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Aptamer-functionalized magnetic and fluorescent nanospheres for one-step sensitive detection of thrombin

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Abstract

A one-step sandwich method is described for detecting proteins with magnetic nanospheres (MNs) and fluorescent nanospheres (FNs). Thrombin is selected as a model analyte to validate the method. Two DNA aptamers (Apt 29 and Apt 15 targeting two different exosites of thrombin) are chosen as recognition elements to modify MNs and FNs. The superparamagnetic MN-Apt 29 conjugate is used to separate and concentrate thrombin. The FN-Apt 15 conjugate encapsulates hundreds of fluorescent quantum dots and is used as reporter to provide a stable signal. Magnetic capture and fluorescence identification are performed simultaneously to form a sandwich complex (MN-Apt 29-thrombin-FN-Apt 15) for fluorescence determination (at excitation/emission wavelengths of 380/622 nm). The method is convenient, time saving, and gives a strong signal (compared to the two-step method where capture and identification are performed in two steps). The one-step method presented here is completed within 30 min and has a 3.5 ng·mL−1 (97 pM) detection limit. The method is reproducible, has an intra-assay variability of 1.5%, and an inter-assay variability of 4.9%. Other serum proteins (HSA, CEA, PSA, and AFP) do not interfere. The method was also applied to analyze serum samples. Almost the same fluorescence intensity was measured when analyzing 1% serum samples (compared to buffer samples).

Magnetic nanospheres with excellent superparamagnetic property and fluorescent QD-based nanospheres were prepared and used in a one-step sensitive method for detecting thrombin. The method exhibits good reproducibility, high specificity, and good selectivity.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21505157), the Applied Basic Research Projects of Qingdao (No. 17-1-1-79-jch, 15-9-1-94-JCH), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 17CX02055), the Natural Scientific Foundation of Shandong (No. ZR2016BQ23), and the Open Project Foundation in Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis & Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment (No. PJS140011611).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Science, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, People’s Republic of China

    Cong-Ying Wen, Jia-Hui Bi & Jing-Bin Zeng

  2. Hubei Key Laboratory of Medical Information Analysis & Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Cong-Ying Wen

  3. Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, People’s Republic of China

    Ling-Ling Wu

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Wen, CY., Bi, JH., Wu, LL. et al. Aptamer-functionalized magnetic and fluorescent nanospheres for one-step sensitive detection of thrombin. Microchim Acta 185, 77 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-017-2621-5

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