Abstract
A facile and sensitive approach is introduced to precisely determine trace amounts of prostate specific antigen (PSA) by gold nanostructures deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrodes. The gold electrode fabrication is carried out by integration of two techniques of vacuum-deposition and electrochemical growth. The electrode was successfully used as a label-free immunosensor for PSA determination in human serum samples. The dependency of the biosensor performance on various fabrication parameters have been investigated and the optimized fabrication rout has been specified. This label-free immunosensor presents a noticeable performance with a large range of linearity from 0.05 to 30 ng/mL, a low detection limit of 5.7 pg/mL, and a long-term stability of 4 weeks. The obtained results for PSA determination in real samples show a good agreement with ELISA results with less than 10% deviation.
Graphical abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cochetti G, Poli G, Guelfi G, Boni A, Egidi MG, Mearini E (2016) Different levels of serum microRNAs in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia: evaluation of potential diagnostic and prognostic role. Onco Targets Ther 9:7545
Sankara VSPK, Jayanthi A, Das AB, Saxena U (2017) Recent advances in biosensor development for the detection of cancer biomarkers. Biosens Bioelectron 91:15–23
Han J, Li Y, Zhan L, Xue J, Sun J, Xiong C, Nie Z (2018) A novel mass spectrometry method based on competitive non-covalent interaction for the detection of biomarkers. Chem Commun 54(76):10726–10729
Hu S, Zhang S, Hu Z, Xing Z, Zhang X (2007) Detection of multiple proteins on one spot by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and application to immuno-microarray with element-tagged antibodies. Anal Chem 79(3):923–929
Huang Z, Lin Q, Ye X, Yang B, Zhang R, Chen H, Weng W, Kong J (2020) Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase based signal amplification for enzyme-linked aptamer-sorbent assay of colorectal cancer exosomes. Talanta 218:121089
Wu G, Datar RH, Hansen KM, Thundat T, Cote RJ, Majumdar A (2001) Bioassay of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) using microcantilevers. Nat Biotechnol 19(9):856
Chung Y-C, Lin C-F (2019) Enhancement of microcantilever beams fabrication and determination of their mechanical properties using nanoindentation. Micro & Nano Letters 14(7):788–793
Upadhyaya AM, Srivastava MC, Sharan P (2020) Integrated MOEMS based cantilever sensor for early detection of cancer. Optik 165321
Zhao J, Wang L, Fu D, Zhao D, Wang Y, Yuan Q, Zhu Y, Yang J, Yang F (2021) Gold nanoparticles amplified microcantilever biosensor for detecting protein biomarkers with high sensitivity. Sens Actuators A: Phys 112563
Su L, Zou L, Fong C-C, Wong W-L, Wei F, Wong K-Y, Wu RSS, Yang M (2013) Detection of cancer biomarkers by piezoelectric biosensor using PZT ceramic resonator as the transducer. Biosens Bioelectron 46:155–161
Fang Q, Lin Z, Lu F, Chen Y, Huang X, Gao W (2019) A sensitive electrochemiluminescence immunosensor for the detection of PSA based on CdWS nanocrystals and Ag+@UIO-66-NH2 as a novel coreaction accelerator. Electrochim Acta 302:207–215
Tian C, Wang L, Luan F, Zhuang X (2019) An electrochemiluminescence sensor for the detection of prostate protein antigen based on the graphene quantum dots infilled TiO2 nanotube arrays. Talanta 191:103–108
Yang C-T, Xu Y, Pourhassan-Moghaddam M, Tran DP, Wu L, Zhou X, Thierry B (2019) Surface plasmon enhanced light scattering biosensing: size dependence on the gold nanoparticle tag. Sensors 19(2):323
Uludag Y, Tothill IE (2012) Cancer biomarker detection in serum samples using surface plasmon resonance and quartz crystal microbalance sensors with nanoparticle signal amplification. Anal Chem 84(14):5898–5904
Choi J-H, Lee J-H, Son J, Choi J-W (2020) Noble metal-assisted surface plasmon resonance immunosensors. Sensors 20(4):1003
Zeni L, Perri C, Cennamo N, Arcadio F, D’Agostino G, Salmona M, Beeg M, Gobbi M (2020) A portable optical-fibre-based surface plasmon resonance biosensor for the detection of therapeutic antibodies in human serum. Sci Rep 10(1):11154
Xu D-D, Deng Y-L, Li C-Y, Lin Y, Tang H-W (2017) Metal-enhanced fluorescent dye-doped silica nanoparticles and magnetic separation: a sensitive platform for one-step fluorescence detection of prostate specific antigen. Biosens Bioelectron 87:881–887
Kaya T, Kaneko T, Kojima S, Nakamura Y, Ide Y, Ishida K, Suda Y, Yamashita K (2015) High-sensitivity immunoassay with surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy using a plastic sensor chip: application to quantitative analysis of total prostate-specific antigen and GalNAcβ1–4GlcNAc-linked prostate-specific antigen for prostate cancer diagnosis. Anal Chem 87(3):1797–1803
Chang H, Kang H, Ko E, Jun B-H, Lee H-Y, Lee Y-S, Jeong DH (2016) PSA detection with femtomolar sensitivity and a broad dynamic range using SERS nanoprobes and an area-scanning method. ACS Sensors 1(6):645–649
Grubisha DS, Lipert RJ, Park H-Y, Driskell J, Porter MD (2003) Femtomolar detection of prostate-specific antigen: an immunoassay based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering and immunogold labels. Anal Chem 75(21):5936–5943
You P-Y, Li F-C, Liu M-H, Chan Y-H (2019) Colorimetric and fluorescent dual-mode immunoassay based on plasmon-enhanced fluorescence of polymer dots for detection of PSA in whole blood. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 11(10):9841–9849
Argoubi W, Sánchez A, Parrado C, Raouafi N, Villalonga R (2018) Label-free electrochemical aptasensing platform based on mesoporous silica thin film for the detection of prostate specific antigen. Sens Actuators, B Chem 255:309–315
Morallon E, Cazorla-Amoros D, Berenguer-Murcia Á, Quintero-Jaime AF (2019) Carbon nanotubes modified with Au for electrochemical detection of prostate specific antigen: effect of Au nanoparticle size distribution. Front Chem 7:147
Suresh L, Brahman PK, Reddy KR, Bondili J (2018) Development of an electrochemical immunosensor based on gold nanoparticles incorporated chitosan biopolymer nanocomposite film for the detection of prostate cancer using PSA as biomarker. Enzyme Microb Technol 112:43–51
Han L, Liu C-M, Dong S-L, Du C-X, Zhang X-Y, Li L-H, Wei Y (2017) Enhanced conductivity of rGO/Ag NPs composites for electrochemical immunoassay of prostate-specific antigen. Biosens Bioelectron 87:466–472
Chen Y, Yuan P-X, Wang A-J, Luo X, Xue Y, Zhang L, Feng J-J (2019) A novel electrochemical immunosensor for highly sensitive detection of prostate-specific antigen using 3D open-structured PtCu nanoframes for signal amplification. Biosens Bioelectron 126:187–192
Tian J, Huang J, Zhao Y, Zhao S (2012) Electrochemical immunosensor for prostate-specific antigen using a glassy carbon electrode modified with a nanocomposite containing gold nanoparticles supported with starch-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Microchim Acta 178(1–2):81–88
Kavosi B, Salimi A, Hallaj R, Amani K (2014) A highly sensitive prostate-specific antigen immunosensor based on gold nanoparticles/PAMAM dendrimer loaded on MWCNTS/chitosan/ionic liquid nanocomposite. Biosens Bioelectron 52:20–28
Dave K, Pachauri N, Dinda A, Solanki PR (2019) RGO modified mediator free paper for electrochemical biosensing platform. Appl Surf Sci 463:587–595
Elancheziyan M, Senthilkumar S (2019) Covalent immobilization and enhanced electrical wiring of hemoglobin using gold nanoparticles encapsulated PAMAM dendrimer for electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide. Appl Surface Sci 495:143540
Fernandes E, Cabral PD, Campos R, Machado G, Cerqueira MF, Sousa C, Freitas PP, Borme J, Petrovykh DY, Alpuim P (2019) Functionalization of single-layer graphene for immunoassays. Appl Surf Sci 480:709–716
Gajos K, Szafraniec K, Petrou P, Budkowski A (2020) Surface density dependent orientation and immunological recognition of antibody on silicon: TOF-SIMS and surface analysis of two covalent immobilization methods. Appl Surface Sci 518:146269
Graça JS, Miyazaki CM, Shimizu FM, Volpati D, Mejía-Salazar JR, Oliveira ON Jr, Ferreira M (2018) On the importance of controlling film architecture in detecting prostate specific antigen. Appl Surf Sci 434:1175–1182
Karami P, Bagheri H, Johari-Ahar M, Khoshsafar H, Arduini F, Afkhami A (2019) Dual-modality impedimetric immunosensor for early detection of prostate-specific antigen and myoglobin markers based on antibody-molecularly imprinted polymer. Talanta 202:111–122
Khoshfetrat SM, Khoshsafar H, Afkhami A, Mehrgardi MA, Bagheri H (2019) Enhanced visual wireless electrochemiluminescence immunosensing of prostate-specific antigen based on the luminol loaded into MIL-53 (Fe)-NH2 accelerator and hydrogen evolution reaction mediation. Anal Chem 91(9):6383–6390
Najari S, Bagheri H, Monsef-Khoshhesab Z, Hajian A, Afkhami A (2018) Electrochemical sensor based on gold nanoparticle-multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposite for the sensitive determination of docetaxel as an anticancer drug. Ionics 24(10):3209–3219
Shi L, Wang Z, Yang G, Yang H, Zhao F (2020) A novel electrochemical immunosensor for aflatoxin B1 based on Au nanoparticles-poly 4-aminobenzoic acid supported graphene. Appl Surface Sci 527:146934
Tian X, Cao P, Sun D, Wang Z, Ding M, Yang X, Li Y, Ouyang R, Miao Y (2020) Synthesis of CeBi0.4O3.7 nanofeather for ultrasensitive sandwich-like immunoassay of carcinoembryonic antigen. Appl Surface Sc 528:146956
Martínez-Rojas F, Castañeda E, F.J.J.o.E.C. Armijo, (2021) Conducting polymer applied in a label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the detection prostate-specific antigen using its redox response as an analytical signal. J Electroanalytic Chem 880:114877
Duran B, Castañeda E, Armijo FJB (2019) Development of an electrochemical impedimetric immunosensor for corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) using half-antibody fragments as elements of biorecognition. Biosens Bioelectron 131:171–177
Ballarin B, Cassani MC, Scavetta E, Tonelli D (2008) Self-assembled gold nanoparticles modified ITO electrodes: the monolayer binder molecule effect. Electrochim Acta 53(27):8034–8044
Daniel M-C, Astruc D (2004) Gold nanoparticles: assembly, supramolecular chemistry, quantum-size-related properties, and applications toward biology, catalysis, and nanotechnology. Chem Rev 104(1):293–346
Hossain MZ, Shimizu N (2019) Covalent immobilization of gold nanoparticles on graphene. J Phys Chem C 123(6):3512–3516
Zhang J, Oyama M (2005) Gold nanoparticle arrays directly grown on nanostructured indium tin oxide electrodes: characterization and electroanalytical application. Anal Chim Acta 540(2):299–306
Kambayashi M, Zhang J, M.J.C.g. Oyama, design, (2005) Crystal growth of gold nanoparticles on indium tin oxides in the absence and presence of 3-mercaptopropyl-trimethoxysilane. Crystal growth 5(1):81–84
Praig VG, Piret G, Manesse M, Castel X, Boukherroub R, Szunerits S (2008) Seed-mediated electrochemical growth of gold nanostructures on indium tin oxide thin films. Electrochim Acta 53(27):7838–7844
Kumar D, Mutreja I, Sykes P (2016) Seed mediated synthesis of highly mono-dispersed gold nanoparticles in the presence of hydroquinone. Nanotechnology 27(35):35560
Luong NT-Q, Cao DT, Anh CT, Minh KN, Hai NN (2019) Electrochemical synthesis of flower-like gold nanoparticles for SERS application. J Electron Mater 48:5328–5332
Das AK, Raj CR (2014) Shape-controlled growth of surface-confined Au nanostructures for electroanalytical applications. J Electroanal Chem 717:140–146
Siampour H, Abbasian S, Moshaii A, Omidfar K, Sedghi M, Naderi-Manesh H (2020) Seed-mediated electrochemically developed Au nanostructures with boosted sensing properties: an implication for non-enzymatic glucose detection. Sci Rep 10(1):1–11
Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A (2016) Cancer statistics. CA: A Cancer J Clinic 66(1):7–30
Lilja H, Ulmert D, Vickers AJ (2008) Prostate-specific antigen and prostate cancer: prediction, detection and monitoring. Nat Rev Cancer 8(4):268–278
Llop E, Ferrer-Batallé M, Barrabés S, Guerrero PE, Ramírez M, Saldova R, Rudd PM, Aleixandre RN, Comet J, de Llorens R (2016) Improvement of prostate cancer diagnosis by detecting PSA glycosylation-specific changes. Theranostics 6(8):1190
Zhang J, Kambayashi M, Oyama M (2004) A novel electrode surface fabricated by directly attaching gold nanospheres and nanorods onto indium tin oxide substrate with a seed mediated growth process. Electrochem Commun 6(7):683–688
Singh M, Kaur N, Comini E (2020) The role of self-assembled monolayers in electronic devices. J Mater Chem C 8(12):3938–3955
Seenivasan R, Singh CK, Warrick JW, Ahmad N, Gunasekaran S (2017) Microfluidic-integrated patterned ITO immunosensor for rapid detection of prostate-specific membrane antigen biomarker in prostate cancer. Biosens Bioelectron 95:160–167
Joo B-H, Yoon S-Y, Y.-M.J.J.o.n. Sung, (2013) Effect of annealing temperature on electrochemical luminescence properties of nanoporous fluorine-doped tin oxide films. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 13(4):2981–2985
Li Y, Shi G (2005) Electrochemical growth of two-dimensional gold nanostructures on a thin polypyrrole film modified ITO electrode. J Phys Chem B 109(50):23787–23793
Torati SR, Kasturi KC, Lim B, Kim CJS, Chemical AB (2017) Hierarchical gold nanostructures modified electrode for electrochemical detection of cancer antigen CA125. Sensors and Actuators B 243:64–71
Jang HD, Kim SK, Chang H, Choi J-W (2015) 3D label-free prostate specific antigen (PSA) immunosensor based on graphene–gold composites. Biosens Bioelectron 63:546–551
Wang R, Liu W-D, Wang A-J, Xue Y, Wu L, Feng J-J (2018) A new label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on dendritic core-shell AuPd@ Au nanocrystals for highly sensitive detection of prostate specific antigen. Biosens Bioelectron 99:458–463
Funding
This work has been supported by the research council of Tarbiat Modares University (TMU). A. M., and H. S. thank the TMU support under the grant number IG-39708.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
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.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sajadpour, M., Abbasian, S., Siampour, H. et al. Label-free PSA electrochemical determination by seed-mediated electrochemically-deposited gold nanoparticles on an FTO electrode. J Solid State Electrochem 26, 149–161 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-021-05081-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-021-05081-y