AuPt NPs with enhanced electrochemical oxidization activity for ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor

A voltammetric approach for the quantification of thymoquinone in Nigella Sativa products

Thymoquinone (TQ), a bioactive compound found in Nigella sativa seed oil, has been widely studied for its therapeutic potential. In this study, a new, sensitive, and cost-effective method was developed for TQ determination using square-wave voltammetry (SWV) with an environmentally friendly carbon paste electrode. Due to the morphology of the TQ oxidation signals, three calibration curve construction methods were tested, namely, based on: current height, peak area and cumulative voltammetry concept. The broadest linear range was established when calibration curve was constructed on the basis of TQ peak current height (LOD 8.9 nmol·L- 1, LOQ 29.8 nmol·L- 1). This method was validated through the analysis of real samples, including Nigella sativa seed oil and dietary supplement, with the results showing a strong correlation to those obtained by the HPLC reference method. The developed method represents a significant advancement in the electrochemical detection of TQ, offering practical benefits in terms of simplicity, precision, and cost-effectiveness.

NanoTrackThera Platform for Real-Time, In Situ Monitoring of Tumor Immunotherapy and Photothermal Synergistic Efficacy

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, posing a significant threat to human health. Although immunotherapy has shown promise in cancer treatment, its efficacy is often compromised by tumor immune evasion, which hinders treatment outcomes. Therefore, combining immunotherapy with other therapeutic approaches to enhance its effectiveness has become an increasingly accepted strategy in clinical practice. In response to this need, a nanotechnology-based platform, NanoTrackThera (NTT), which enables both combination therapy and real-time efficacy diagnosis, is developed. Using nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a model, the NTT platform integrates immunotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT) to enhance the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, employ immune checkpoint inhibitors, and leverage the heat generation from self-assembled nanoparticles under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation to directly kill cancer cells. Simultaneously, the nanoplatform incorporates dual detection capabilities through fluorescence imaging and photoacoustic imaging. With these multimodal imaging techniques, the platform can achieve real-time, in situ, tracking of tumor biomarker changes during treatment, providing precise feedback on the efficacy of the combined immunotherapy and photothermal therapy. The NTT platform significantly enhances therapeutic efficacy while enabling real-time monitoring of dynamic changes in key tumor biomarkers, providing a solution for personalized and adaptive precision therapy.

Solution-Gated Thin Film Transistor Biosensor-Based SnO2 Amorphous Film for Label-Free Detection of Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecules

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) was considered to be an important marker of multiple tumors, and its high expression is closely related to the early diagnosis and treatment of tumors. At present, metal oxide semiconductors have become a key component of biosensor and bioelectronics technology. Tin oxide shows great potential for development because of its nontoxic, nonpolluting, low price, and excellent electrical properties. In this study, a novel SnO2 solution-gated thin film transistor (SGTFT) biosensor for the specific detection of EpCAM was successfully developed using SnO2 film prepared by the sol-gel method as the channel material. By selecting the optimal thickness of 100 nm SnO2 film as the channel material, the transconductance value (gm) reached 1432 μS, and the threshold voltage (Vth) remained stable at 0.288 V. In order to achieve qualitative and quantitative detection of EpCAM, SnO2 films were subjected to a specific chemical treatment to fix the aptamer. Through a specific recognition between the aptamer and EpCAM, the gate voltage changes were triggered to regulate the channel current of the device. FE-SEM, EIS, XPS, and electrical performance tests were employed to track and measure the modification process. Based on the optimizations described above, the prepared SGTFT exhibited high detection sensitivity (14.6 mV·dec-1), the limit of detection (LOD) down to 24.4 pg/mL, and the calibration curves in the range of 0.02 ng/mL-500 ng/mL for EpCAM sensing. The developed SnO2-SGTFT biosensor is anticipated to provide a new highly sensitive and specific detection platform for health monitoring and disease diagnosis.

Electroactive RuPt NPs programmed dual-channel electrochemical sensor for methyl mercaptan monitoring

The accurate and sensitive detection of methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) was of great significance for food corruption monitoring. Electroactive labels engineered electrochemical sensors possessed tailorable electrochemical responses, and showed potential prospects for CH3SH monitoring. In comparison to a single electrochemical signal, electroactive nanocomposites with multiple electrochemical responses not only provided multi-channel sensing signals for accurate detection, but also increased the peak intensity for sensitive detection. Herein, RuPt NPs were designed and explored to possess two independent and non-interfering electrochemical oxidation peaks at 0.75 V and -0.73 V. The formation of metal-SH covalent bonds between electroactive sites of RuPt NPs and CH3SH induced the changes of two electrochemical oxidation peaks. By utilizing the sum intensity of two electrochemical peaks as detection signal, a dual-channel electrochemical sensor was established for CH3SH detection in the range of 1 μM-1 mM, and had a low limit of detection (LOD) of 300 nM. This work gave a new insight into promoting more electroactive nanocomposites with multiple signals for accurate and sensitive electrochemical detection applications.

Double hook-type aptamer-based colorimetric and electrochemical biosensor enables rapid and robust analysis of EpCAM expression

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), which is overexpressed in breast cancer cells and participates in cell signaling, migration, proliferation, and differentiation, has been utilized as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and therapeutic prognosis. Here, a dual-signal readout nonenzymatic aptasensor is fabricated for the evaluation of EpCAM at the level of three breast cancer cell lines. The central principle of this enzyme-free aptasensor is the use of double hook-type aptamers (SYL3C and SJ3C2)-functionalized magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) as capture probes and quasi-CoFe prussian blue analogs (QCoFe PBAs) as nonenzymatic signal probes for colorimetric and electrochemical analysis. Following ligand detachment, the CoFe PBA was transformed to QCoFe PBA (calcined at 350 °C for 1 h), with its metal active sites exposed by controllable pyrolysis. We found that the enhanced sensitivity was attributed to the resonance effect of QCoFe PBA with the remarkable enzymatic properties. The dual-signal readout nonenzymatic aptasensor exhibited limits of detection for EpCAM as low as 0.89 pg mL-1 and 0.24 pg mL-1, within a wide linear range from 0.001 to 100 ng mL-1, respectively. We successfully employed this nonenzymatic aptasensor for monitoring EpCAM expression in three breast cancer cell lines, which provides an economical and robust alternative to costly and empirical flow cytometry. The dual-signal readout nonenzymatic aptasensor provides rapid, robust, and promising technological support for the accurate management of tumors.

Novel ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor based on broad-spectrum aptamer recognition for simultaneous detection of penicillin antibiotics in milk

To effectively monitor multi-residues of penicillin antibiotics (PENs) in milk, we developed a novel ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor enabling simultaneous detection of PENs. The aptasensor employed a broad-spectrum aptamer as a recognition element, niobium carbide functionalized with methylene blue (Nb2C-MB) as a reference signal generator, and a ferrocene-labeled aptamer (Fc-Apt) as an output signal. Electrodes were modified with Fe-N-C doped carbon nanotubes (Fe-N-C-CNTs) to amplify detection signals further. During detection, Fc-Apt binding to PENs decreased Fc current intensity (IFc) and increased MB current intensity (IMB). The simultaneous detection of PENs was achieved using IMB/IFc as a quantitative signal. Under optimal conditions, a good linear relationship between IMB/IFc and antibiotic concentration was observed, indicating the aptasensor had a robustness. The limits of detection of aptasensor for four penicillin antibiotics and their mixed targets were 0.093-0.191 nM. This work provides a new approach to multi-residue detection of the same class of antibiotics.

Aptamer-modified paper-based analytical devices for the detection of food hazards: Emerging applications and future perspective

Food analysis plays a critical role in assessing human health risks and monitoring food quality and safety. Currently, there is a pressing need for a reliable, portable, and quick recognition element for point-of-care testing (POCT) to better serve the demands of on-site food analysis. Aptamer-modified paper-based analytical devices (Apt-PADs) have excellent characteristics of high portability, high sensitivity, high specificity, and on-site detection, which have been widely used and concerned in the field of food safety. The article reviews the basic components and working principles of Apt-PADs, and introduces their representative applications detecting food hazards. Finally, the advantages, challenges, and future directions of Apt-PADs-based sensing performance are discussed, to provide new directions and insights for researchers to select appropriate Apt-PADs according to specific applications.

Wavelength-Resolved Janus Biosensing Interface for Ratiometric Electrochemical Analysis

The Janus interface, comprising multiple functional heterointerfaces with contrasting functionalities within a single interface, has recently garnered widespread research interest. Herein, a Janus biosensing interface is obtained via wavelength-resolved laser illumination. Deoxyribonucleic acid bridges the electrochemical probe of methylene blue (MB) and plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), achieving a sensitive detection performance. MB shows differential electrochemical signals under front (I532front) and back (I650back) laser illumination at 532 and 650 nm, respectively, owing to the selective wavelength-resolved effect. Thus, the presence of a wavelength-resolved laser enabled the design of a biosensing interface with Janus properties. The change in the distance between MB and AuNPs induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) indicates that a sensitive response of the Janus biosensing interface can be achieved. A ratiometric strategy is introduced to describe the electrochemical signals of the I532front and I650back for improved robustness. The obtained linear range is 0.0005-50 ng mL-1, with a detection limit of 0.175 pg mL-1. Our study demonstrated that the wavelength-resolved Janus interface enables an electrochemical biosensor with excellent sensitivity. This finding provides an efficient approach for improving biosensor performance.

Nucleic acid aptasensor with magnetically induced self-assembly for the detection of EpCAM glycoprotein

A "turn-on" aptasensor for label-free and cell-free EpCAM detection was constructed by employing magnetic α-Fe2O3/Fe3O4@Au nanocomposites as a matrix for signal amplification and double-stranded complex (SH-DNA/Apt probes) immobilization through Au-S binding. α-Fe2O3/Fe3O4@Au could be efficiently assembled into uniform and stable self-assembly films via magnetic-induced self-assembly technique on a magnetic glassy carbon electrode (MGCE). The effectiveness of the platform for EpCAM detection was confirmed through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under optimized conditions, the platform exhibited excellent specificity for EpCAM, and a strong linear correlation was observed between the current and the logarithm of EpCAM protein concentration in the range 1 pg/mL-1000 pg/mL (R2 = 0.9964), with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.27 pg/mL. Furthermore, the developed platform demonstrated good stability during a 14-day storage test, with fluctuations remaining below 93.33% of the initial current value. Promising results were obtained when detecting EpCAM in spiked serum samples, suggesting its potential as a point-of-care (POC) testing.

Recent advances in electrochemical nanomaterial-based aptasensors for the detection of cancer biomarkers

New technologies have provided suitable tools for rapid diagnosis of cancer which can reduce treatment costs and even increase patients' survival rates. Recently, the development of electrochemical aptamer-based nanobiosensors has raised great hopes for early, sensitive, selective, and low-cost cancer diagnosis. Here, we reviewed the flagged recent research (2021-2023) developed as a series of biosensors equipped with nanomaterials and aptamer sequences (nanoaptasensors) to diagnose/prognosis of various types of cancers. Equipping these aptasensors with nanomaterials and using advanced biomolecular technologies have provided specified biosensing interfaces for more optimal and reliable detection of cancer biomarkers. The primary intention of this review was to present and categorize the latest innovations used in the design of these diagnostic tools, including the hottest surface modifications and assembly of sensing bioplatforms considering diagnostic mechanisms. The main classification is based on applying various nanomaterials and sub-classifications considered based on the type of analyte and other vital features. This review may help design subsequent electrochemical aptasensors. Likewise, the up-to-date status, remaining limitations, and possible paths for translating aptasensors to clinical cancer assay tools can be clarified.

Microporous PdCuB nanotag-based electrochemical aptasensor with Au@CuCl2 nanowires interface for ultrasensitive detection of PD-L1-positive exosomes in the serum of lung cancer patients

Programmed cell death ligand 1 protein-positive (PD-L1⁺) exosomes have been found to be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the development of highly sensitive detection technique for PD-L1⁺ exosomes is still a challenge in clinical applications. Herein, a sandwich electrochemical aptasensor based on ternary metal-metalloid palladium-copper-boron alloy microporous nanospheres (PdCuB MNs) and Au@CuCl₂ nanowires (NWs) was designed for the detection of PD-L1⁺ exosomes. The excellent peroxidase-like catalytic activity of PdCuB MNs and the high conductivity of Au@CuCl₂ NWs endow the fabricated aptasensor with intense electrochemical signal, thus enabling the detection of low abundance exosomes. The analytical results revealed that the aptasensor maintained favorable linearity over a wide concentration range of 6 orders of magnitude and reached a low detection limit of 36 particles/mL. The aptasensor is successfully applied to the analysis of complex serum samples and achieves the accurate identification of clinical NSCLC patients. Overall, the developed electrochemical aptasensor provides a powerful tool for early diagnosis of NSCLC.

Electroactive and SERS-Active Ag@Cu2O NP-Programed Aptasensor for Dual-Mode Detection of Tetrodotoxin

Dual-mode nanotags with noninterference sensing signals improved the detection accuracy and sensitivity for the applications of tetrodotoxin (TTX) monitoring. Electroactive and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active Ag@Cu2O nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated and displayed two electrooxidation signals at -0.13 and 0.17 V, attributed to the oxidization process of Cu+ and Ag0, respectively. Ag@Cu2O NPs were also found to exhibit stronger SERS performances than individual Ag NPs. The dielectric Cu2O shell with a large dielectric constant inhibited the attenuation of electromagnetic (EM) waves of Ag NPs, which strengthened the EM fields for SERS enhancement. The electron transfer from Ag to Cu2O to 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) also contributed to the SERS performances. Ag@Cu2O NPs were modified by TTX aptamers and assembled with MXene nanosheets (NSs) due to the large surface, good conductivity, and inherent Raman properties. The assemblies showed two-peaked electrooxidation signals and prominent SERS activity. An electrochemical detection curve was established by using the total peak intensity at -0.13 and 0.17 V as detection signals, and a ratiometric SERS detection curve was developed by applying the intensity at 1078 cm-1 (4-ATP) as the detection signal and 730 cm-1 (MXene NSs) as the reference signal. An electrochemical and SERS signal-programed dual-mode aptasensor was proposed for accurate TTX detection, with the limits of detection of 31.6 pg/mL for the electrochemical signal and 38.3 pg/mL for the SERS signal. The rational design of plasmonic metal-semiconductor heterogeneous nanocomposites had important prospects in establishing a multimodal biosensing platform for the quantitative and accurate detection of analytes in complex systems.

Tunable Preparation of SERS-Active Au-Ag Janus@Au NPs for Label-Free Staphylococcal Enterotoxin C Detection

Trace staphylococcal enterotoxin C (SEC) in food poses a serious risk to human health, and it is vital to develop a sensitive and accurate approach for SEC monitoring. Herein, a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) aptasensor was developed for the quantitative detection of SEC. SERS-active gold-silver Janus@gold nanoparticles (Au-Ag Janus@Au NPs) were prepared and showed tunable solid and hollow nanostructures by simply controlling the pH values of the reaction system. Solid Au-Ag Janus@Au NPs exhibited intrinsic and enhanced SERS activity due to the intense plasmonic coupling effect between Au dots and Au-Ag Janus NPs, which was 2.27-fold and 17.46-fold higher than that of Au-Ag Janus NPs and hollow Au-Ag Janus@Au NPs, respectively. The attachment of multiple Au dots also protected Ag islands from oxidization, which increased the stability of Au-Ag Janus@Au NPs. Solid Au-Ag Janus@Au NPs served as a label-free, strong, and stable SERS detection probe and achieved sensitive and reliable detection of SEC. The limit of detection was as low as 0.55 pg/mL. This study will expand the application prospects of label-free SERS detection probes in complex systems for food safety monitoring.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for detection of fentanyl and its analogs by using Ag-Au nanoparticles

The problem of opioid abuse has become a global problem. Thus, creating an urgent need for highly sensitive detection of opioid substances. In this work, we developed a method for the controllable preparation of Ag@Au nanocrystals (Ag@Au NCs) for highly sensitive SERS detection of fentanyl and its analogs. By regulating the concentration of ligands on the surface of silver seed, we successfully prepared Ag@Au NCs with three different morphologies, including core-satellite, yolk shell and hollow structure. Firstly, we explored the SERS-enhancing effect of Ag@Au NCs with different morphology using rhodamine 6G as the molecule to be tested. The results show that the core-satellite Ag@Au NCs has the best SERS effect, and the lowest detection concentration for R6G reached to 10^-10 M. Furthermore, we used the prepared core-satellite Ag@Au NCs to detect fentanyl and its five analogs, including carfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, thiofentanyl, 4-fluorobutyrfentanyl and N-4-piperidylacetanilide. Trace detection was achieved for the above six substances. For the environmental water samples spiked with fentanyl, the calculated recovery was 89.2% with an RSD value of 7.3%. Moreover, in order to realize the qualitative analysis of the characteristic peaks of different fentanyl analogs, we performed DFT calculations on the Raman spectra of the above-mentioned 6 substances. By analyzing the DFT calculation results, conventional Raman spectroscopy and SERS spectroscopy, we realized the distinction of six fentanyl analogs with similar structures.

Fluorescence sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymers and core-shell upconversion nanoparticles@metal-organic frameworks for detection of bovine serum albumin

A novel strategy for sensing protein was proposed through combining the high selectivity of molecular imprinting technology with the excellent upconversion fluorescence of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and high specific surface area of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Herein, the UCNPs acted as signal reporter and MOFs were introduced to increase the rate of mass transfer. The UCNPs@MIL-100 as support material was prepared via a step-by-step method. The imprinted material-coated UCNPs@MIL-100 (UCNPs@MIL-100@MIPs) were obtained by sol-gel technique. The results showed that as the increase of the template protein concentration, the fluorescence intensity of UCNPs@MIL-100@MIPs quenched gradually, and the imprinting factor was 2.90. The linear in the range of 1.00 to 8.00 μM, and the detection limit was 0.59 μM. Therefore, the novel optosensing material is very promising for future applications.

Aptasensor for Detection of Influenza-A in Human Saliva

Access to low-cost, rapid, individualized diagnostics at point-of-care and point-of-need is vital to minimize the impact of highly infectious viruses, such as influenza. Herein, a biosensor for detecting hemagglutinin (HA), an abundant capsid protein in H1N1 viruses, is demonstrated. A gold working electrode was functionalized with a thiol-modified, HA-binding aptamer derivatized with a methylene blue modification for redox reporting. The aptamer was characterized by surface plasmon resonance to confirm its biorecognition activity for HA. The aptasensor was characterized by square wave voltammetry to quantify the sensor's response to varying concentrations of HA. The sensor exhibited a lower limit of detection of 1.5 pM with linear detection of up to 1.2 nM in both Tris buffer and simulated human saliva, thus encompassing the clinically relevant HA range in saliva. Average sensitivity was measured at 21.083 nA·nM-¹in Tris and 14.5 nA·nM-¹in artificial saliva across clinically relevant HA titers. Sensor stability across time was also investigated, providing a preliminary understanding of the translational viability of the aptasensors for mobile and remote diagnostic applications.

Plasmon-enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution based on tannic acid–platinum film functionalized gold nanoparticles

A tannic acid–platinum self-assembled complex modified on gold nanocomposites exhibited plasmon-enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction performance.