Robust photoelectrochemical cytosensor in biological media using antifouling property of zwitterionic peptide

Publication date: 15 November 2019Source: Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, Volume 299Author(s): Gao-Chao Fan, Zimeng Li, Yanwei Lu, Linzheng Ma, Huan Zhao, Xiliang LuoAbstractResulting from nonspecific adsorption or obvious biofouling, target detection in real biological media is a potential challenge for most of the biosensors. Herein, we first report an antifouling photoelectrochemical (PEC) cytosensor by using zwitterionic peptide. The typical cervical carcinoma Henrietta Lacks (HeLa) cell was chosen as a target model and the aptamer AS1411 was used as its recognition element. TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and ZnIn2S4 nanocrystals (NCs) were modified in order on a bare indium–tin oxide (ITO), forming ITO/TiO2/ZnIn2S4 electrode as the PEC matrix to immobilize aptamer AS1411 and zwitterionic peptide. The fabricated PEC cytosensor exhibited a high sensitivity toward HeLa cell detection, with the detection limit of 34 cells/mL. Besides, owning to excellent antifouling property of the zwitterionic peptide, evidently reduced nonspecific adsorption of the cytosensor was realized in the biological media.Graphical abstractAn efficient but general strategy for antifouling photoelectrochemical cytosensor was proposed by introducing zwitterionic peptide. The cytosensor demonstrated the distinct merits of high sensitivity and low fouling in the biological media.
Source: Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research