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Potential-resolved electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for simultaneous determination of CEA and AFP tumor markers using dendritic nanoclusters and Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles

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Abstract

A potential-resolved electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay is presented for the simultaneous determination of the tumor markers alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). It is making use of polyamidoamine dendrimer - quantum dots (PAMAM–QDs) and PAMAM-luminol as the signal probes and Fe3O4-SiO2 as a magnetic bead. The QDs of type CdTe@CdS and luminol in the presence of H2O2 generate ECL at an applied voltage of −1.12 V and +0.6 V (vs Ag/AgCl), respectively. The sensitivity of the method can be enhanced by using PAMAM dendrimers as a carrier for immobilizing the QDs. The assay is performed in a sandwich format, and AFP and CEA can be quantified via potential cycling from +0.6 to −1.4 V. Both tumor markers can be detected by this method in the 0.25 fg.mL−1 to 20 pg.mL−1 concentration range with a detection limit as low as 0.10 fg.mL−1. The assay was applied to the determination of both AFP and CEA in (spiked) human serum samples, and the results were found to be in acceptable agreement with the those obtained with an ELISA.

Schematic presentation of the ECL emission mechanism of CdTe@CdS QDs and luminol in the presence of the co-reactant H2O2 in a single potential scan are shown. The performance of the immunosensing system was improved by applying of PAMAM dendrimers and Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles and were applied to sensing the different concentration of CEA and AFP.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Iranian Nanotechnology Initiative and the Research Office of the University of Kurdistan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 66177-15175, Iran

    Bahareh Babamiri, Rahman Hallaj & Abdollah Salimi

  2. Research Center for Nanotechnology, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 66177-15175, Iran

    Rahman Hallaj & Abdollah Salimi

  3. Department of Physics, University of Kurdistan, P.O. Box 416, Sanandaj, Iran

    Keivan Akhtari

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  1. Bahareh Babamiri
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  2. Rahman Hallaj
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  3. Abdollah Salimi
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Correspondence to Rahman Hallaj or Abdollah Salimi.

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Babamiri, B., Hallaj, R., Salimi, A. et al. Potential-resolved electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for simultaneous determination of CEA and AFP tumor markers using dendritic nanoclusters and Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles. Microchim Acta 184, 3613–3623 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-017-2386-x

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