biomarkers. The use of lectins as biorecognition elements in glycobiosensors has provided a specific
detection and profiling of glycans linked to glycoproteins. Electrochemical glycobiosensors based on
lectin interactions employed to characterize glycan profiles in serum glycoproteins constitute a
promising tool in diagnostic and monitoring of diseases.