Ultrasensitive immunoassay of protein biomarker based on electrochemiluminescent quenching of quantum dots by hemin bio-bar-coded nanoparticle tags.

A hemin bio-bar-coded nanoparticle probe labeled antibody was designed by the assembly of antibody and alkylthiol-capped bar-code G-quadruplex DNA on gold nanoparticles and the interaction of hemin with the DNA to form a G-quadruplex/hemin bio-bar-code. An ultrasensitive immunoassay method was developed by combining the labeled antibody with an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) immunosensor for protein. The ECL immunosensor was constructed by a layer-by-layer modification of carbon nanotubes, CdS quantum dots (QDs), and capture antibody on a glassy carbon electrode. In air-saturated pH 8.0 PBS the immunosensor showed a carbon-nanotube-enhanced cathodic ECL emission of QDs. Upon the formation of immunocomplex, the ECL intensity decreased owing to the consumption of ECL coreactant in bio-bar-code electrocatalyzed reduction of dissolved oxygen. Using α-fetoprotein as model analyte, the quenched ECL could be used for immunoassay with a linear range of 0.01 pg mL(-1) to 1 ng mL(-1) and a detection limit of 1.0 fg mL(-1). The wide detection range and high sensitivity resulted from the enhanced ECL emission and highly efficient catalysis of the bio-bar-code. The immunosensor exhibited good stability and acceptable fabrication reproducibility and accuracy, showing great promise for clinical application.