A magnetic-enhanced FRET biosensor for simultaneous detection of multiple antibodies

Lihua Li, Yao Lu, Xinyue Lao, Sin Yi Pang, Menglin Song, Man Chung Wong, Feng Wang, Mo Yang, Jianhua Hao

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

Abstract

Accurate, rapid and sensitive detection of specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in human samples is crucial for preventing and assessing pandemics, especially in the case of recent COVID-19 outbreaks. However, simultaneous and efficient detection of IgG and IgM in a single system remains challenging. Herein, we developed a multicolor nanosystem capable of quantitatively analyzing anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM with high sensitivity within 20 ​min. The detection system consists of core-shell upconversion nanoparticles (csUCNPs), secondary antibodies labeled with fluorescent dyes (sab), and magnetic nanocrystals (PMF). By leveraging the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of blue and green regions is restored for IgG and IgM detection, respectively. Inspiringly, owing to the introducing of PMF, the limits of detection (LODs) of IgG and IgM tested are improved to 89 ​fmol ​L−1 and 19.4 ​fmol ​L−1, representing about 416-folds and 487-folds improvement over only-dye dependent system, respectively. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the high collective effect and surface energy transfer efficiency from csUCNPs to PMF contribute to the enhanced detection sensitivity. The assay enables us to quantify clinical vaccinated samples with high specificity and precision, suggesting our multicolor platform can be a promising alternative for clinical point-of-care serological assay.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)196-206
Number of pages11
JournalSmart Materials in Medicine
Volume5
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2024

Keywords

  • IgG and IgM detection
  • Magnetic nanocrystals
  • Multicolor detection
  • SARS-CoV-2 antibodies
  • Upconversion nanoparticles

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Bioengineering
  • Biomaterials
  • Biomedical Engineering

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