Ultra pH‐sensitive detection of total and free prostate‐specific antigen using electrochemical aptasensor based on reduced graphene oxide/gold nanoparticles emphasis on TiO₂/carbon quantum dots as a redox probe

Abstract

The development of a rapid, sensitive, and straightforward detection method of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) is indispensable for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). This work relates an electrochemical method using functionalized single‐stranded DNA aptamer to diagnose PCa and benign prostate hyperplasia. The sensing platform relies on PSA recognition by aptamer/Au/GO‐nanohybrid‐modified glassy carbon electrode. Besides ferrocyanide TiO2/carbon quantum dots (CQDs) probe is used to investigate the effect of nanoparticle‐containing electrolyte. Optimization of incubation time of aptamer/Au/GO‐nanohybrid and volume fraction of nafion were done using Design Expert 10 software reporting 42.4 h and 0.095% V/V, respectively. In ferrocyanide medium, PSA detection as low as 3, 2.96, and 0.85 ng mL−1 was achieved with a dynamic range from 0.5 to 7 ng ml−1, in accord with clinical values, using cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. Moreover, this sensor exhibited conspicuous performance in TiO2/CQDs‐containing medium with different pH values of 5.4 and 8 to distinguish total PSA and free PSA, resulting in very low limit of detections, 0.028, and 0.007 ng ml−1, respectively. The results manifested the proposed system as a forthcoming sensor in a clinical and point of care analysis of PSA.

A novel pH‐responsive nanoniosomal emulsion for sustained release of curcumin from a chitosan‐based nanocarrier: Emphasis on the concurrent improvement of loading, sustained release, and apoptosis induction

“…40,41 The change in the pH of cancer cells during their proliferation is one of the main reasons for this popularity. 42,43 This reduction in pH, known as the Warburg effect, is a hallmark in cancer and has led to applying pH-sensitive drug delivery platforms like hydrogels for the controlled delivery of anti-cancer therapeutics. 44,45 As mentioned before, a hydrogel of CS-Aga was prepared in this study.…”

“…Anti‐cancer drug delivery platforms that respond to pH are among the most popular stimuli‐responsive drug delivery options 40,41 . The change in the pH of cancer cells during their proliferation is one of the main reasons for this popularity 42,43 . This reduction in pH, known as the Warburg effect, is a hallmark in cancer and has led to applying pH‐sensitive drug delivery platforms like hydrogels for the controlled delivery of anti‐cancer therapeutics 44,45 …”

Fabrication of Au/Fe3O4/RGO based aptasensor for measurement of miRNA‐128, a biomarker for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

“…A promising way for the diagnosis and prognosis of many types of cancer is developing electrochemical biosensors [19,20] due to their high sensitivity, simplicity, portability, self-contained, and low-cost [21][22][23]. Analogous to other biosensors, electrochemical biosensors comprise of two indispensable components, the biological recognition element (the bio-receptor) and a transducer (the electrode) connected to an electronic reader device [24].…”

“…The reaction between bio-receptor and analyte (biomarker) on the surface of the electrode generates a biological signal, which is converted to an electronic signal through the transducer. This signal is subsequently amplified to yield high sensitivity and specificity [25,26].…”

Current Perspectives in Graphene Oxide-Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Cancer Diagnostics

“…An interesting label-free aptamer-based DNA biosensor strategy has been successfully applied by Aayanifard and colleagues for the sensing of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for early detection of prostate cancer [ 121 ]. In the system in which the glassy carbon electrode is used, Aptamer/Au/GO modification was made on the biosensor surface and thus the biosensor gained the ability to capture PSA antigen.…”