Enzymatically catalytic deposition of gold nanoparticles by glucose oxidase-functionalized gold nanoprobe for ultrasensitive electrochemical immunoassay

A novel ultrasensitive immunoassay method was developed by combination of the enzymatically catalytic gold deposition with the prepared gold nanoprobe and the gold stripping analysis at an electrochemical chip based immunosensor. The immunosensor was constructed through covalently immobilizing capture antibody at a carbon nanotube (CNT) modified screen-printed carbon electrode. The gold nanoprobe was prepared by loading signal antibody and high-content glucose oxidase (GOD) on the nanocarrier of gold nanorod (Au NR). After sandwich immunoreaction, the GOD-Au NR nanoprobe could be quantitatively captured onto the immunosensor surface and then induce the deposition of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) via the enzymatically catalytic reaction. Based on the electrochemical stripping analysis of the Au NR nanocarriers and the enzymatically produced Au NPs, sensitive electrochemical signal was obtained for the immunoassay. Both the GOD-induced deposition of Au NPs by the nanoprobe and the sensitive electrochemical stripping analysis on the CNTs based sensing surface greatly amplified the signal response, leading to the ultrahigh sensitivity of this method. Using carcinoembryonic antigen as a model analyte, excellent analytical performance including a wide linear range from 0.01 to 100 ng/mL and a detection limit down to 4.2 pg/mL was obtained. In addition, this immunosensor showed high specificity and satisfactory reproducibility, stability and reliability. The relatively positive detection potential excluded the conventional interference from dissolved oxygen. Thus this electrochemical chip based immunosensing method provided great potentials for practical applications.