Ratiometric electrogenerated chemiluminescence sensor based on a designed anti-fouling peptide for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen

In this paper, an effective and accurate ratiometric electrochemiluminescence (ECL) system based on Au-luminol and CdS quantum dots (CdS QDs) as signal probes was constructed for detecting carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Polyaniline (PANI) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) strongly enhanced the electronic transfer efficiency and the specific area of the modified sensing surface, and improved the detection sensitivity. CdS QDs functionalized DNA strands functioned as cathode ECL emitters, and the aptamer of CEA modified with Au-luminol and quencher cyanine dye (Cy5) fluorophore functioned as anode ECL emitters. After the DNA capture probe combined with CEA aptamer, the negative potential ECL response of the CdS QDs was quenched because of electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ERET) between the Cy5 fluorophore and CdS QDs. However, the positive potential ECL response of Au-luminol can still be detected. The negative potential ECL response of CdS QDs was recovered, and the positive potential ECL response of Au-luminol decreased after CEA combined with its aptamer to take Cy5 and Au-luminol off the sensing interface. Additionally, the peptide provided effective anti-fouling performance in the detection of complex samples. The ratiometric ECL sensor with anti-fouling ability can sensitively determine the concentration of CEA in human serum.