Label-Free Electrochemical Immunosensor Based on Gold and Iron-Oxide Nanoparticle Co-modified rGO-TEPA Hybrid for Sensitive Detection of Carcinoembryonic Antigen

Iron oxide nanoparticle-based nanocomposites in biomedical application

Iron-oxide-based biomagnetic nanocomposites, recognized for their significant properties, have been utilized in MRI and cancer treatment for several decades. The expansion of clinical applications is limited by the occurrence of adverse effects. These limitations are largely attributed to suboptimal material design, resulting in agglomeration, reduced magnetic relaxivity, and inadequate functionality. To address these challenges, various synthesis methods and modification strategies have been used to tailor the size, shape, and properties of iron oxide nanoparticle (FeONP)-based nanocomposites. The resulting modified nanocomposites exhibit significant potential for application in diagnostic, therapeutic, and theranostic contexts, including MRI, drug delivery, and anticancer and antimicrobial activity. Yet, their biosafety profile must be rigorously evaluated. Such efforts will facilitate the broader clinical translation of FeONP-based nanocomposites in biomedical applications.

Detection of CYFRA21-1 in serum by electrochemical immunosensor based on nanocomposite consisting of AuNPs@CMK-3@CMWCNTs

An electrochemical immunosensor based on the modification of nanocomposite was constructed to detect the lung cancer marker Cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1). Ordered mesoporous carbon CMK-3 was selected to mix with carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CMWCNTs), and their combination could enhance electron transfer efficiency and amplify the electrochemical signal. Furthermore, aurum nanoparticles (AuNPs) were further mixed with the hybrid carbon nanomaterials, which bind antibodies via Au-S bonds and provide numerous of binding sites for antibodies. Finally, CYFRA21-1 could be detected by specific immune response between antigen and antibody by improving the immunosensor sensitivity. The characterization of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that AuNPs were embedded on the surface and interstices of CMK-3@CMWCNTs. The curves of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the immunsensor was successfully constructed. The constructed immunosensor had a linear range of 0.5 pg/mL to 10⁵ pg/mL for the detection of CYFRA21-1 in serum, and the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.998, with a detection limit of 0.2 pg/mL. Thus, this method is selective and sensitive for getting the accurate and reliable detection results and provides a new method for the CYFRA21-1 ultrasensitive detection in serum.

Bovine Serum Albumin-Dependent Charge-Transfer Kinetics Controls the Electrochemical Immunosensitive Detection: Vibrio cholerae as a Model Bioanalyte

This work investigates how bovine serum albumin (BSA), a commonly used protein in the fabrication of electrochemical immunosensors, can impact on the sensitivity of detection when integrated with antibody (Ab) pre-encapsulated with (i) insulating polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibre (i.e., GCE-PAN-Ab-BSA immunosensor) or (ii) conducting PAN-grafted iron (II) phthalocyanine (FePc) (i.e., GCE-PAN@FePc-Ab-BSA immunosensor), using Vibrio cholerae toxin as a case study bioanalyte. Both immunosensors show different charge-transfer kinetics that strongly impact on their immunosensitive detection. From the electrochemical data, GCE-PAN-Ab-BSA is more insulating with the presence of BSA, while the GCE-PAN@FePc-Ab-BSA is more conducting with BSA. The CV of the GCE-PAN-Ab-BSA is dominated by radial diffusion process, while that of the GCE-PAN@FePc-Ab-BSA is planar diffusion process. The behaviour of GCE-PAN@FePc-Ab-BSA has been associated with the facile coordination of BSA and FePc that permits co-operative charge-transport of the redox probe, while that of the GCE-PAN-Ab-BSA is related to the interaction-induced PAN-BSA insulating state that suppresses charge-transport. As a consequence of these different interaction processes, GCE-PAN-Ab-BSA immunosensor provides higher electroanalytical performance for the detection of Vibrio cholerae toxin (with sensitivity of 16.12 Ω/log [VCT, g/mL] and limit of detection (LoD) of 3.20 × 10-13 g/mL compared to those of the GCE-PAN@FePc-Ab-BSA (4.16 Ω/log (VCT, g mL-1) and 2.00 × 10-12 g/mL). The study confirms the need for a thorough understanding of the physico-chemistries of the electrode platforms for the construction of immunosensors. Although this work is on immunosensors for cholera infection, it may well apply to other immunosensors.

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