Electrochemiluminescence Immunosensor Based on Au Nanocluster and Hybridization Chain Reaction Signal Amplification for Ultrasensitive Detection of Cardiac Troponin I.

Measurement of cardiac troponin I in the blood is crucial for the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Herein, a novel and ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor has been developed for determination of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) by using Au nanoclusters and hybridization chain reaction (HCR) signal amplification. In this ECL immunosensor, Au nanoclusters were dual-labeled at each end of hairpin DNA (H1 and H2) and acted as the luminophore. DNA initiator strands (T1) and secondary antibody (Ab2) were conjugated on Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) to obtain a smart probe (Ab2-AuNP-T1). In the presence of target cTnI, the sandwiched immunocomplex composed of cTnI, Ab1, and Ab2-AuNP-T1 was formed. Then the initiator strands T1 of Ab2-AuNP-T1 opened the hairpin DNA structures and triggered a cascade of hybridization events. Consequently, a large number of Au NCs were indirectly modified on the surface of the electrode, which could react with the coreactant (K2S2O8) and emit a strong ECL signal. Under the optimal conditions, the immunosensor exhibited a wide detection range for cTnI from 5 fg/mL to 50 ng/mL and a low detection limit of 1.01 fg/mL (S/N = 3). Because of the excellent specificity, stability, and reproducibility of the proposed ECL-HCR sensor, it has a great application prospect for cTnI detection in clinical diagnosis.