Microfluidic bead-based multienzyme-nanoparticle amplification for detection of circulating tumor cells in the blood using quantum dots labels

•Combination of microfluidic bead-based platform and enzyme–probe–AuNPs is proposed.•The developed nucleic acid sensor could respond to 5 fM of tumor associated DNA.•Microfluidic platform and multienzyme-labeled AuNPs greatly enhanced sensitivity.•The developed nucleic acid sensor could respond to RT-PCR products of tumor cell as low as 1 tumor cell in 1 mL blood sample.•We report a sensitive nucleic acid sensor for detection of circulating tumor cells.

This study reports the development of a microfluidic bead-based nucleic acid sensor for sensitive detection of circulating tumor cells in blood samples using multienzyme-nanoparticle amplification and quantum dot labels. In this method, the microbeads functionalized with the capture probes and modified electron rich proteins were arrayed within a microfluidic channel as sensing elements, and the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with the horseradish peroxidases (HRP) and DNA probes were used as labels. Hence, two signal amplification approaches are integrated for enhancing the detection sensitivity of circulating tumor cells. First, the large surface area of Au nanoparticle carrier allows several binding events of HRP on each nanosphere. Second, enhanced mass transport capability inherent from microfluidics leads to higher capture efficiency of targets because continuous flow within micro-channel delivers fresh analyte solution to the reaction site which maintains a high concentration gradient differential to enhance mass transport. Based on the dual signal amplification strategy, the developed microfluidic bead-based nucleic acid sensor could discriminate as low as 5 fM (signal-to-noise (S/N) 3) of synthesized carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene fragments and showed a 1000-fold increase in detection limit compared to the off-chip test. In addition, using spiked colorectal cancer cell lines (HT29) in the blood as a model system, the detection limit of this chip-based approach was found to be as low as 1 HT29 in 1 mL blood sample. This microfluidic bead-based nucleic acid sensor is a promising platform for disease-related nucleic acid molecules at the lowest level at their earliest incidence.

Graphical abstractA microfluidic beads-based nucleic acid sensor for sensitive detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood using multienzyme-nanoparticle amplification and quantum dots labels was developed. The chip-based CTCs analysis could detect reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) products of tumor cell as low as 1 tumor cell (e.g. CEA expressing cell) in 1 mL blood sample. This microfluidic beads-based nucleic acid sensor is a promising platform for disease-related nucleic acid molecules at the lowest level at their earliest incidence.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide