Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen based on Au/g-C3N4 NSs-modified electrode and CuCo/CNC as signal tag

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Microchimica Acta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Carcinoembryonic antigen levels in the human body reflect the conditions associated with a variety of tumors and can be used for the identification, development, monitoring, and prognosis of lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. In this study, an amperometric immunosensor with CuCo/carbon nanocubes (CuCo/CNC) as the signal label is constructed. The bimetal-doped carbon skeleton structure has a high specific surface area and exhibits good electrocatalytic activity. In addition, Au/g-C3N4 nanosheets (Au/g-C3N4 NSs) are used to modify the substrate platform, facilitating the loading of more capture antibodies. The reaction mechanism was explored through electrochemical methods, X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and other methods. Kinetic studies have shown that CuCo/CNC have good peroxidase-like activity. In addition, the electrocatalytic reduction ability of CuCo/CNC on hydrogen peroxide can be monitored using amperometric i–t curve (− 0.2 V, vs. SCE), and the response current value is positively correlated with the CEA antigen concentration. The prepared electrochemical immunosensor has good selectivity, precision, and stability. The dynamic range of the sensor was 0.0001–80 ng/mL, and the detection limit was 0.031 pg/mL. In addition, the recovery and relative standard deviation in real serum samples were 97.7–103 % and 3.25–4.13 %, respectively. The results show that the sensor has good analytical capabilities and can provide a new method for the clinical monitoring of CEA.

Graphic abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tang D, Yuan R, Chai Y (2008) Ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor for clinical immunoassay using thionine-doped magnetic gold nanospheres as labels and horseradish peroxidase as enhancer. Anal Chem 80:1582

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Aggarwal C, Meropol NJ, Punt CJ, Iannotti N, Saidman BH, Sabbath KD et al (2013) Relationship among circulating tumor cells, CEA and overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Ann Oncol 24:420

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Oak CH, Wilson D, Lee HJ et al (2012) Potential molecular approaches for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. Mol Med Rep 6(5):931–936

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ebeling FG, Stieber P, Untch M, Nagel D, Konecny GE, Schmitt UM et al (2002) Serum CEA and CA 15–3 as prognostic factors in primary breast cancer. Br J Cancer 86:1217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Xiang JF, Wang WQ, Liu L, Xu HX, Wu CT, Yang JX et al (2016) Retraction: Mutant p53 determines pancreatic cancer poor prognosis to pancreatectomy through upregulation of cavin-1 in patients with preoperative serum CA19-9 ≥ 1,000 U/mL. Sci Rep 6:25115

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wang J-X, Zhuo Y, Zhou Y, Wang H-J, Yuan R, Chai Y-Q (2016) Ceria doped zinc oxide nanoflowers enhanced luminol-based electrochemiluminescence immunosensor for amyloid-β detection. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 8:12968

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hu Y, Zhang Q, Hu D, Wang J, Rao J, Xu L et al (2019) Ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence immunosensor for the transcriptional co-activator p300 by using a graphene oxide monolayer and tetrahedral DNA-mediated signal amplification. Microchim Acta 186:325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Zhou D, Zeng K, Yang M (2019) Gold nanoparticle-loaded hollow Prussian Blue nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity for colorimetric determination of L-lactic acid. Mikrochim Acta 186:121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sun Y, Fan J, Cui L, Ke W, Zheng F, Zhao Y (2019) Fluorometric nanoprobes for simultaneous aptamer-based detection of carcinoembryonic antigen and prostate specific antigen. Mikrochim Acta 186:152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Tang Q, Zhang L, Tan X, Jiao L, Wei Q, Li H (2019) Bioinspired synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid nanoflowers for robust enzyme-free electrochemical immunoassay. Biosens Bioelectron 133:94

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Yu Z, Cai G, Liu X, Tang D (2020) Platinum nanozyme-triggered pressure-based immunoassay using a three-dimensional polypyrrole foam-based flexible pressure sensor. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 12:40133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hu Y, Huang Y, Wang Z, Wang Y, Ye X, Wong W et al (2018) Gold/WS(2) nanocomposites fabricated by in-situ ultrasonication and assembling for photoelectrochemical immunosensing of carcinoembryonic antigen. Mikrochim Acta 185:570

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lv S, Zhang K, Lin Z, Tang D (2017) Novel photoelectrochemical immunosensor for disease-related protein assisted by hemin/G-quadruplex-based DNAzyme on gold nanoparticles to enhance cathodic photocurrent on p-CuBi2O4 semiconductor. Biosens Bioelectron 96:317

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ma E, Wang P, Yang Q, Yu H, Pei F, Li Y et al (2019) Electrochemical immunosensor based on MoS(2) NFs/Au@AgPt YNCs as signal amplification label for sensitive detection of CEA. Biosens Bioelectron 142:111580

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Dong H, Cao L, Tan Z, Liu Q, Zhou J, Zhao P et al (2020) A signal amplification strategy of CuPtRh CNB-embedded ammoniated Ti3C2 MXene for detecting cardiac troponin I by a sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor. ACS Appl Bio Mater 3:377

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Karaman C, Karaman O, Atar N, Yola ML (2021) Electrochemical immunosensor development based on core-shell high-crystalline graphitic carbon nitride@carbon dots and Cd0.5Zn0.5S/d-Ti3C2Tx MXene composite for heart-type fatty acid–binding protein detection. Microchim Acta 188:182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Zhang Y, Zhang Z, Rong S, Yu H, Gao H, Ding P et al (2020) Electrochemical immunoassay for the carcinoembryonic antigen based on Au NPs modified zeolitic imidazolate framework and ordered mesoporous carbon. Mikrochim Acta 187:264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yola ML, Atar N (2018) Phenylethanolamine A (PEA) Imprinted polymer on carbon nitride nanotubes/graphene quantum dots/core-shell nanoparticle composite for electrochemical PEA detection in urine sample. J Electrochem Soc 165:H1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Mert S, Bankoğlu B, Özkan A, Atar N, Yola ML (2018) Electrochemical sensing of ractopamine by carbon nitride nanotubes/ionic liquid nanohybrid in presence of other β-agonists. J Mol Liq 254:8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Medetalibeyoglu H, Kotan G, Atar N, Yola ML (2020) A novel sandwich-type SERS immunosensor for selective and sensitive carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) detection. Anal Chim Acta 1139:100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Yola ML, Atar N (2019) Development of molecular imprinted sensor including graphitic carbon nitride/N-doped carbon dots composite for novel recognition of epinephrine. Compos B 175:107113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Yola ML (2021) Sensitive sandwich-type voltammetric immunosensor for breast cancer biomarker HER2 detection based on gold nanoparticles decorated Cu-MOF and Cu2ZnSnS4 NPs/Pt/g-C3N4 composite. Microchim Acta 188:78

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kıran TR, Atar N, Yola ML (2019) A methyl parathion recognition method based on carbon nitride incorporated hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets composite including molecularly imprinted polymer. J Electrochem Soc 166:H495

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang T, Cao X, Jiao L (2021) MOFs-derived carbon-based metal catalysts for energy-related electrocatalysis. Small 17(22):2004398

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Zheng G, Xing Z, Gao X, Nie C, Xu Z, Ju Z (2021) Fabrication of 2D Cu-BDC MOF and its derived porous carbon as anode material for high-performance Li/K-ion batteries. Appl Surf Sci 559:149701

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Han B, Chu W, Han X, Xu P, Liu D, Cui L et al (2020) Dual functions of glucose induced composition-controllable Co/C microspheres as high-performance microwave absorbing materials. Carbon 168:404

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Huang L, Liu X, Yu R (2018) An efficient Co/C microwave absorber with tunable Co nanoparticles derived from a ZnCo bimetallic zeolitic imidazolate framework. Part Part Syst Charact 35:1800107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Wei J, Chen Y, Ma Y, Shi X, Zhang X, Shi C et al (2021) Precisely engineering architectures of Co/C sub-microreactors for selective syngas conversion. Small 17:2100082

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Li L, Gan YM, Lu Z, Yu X, Feng G (2020) The effects of Fe, Co and Ni doping in CuAl2O4 spinel surface and bulk: a DFT study. Appl Surf Sci 521:146478

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Zhao B, Liu J, Zhou L, Long D, Feng K, Sun X et al (2016) Probing the electronic structure of M-graphene oxide (M=Ni Co, NiCo) catalysts for hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane. Appl Surf Sci 362:79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Cao A, Schumann J, Wang T, Zhang L, Xiao J, Bothra P et al (2018) Mechanistic insights into the synthesis of higher alcohols from syngas on CuCo alloys. ACS Catal 8:10148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Soram BS, Thangjam IS, Dai JY, Kshetri T, Kim NH, Lee JH (2020) Flexible transparent supercapacitor with core-shell Cu@Ni@NiCoS nanofibers network electrode. Chem Eng J 395:125019

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Xiang R, Duan Y, Tong C, Peng L, Wang J, Shah SSA et al (2019) Self-standing FeCo Prussian blue analogue derived FeCo/C and FeCoP/C nanosheet arrays for cost-effective electrocatalytic water splitting. Electrochim Acta 302:45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Wei Y, Ren X, Ma H, Sun X, Zhang Y, Kuang X et al (2018) CoC2O4·2H2O derived Co3O4 nanorods array: a high-efficiency 1D electrocatalyst for alkaline oxygen evolution reaction. Chem Commun 54:1533

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Zhang J, Bai X, Wang T, Xiao W, Xi P, Wang J et al (2019) Bimetallic nickel cobalt sulfide as efficient electrocatalyst for Zn–air battery and water splitting. Nano-Micro Lett 11:2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Kuang M, Wang Q, Han P, Zheng G (2017) Cu, Co-embedded N-enriched mesoporous carbon for efficient oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution reactions. Adv Energy Mater 7:1700193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Liu P, Hu Y, Liu X, Wang T, Xi P, Xi S et al (2019) Cu and Co nanoparticle-Co-decorated N-doped graphene nanosheets: a high efficiency bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable Zn–air batteries. J Mater Chem A 7:12851

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21065009), Shihezi University double-level project key project (SHYL-ZD201802), Shihezi University double-level project general project (SHYL-YB201806), and Shihezi University “Double First Class” Science and Technology Cooperation Program (SHYL-DK201901). Meanwhile, the authors thank the testing help of the analysis and testing center of Shihezi University, and also thank Shiyanjia Lab (www.shiyanjia.com) for the XPS analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Green Processing of Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Bingtuan, Engineering Research Center of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832003, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao Wang, Xiaochen Liao, Bingjian Zhang, Mengmeng Zhang, Lisha Mei, Fangwai Wang, Siyu Chen, Xiuwen Qiao & Chenglin Hong

Authors
  1. Xiao Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaochen Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bingjian Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mengmeng Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lisha Mei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fangwai Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Siyu Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Xiuwen Qiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Chenglin Hong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xiuwen Qiao or Chenglin Hong.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 17656 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, X., Liao, X., Zhang, B. et al. An electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen based on Au/g-C3N4 NSs-modified electrode and CuCo/CNC as signal tag. Microchim Acta 188, 408 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-05013-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-05013-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation