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Ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe based on CdTe/SiO2/folic acid/silver nanoparticles core-shell-satellite assembly for determination of 6-mercaptopurine

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Abstract

A sensitive and robust fluorescent assay of 6-MP is described which relies on the facile assembly of a fluorescence nanoprobe by design of silica nanosphere encapsulated CdTe quantum dots (CdTe QDs) as scaffold, coupling with chemically tethered folic acid (FA)–protected silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) that function as responsive element. In this way a stable ternary core-shell-satellite nanostructure with dual-emission signals can be established. On binding to the target molecules, 6-MP, FA molecules initially occupied by AgNPs are liberated to give dose-dependent fluorescence emission, which can further form a self-calibration ratiometric fluorescence assay using CdTe QDs as an internal reference. The nanoprobe color vividly changes from red to blue, enabling the direct visual detection. The linear concentration range is 0.15~50 μM with the detection limit of 67 nM. By virtue of the favorable selectivity and robust assays, the nanoprobe was applied to 6-MP detection in urine samples, with recoveries from 97.3 to 106% and relative standard deviations (RSD) less than 5%.

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Funding

The authors are thankful to the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (21665004, 82060647), Guangxi Natural Science Foundation (2018GXNSFAA138022), Guangxi Medical University Training Program for Distinguished Young Scholars, and Guangxi First-class Discipline Project for Pharmaceutical Sciences (No. GXFCDP-PS-2018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmaceutical Analysis Division, School of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China

    Zhao Wang, Shuting Li, Yingying Sun & Xinchun Li

  2. Inorganic Chemistry Division, School of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China

    Chunyan Zhou

  3. School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530031, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Pang

  4. Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics Division, School of Pharmacy, Guangxi Medical University, 22 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, 530021, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Liu

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  1. Zhao Wang
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Wang, Z., Li, S., Zhou, C. et al. Ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe based on CdTe/SiO2/folic acid/silver nanoparticles core-shell-satellite assembly for determination of 6-mercaptopurine. Microchim Acta 187, 665 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-020-04628-6

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