Materials and methods for measuring nitric oxide levels in biological fluids

1. A device for determining a presence of and/or a concentration of nitric oxide in a biological sample, comprising:

an enclosed buffer storage chamber containing an elution buffer with an indicator molecule;

an elution and reaction chamber operably connected to the enclosed buffer storage chamber;

a hollow swab-suspension shaft attached to a sample collection swab for collecting a sample;

a valve disposed within the buffer storage chamber and operably connected to the hollow swab-suspension shaft, whereby activation of the valve causes the elution buffer in the buffer storage chamber to flow through the hollow swab-suspension shaft to elute the sample from the collection swab and contact the sample with the indicator molecule;

a stop and read chamber containing at least one agent that stops the reaction initiated by the indicator molecule and/or adjusts pH; and

a penetrable divider separating the elution and reaction chamber from the stop and read chamber, wherein the swab-suspension shaft can penetrate the divider when the buffer storage chamber is advanced towards the penetrable divider,

such that, after the divider is penetrated, the eluted sample in the elution buffer advances to the stop and read chamber where it remains for determining the presence and/or concentration of nitric oxide.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said indicator molecule possesses at least one pair of proximal amines or a hydrazine group, wherein said molecule in the presence of nitrite (NO 2 − ) under oxidizing and acidic conditions undergoes a reaction resulting in said molecule undergoing a detectable change in fluorescence or visible absorbance hue/color.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said indicator molecule is selected from diaminofluorescein-based molecules, 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) and NBD hydrazine.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein said diaminofluorescein-based molecule is DAF-2, DAF-5, or DAF-FM.

5. The device according to claim 2 , wherein said indicator molecule is selected from rhodamine B, rhodamine 6G, rhodamine 110, rhodamine 123, tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA), tetramethyl rhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC), sulforhodamine 101, sulforhodamine 101 acid chloride (Texas Red), Rhodamine Red, Alexa 546, Alexa 555, Alexa 633, DyLight 549, and DyLight 633.

6. The device, according to claim 4 , wherein the buffer storage container comprises a cap that operably connects to the elution and reaction chamber.

7. The device, according to claim 6 , wherein determining the presence and/or concentration of nitric oxide comprises inserting the device into a fluorometer or spectrometer to detect the presence and/or concentration of the indicator molecule.

8. A method of determining a presence and/or an amount of nitric oxide in a biological sample, comprising:

utilizing a device, according to claim 1 ,

providing, with the elution buffer in the buffer storage chamber of the device, an indicator molecule that possesses at least one pair of proximal amines or a hydrazine group, wherein said molecule in the presence of nitrite (NO 2 − ) under oxidizing and acidic conditions undergoes a reaction resulting in a detectable change in fluorescence or visible absorbance hue/color;

inserting the biological sample on the sample collection swab of the device into the elution and reaction chamber;

releasing the buffer and the said molecule into the hollow swab-suspension shaft so that the biological sample is eluted from the sample collection swab and the molecule contacts the sample under oxidizing and acid conditions for a sufficient time in the elution and reaction chamber for the reaction to occur;

advancing the hollow swab-suspension shaft towards the penetrable divider, so as to penetrate the penetrable divider;

stopping the reaction by allowing the reacted biological sample to move into the stop and read chamber through the penetrated penetrable divider;

measuring, based on the fluorescence and/or visible color, the concentration of nitrite in said reacted biological sample; and

correlating the nitrite measurement with a presence and/or amount of nitric oxide.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said indicator molecule is selected from diaminofluorescein-based molecules, 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) and NBD hydrazine.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said diaminofluorescein-based molecule is DAF-2, DAF-5, or DAF-FM.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said indicator molecule is selected from rhodamine dyes and rhodamine derivatives.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said indicator molecule is selected from rhodamine B, rhodamine 6G, rhodamine 110, rhodamine 123, tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA), tetramethyl rhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC), sulforhodamine 101, sulforhodamine 101 acid chloride (Texas Red), Rhodamine Red, Alexa 546, Alexa 555, Alexa 633, DyLight 549, and DyLight 633.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein there is more than one indicator molecule.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein results are obtained in less than 10 minutes.

15. The method according to claim 8 , which further comprises adopting a treatment plan based, at least in part, on how much nitric oxide is indicated to be present.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein a L-arginine supplementation is administered if promoting wound healing is needed.

17. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said sample is taken from a wound.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein said wound is a chronic wound.

19. The method, according to claim 8 , wherein nitrate in the sample is converted to nitrite prior to contacting the sample with the indicator molecule.

20. The method, according to claim 8 , wherein measuring the concentration of nitric oxide comprises inserting the device into a fluorometer or spectrometer to detect the presence and/or concentration of the indicator molecule.