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Quantitative and simultaneous detection of two inflammation biomarkers via a fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay using dual-color SiO2@QD nanotags

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Abstract

An on-site detection strategy is reported based on dual-color SiO2@quantum dot (QD)–integrated lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) strip to realize the quantitative and simultaneous detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in serum. The dual-color SiO2@QD nanotags with monodispersity and excellent luminescence were synthesized using polyethyleneimine-mediated electrostatic adsorption of dense red CdSe/ZnS-COOH (excitation/emission 365/625 nm) or green CdSe/ZnS-COOH (excitation/emission 365/525 nm) QDs on the surface of 180 nm SiO2 spheres and were conjugated with anti-PCT and anti-CRP monoclonal antibodies, as stable and fluorescent-enhanced QD nanotags in the LFA system. The use of SiO2@QDs with two different fluorescent signals caused the sensitivity and specificity of the multiplex LFA system. As a result, the proposed assay provided a wide logarithmic determination range with a CRP quantitative range of 0.5–103 ng/mL and PCT quantitative range of 0.05–103 ng/mL. The limits of detection (LODs) of CRP and PCT reached 0.5 and 0.05 ng/mL, respectively. The SiO2@QD-based LFA showed great potential as rapid detection tool for the simultaneous monitoring of CRP and PCT in serum sample.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Beijing Zhongkebaice Technology Service Co., for helping to conduct TEM and SEM analysis.

Funding

This research was supported by Major Infectious Diseases such as AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Technology Major Projects (2018ZX10712-001), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 81830101, 81471994, 81871734), and the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (Grant no. 1908085QB85).

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Author notes

  1. Xingsheng Yang, Xiaoxian Liu and Bing Gu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People’s Republic of China

    Xingsheng Yang, Xiaoxian Liu, Haifeng Liu & Chongwen Wang

  2. Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, People’s Republic of China

    Xingsheng Yang, Xiaoxian Liu, Haifeng Liu, Rui Xiao, Chongwen Wang & Shengqi Wang

  3. Medical Technology Institute of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, People’s Republic of China

    Bing Gu & Chongwen Wang

  4. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, People’s Republic of China

    Bing Gu

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  1. Xingsheng Yang
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Contributions

S.Q.W., C.W.W. and R.X. designed and managed the project. X.S.Y., X.X.L., B.G. and H.F.L. performed all the experiments. B.G. provided clinical samples and did the analysis of ECL immunoassay results. C.W.W., X.S.Y. and X.X.L wrote the manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Rui Xiao, Chongwen Wang or Shengqi Wang.

Ethics declarations

All experimental operations were performed following the guidelines approved by the Ethics Committee of the Institute of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University (approval ID: XYFY2020-KL017-01). Informed consents were obtained from human participants of this study.

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Yang, X., Liu, X., Gu, B. et al. Quantitative and simultaneous detection of two inflammation biomarkers via a fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay using dual-color SiO2@QD nanotags. Microchim Acta 187, 570 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-020-04555-6

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