Electrochemiluminescent immunosensing of prostate-specific antigen based on silver nanoparticles-doped Pb (II) metal-organic framework

In this work, silver nanoparticles-doped Pb (II) metal-organic framework (Ag-MOF) was prepared and exploited as a luminescence probe for the development of label-free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensing scheme for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The β-cyclodextrin based MOF, Pb-β-cyclodextrin (Pb(II)-β-CD) shows excellent ECL behavior and unexpected reducing capacity towards silver ions. Silver nanoparticles could massively form on the surface of Pb(II)-β-CD (Ag@Pb(II)-β-CD) without use any additional reducing agent, while the ECL behavior of Pb(II)-β-CD still was well retained. The Ag@Pb(II)-β-CD was used as a substrate material to modify glass carbon electrodes and formed a sensing platform for the fabricating ECL immunosensor. The presence of silver nanoparticles enables the facile immobilization of capturing antibody of PSA. The specific binding of PSA onto the electrode surface induces the decrease of ECL signals. A linear range of 0.001-50 ng mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.34 pg mL−1 (S/N=3) was obtained after the optimization of experimental conditions. This simply fabricated immunosensor exhibits good stability, accuracy and acceptable reproducibility, which suggesting its potential applications in clinical diagnostics.