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Antibody-functionalized gold nanoclusters/gold nanoparticle platform for the fluorescence turn-on detection of cardiac troponin I

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Abstract

A selective fluorescence turn-on immunosensor for the specific detection of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), the potent biomarker for myocardial infarction diagnosis, was developed with a nano couple comprised of protein-stabilized gold nanocluster and gold nanoparticle. The red fluorescence of cTnI-specific antibody tagged bovine serum albumin stabilized gold nanoclusters was quenched with gold nanoparticles (AuNP) via the intensive interaction between amine and hydroxyl functionalities of BSA and AuNP. Through this, the adsorption of gold nanoclusters at the surface of AuNP, resulting in a core-satellite assembly, was assumed to quench the fluorescence emission. While in the presence of cTnI antigen, this gets disturbed due to the formation of immunocomplex between cTnI antigen and antibody, which restricts the close interaction between gold clusters and nanoparticles, thereby restoring quenched fluorescence. The enhancement in fluorescence signal is directly related to the concentration of cTnI, and this facilitates the selective detection of cTnI in the linear concentration range 0.7 to 10 ng/mL without any interference from other potentially interfering co-existing biomolecules. An appreciable limit of detection of 0.51 ng/mL and a limit of quantification of 0.917 ng/mL for cTnI is comparable to that of the previous report.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Head, Department of Chemistry, University of Kerala for the support, laboratory, and instrumental facilities offered. We also express our thanks to Director, Advanced Research Laboratory for Molecular Sensing and Imaging (State plan fund, 2020-21, Govt. of Kerala). We also thank the Director, Advanced Research Laboratory for Molecular Sensing and Imaging (State Plan Fund 2020- 21, Govt. of Kerala), Department of Chemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, The Head, Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala and The Director, STIC, CUSAT, Kochi, Kerala, for the sophisticated instrumental analysis provided.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Science, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695581, India

    S. Madanan Anju, K. Abraham Merin, Susan Varghese, Ali Ibrahim Shkhair, Greeshma Rajeevan, Geneva Indongo & Sony George

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Correspondence to Sony George.

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The work has been done in accordance with the recommendations of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Human Ethical Committee of the University of Kerala. The university-level ethical clearance number is ULECRIHS/UOK/2019/ 48.

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Anju, S.M., Merin, K.A., Varghese, S. et al. Antibody-functionalized gold nanoclusters/gold nanoparticle platform for the fluorescence turn-on detection of cardiac troponin I. Microchim Acta 191, 124 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-024-06194-7

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