Vertical flow assays based on core-shell SERS nanotags for multiplex prostate cancer biomarker detection

Analyst. 2019 Jul 7;144(13):4051-4059. doi: 10.1039/c9an00733d. Epub 2019 Jun 3.

Abstract

Rapid, simultaneous, and sensitive quantification of multiplex prostate biomarkers plays an important role in early diagnosis, especially for obese men and patients. Herein, a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based vertical flow assay (VFA) is presented for simultaneous detection of multiplex prostate cancer biomarkers, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) on a single test spot. In practice, Raman dyes (RDs) encoded core-shell SERS nanotags instead of conventional gold colloids used in the colorimetric assay are employed in the sensing membrane of SERS based VFAs for multiplex protein detection. Because of the enhanced Raman signal of the core-shell nanostructure and the high surface area to volume ratio (SVR) of the porous sensing membrane, this proposed biosensor shows a wide linear dynamic range (LDR) with detection limits of 0.37, 0.43, and 0.26 pg mL-1 for PSA, CEA, and AFP, respectively, suggesting that this approach can be a good candidate in point of care testing (POCT) for rapid and sensitive biomarker detection and has a huge potential in multiplex analysis and cancer diagnosis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / immunology
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / immunology
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / blood*
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / immunology
  • Collodion / chemistry
  • Coloring Agents / chemistry
  • Goats
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Immunoassay / methods
  • Kallikreins / blood*
  • Kallikreins / immunology
  • Limit of Detection
  • Male
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Oxazines / chemistry
  • Porosity
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / blood*
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / immunology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / blood
  • Silver / chemistry
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / chemistry
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / analysis*
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / immunology

Substances

  • AFP protein, human
  • Antibodies
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Coloring Agents
  • Oxazines
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • alpha-Fetoproteins
  • 4-nitrothiophenolate
  • Nile Blue
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Collodion
  • KLK3 protein, human
  • Kallikreins
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen