Electrochemical-Fluorescent Bimodal Biosensor Based on Dual CRISPR-Cas12a Multiple Cascade Amplification for ctDNA Detection

Abstract

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a critical biomarker for early tumor detection. However, accurately quantifying low-abundance ctDNA in human serum remains a significant challenge. To address this challenge, we introduce a bimodal biosensor tailored for detecting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation L858R in specific nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This biosensor utilizes dual CRISPR-Cas12a systems to quantify the target via fluorescence and electrochemical signals. In our system, the EGFR L858R exhibits resistance to digestion by the restriction enzyme MscI, which activates the first CRISPR-Cas12a protein and inhibits the binding of magnetic beads with fluorescein (FAM)-labeled hybridization chain reaction (HCR) products, thereby reducing the fluorescence signal. This activation also inhibits the cleavage activity of the second CRISPR-Cas12a protein, allowing the electrode to sustain a higher electrochemical signal from nanomaterials. The wild-type EGFR (wt EGFR) produces the opposite effect. Consequently, the concentration of EGFR L858R can be accurately quantified and verified using both fluorescence and electrochemical signals. The biosensor offers a dynamic detection ranging from 10 fM to 1 μM, with a detection limit of 372 aM. It demonstrates excellent specificity, reproducibility, stability, and recovery rates. Moreover, the sensor’s enhanced analytical sensitivity highlights its critical role in biosensing applications and early disease diagnosis.