X-ray Nanocrystal Scintillator-Based Aptasensor for Autofluorescence-Free Detection

Anal Chem. 2019 Aug 6;91(15):10149-10155. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b02166. Epub 2019 Jul 25.

Abstract

Optical biosensors that enable highly sensitive detection of biomolecules are useful for applications in early disease diagnosis. However, the presence of UV-vis-induced background fluorescence in biological samples is still challenging. Thanks to the weak scattering and nearly no absorption of biological chromophores under X-ray excitation, we describe the development of an X-ray nanocrystal scintillator-based aptasensor that is able to achieve sensitive and homogeneous detection of target biomolecules. In this work, aptamer-labeled lanthanide-doped nanocrystal scintillators was designed to rapidly and sensitively detect lysozyme via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) in human serum samples. Benefiting from the use of low-dose X-ray as an excitation source and high-efficiency luminescence of heavy atoms-contained nanocrystals, the proposed X-ray nanocrystal scintillator-based aptasensor can readily detect lysozyme with a high sensitivity up to 0.94 nM, as well as an excellent specificity and sample recoveries. Thus, our technique suggests that the X-ray scintillating aptasensor can create a new generation of autofluorescence-free high-sensitivity strategy for biomarker sensing in biomedical applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / methods*
  • Fluorescence*
  • Humans
  • Muramidase / blood*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • X-Rays

Substances

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • Muramidase