Unconventional Application of Conventional Enzymatic Substrate: First Fluorogenic Immunoassay Based on Enzymatic Formation of Quantum Dots

In this study, a simple fluorogenic immunoassay based on in situ formation of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is described. We discovered that alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the enzyme broadly used in enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA), is able to trigger formation of fluorescent CdS QDs. ALP-catalyzed hydrolysis of <i>p</i>-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) leads to the formation of <i>p</i>-nitrophenol and inorganic phosphate. The latter stabilizes CdS QDs produced in situ through interaction of Cd²⁺ with S^2– ions. So, the specific interaction of analyte (antibody) with ALP-labeled antibody can be detected through formation of CdS QDs, monitored by recording emission spectra at λ_ex = 290 nm. The fluorescence intensity showed to be dependent on the concentration of target antibody. This method allowed us to detect as low as 0.4 ng mL^–1 of analyte antibody with a linear range up to 10 ng mL^–1. The sensitivity of this novel assay showed to be 1 order of magnitude better than that of the standard method based on colorimetric <i>p</i>-nitrophenyl phosphate assay

Enzymatic Product-Mediated Stabilization of CdS Quantum Dots Produced <i>In Situ</i>: Application for Detection of Reduced Glutathione, NADPH, and Glutathione Reductase Activity

Glutathione is the most abundant nonprotein molecule in the cell and plays an important role in many biological processes, including the maintenance of intracellular redox states, detoxification, and metabolism. Furthermore, glutathione levels have been linked to several human diseases, such as AIDS, Alzheimer disease, alcoholic liver disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. A novel concept in bioanalysis is introduced and applied to the highly sensitive and inexpensive detection of reduced glutathione (GSH), over its oxidized form (GSSG), and glutathione reductase (GR) in human serum. This new fluorogenic bioanalytical system is based on the GSH-mediated stabilization of growing CdS nanoparticles. The sensitivity of this new assay is 5 pM of GR, which is 3 orders of magnitude better than other fluorogenic methods previously reported

Peroxidase-Mimicking DNAzyme Modulated Growth of CdS Nanocrystalline Structures in Situ through Redox Reaction: Application to Development of Genosensors and Aptasensors

This work demonstrates the use of the peroxidase-mimicking DNAzyme (peroxidase-DNAzyme) as general and inexpensive platform for development of fluorogenic assays that do not require organic fluorophores. The system is based on the affinity interaction between the peroxidase-DNAzyme bearing hairpin sequence and the analyte (DNA or low molecular weight molecule), which changes the folding of the hairpin structure and consequently the activity of peroxidase-DNAzyme. Hence, in the presence of the analyte the peroxidase-DNAzyme structure is disrupted and does not catalyze the aerobic oxidation of l-cysteine to cystine. Thus, l-cysteine is not removed from the system and the fluorescence of the assay increases due to the in situ formation of fluorescent CdS nanocrystals. The capability of the system as a platform for fluorogenic assays was demonstrated through designing model geno- and aptasensor for the detection of a tumor marker DNA and a low molecular weight analyte, adenosine 5′triphosphate (ATP), respectively