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Signal amplification strategy for electrochemical immunosensing based on a molybdophosphate induced enhanced redox current on the surface of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

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Abstract

The authors describe a strategy for improving the sensitivity of electrochemical immunoassays that is based on the use of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAP-NPs). Signal generation is based on the reaction of phosphate groups present in HAP-NPs with molybdate to form a redox-active molybdophosphate precipitate on the surface of the electrode that facilitates the generation of an electrochemical current. The cancer biomarker α-fetoprotein (AFP) was chosen as a model antigen (analyte). Antibodies against AFP (Ab2) were immobilized on the HAP-NPs to obtain the signal probe. The reaction of HAP-NPs with molybdate and the performance of the immunoelectrode were characterized in detail. Based on this signal amplification approach, an immunoassay was worked out that has a linear range that extends from 0.1 pg·mL−1 to 1 ng·mL−1 and a detection limit as low as 50 fg·mL−1. The assay was successfully applied to the determination of AFP in serum samples. In our perception, this new signal amplification scheme can be adapted to numerous other immunoassays.

Schematic of the electrochemical assay for the cancer biomarker α-fetoprotein based on hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles as signal probe. The reaction of HAP nanoparticles with molybdate leads to the formation of a redox-active molybdophosphate precipitate on the electrode surface and generates an electrochemical current.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the support of this work by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21575165 and No. 81200326) and the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan province (No. 2015JJ1019).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiang-ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China

    Yaxun Huang, Chen Tang, Jun Cheng, Zhongzhou Si & Ting Li

  2. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Jin Liu & Minghui Yang

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  1. Yaxun Huang
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  2. Chen Tang
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  3. Jin Liu
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  4. Jun Cheng
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  6. Ting Li
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  7. Minghui Yang
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Correspondence to Ting Li or Minghui Yang.

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Huang, Y., Tang, C., Liu, J. et al. Signal amplification strategy for electrochemical immunosensing based on a molybdophosphate induced enhanced redox current on the surface of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. Microchim Acta 184, 855–861 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-016-2069-z

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