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Recently, organic photoelectrochemical transistor (OPECT) has become a very interesting biological measurement method in photoelectrochemical (PEC) bioanalysis and future bio-related applications. OPECT is expected to be a powerful tool for disease detection and early warning. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are generally deemed to be the dominant factor of tumor metastasis, and 90 % of cancer patients die from this metastatic disease. Therefore, there is an imminent need to develop a highly sensitive CTCs detection sensing system to improve the survival rate of cancer patients. Here, we use a DNA tetrahedrons (DNA NTH) with an aptamer at the top to immobilize on the surface of the photoelectric material to capture cells (MCF-7). Specifically, the BiVO 4 -ZnIn 2 S 4 hybrid was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method, which can effectively modulated devices with high current gain. Au NPs were directly integrated on the electrode surface to construct an OPECT photoelectric sensing platform. Subsequently, the aptamer which is thiol-functionalized (SH-Apt) was immobilized on the electrode surface. Because of the overexpression of MUC1 protein on the cell membrane, it can specifically capture MCF-7 cells. The introduction of MCF-7 cells resulted in a significant decrease in the current signal. There is a relationship between the change of photocurrent and the logarithm of MCF-7 cell concentration, which is a good linear relationship ranging from 50 to 5 × 10 5  cell mL -1 . The obtained detection limit is 43 cell mL -1 . The biosensor has high selectivity and sensitivity, and achieves sensitive detection of MCF-7., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) has been recognized as an effective serum biomarker for interstitial lung disease (ILD). The KL-6 accurate detection is of great significance for evaluating the severity of ILD and the prognosis of patients. In this study, a bright aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) N, N'-((1,2-diphenylethene-1,2-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(N-phenylnaphthalen-1-amine) (TPETN) with a high quantum yield of 87.57% was designed and synthesized, which was subsequently encapsulated into polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) for construction of ultrahigh fluorescent nanoparticle (TPNPs). The obtained TPNPs was found to be 128 times and 16 times higher sensitivity than traditional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and tetramethyl 4',4''',4''''',4'''''''-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl) tetrakis([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-carboxylate) (TCBPE) embedded nanoparticles (TCNPs), respectively. Then, TPNPs were employed as signal output to construct a lateral flow immunoassay platform (TPNP-LFIA) for KL-6 detection. TPNP-LFIA achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0534 ng/mL, which was 77.15 times and 7.69 times lower than those of AuNP- and TCNP- based LFIA, respectively. The dynamic linearity of TPNP-LFIA for detecting KL-6 ranged from 0.15 to 333.33 ng/mL. The recovery rates of TPNP-LFIA in serum samples varied from 99.96% to 108.13%, with coefficients of variation ≤6.24%. Hence, TPNP-LFIA has promising potential as a rapid and quantitative method for detecting KL-6., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Various surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensors offer powerful tools for the ultrasensitive detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor diagnosis. Despite their efficacy, the swift and precise preparation of SERS plasmonic nanostructures poses an ongoing challenge. In this study, we introduce DNA-assisted plasmonic nanostructures capable of producing dual signals and facilitating DNA Walker signal amplification, resulting in the development of a SERS/Fluorescent (FL) dual-mode cytosensor for CTCs detection. Firstly, Au@Ag nanoparticle multimers (Au@AgNMs) featuring interparticle nano-gaps were synthesized through DNA self-assembly and in-situ deposition, which provided plasmonic nanostructures. Hence, the nano-gap distance among Au@AgNMs was meticulously regulated after optimization to achieve both SERS enhancement and fluorescence quenching. Subsequently, the aptamer (Apt) of MUC1 recognized CTCs specifically for strand displacement reaction (SDR) and further triggered the DNA Walker reaction for signal amplification. The limit of detection (LOD) of proposed cytosensor can be obtained as low as 5 cells/mL in SERS mode and 21 cells/mL in FL mode. Hence, SERS mode confers highly precise information, while FL mode allow for rapid quantitative analysis. This dual-mode cytosensor based on plasmonic nanostructures facilitates the early detection and precise treatment of cancer or infectious diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mucin1 (MUC1) is a cell surface transmembrane protein overexpressed in multiple types of tumor cells, which is generally considered as a tumor-associated biomarker. Thus, quantifying and imaging of MUC1 in tumor cells is of great significance for the diagnosis and biological therapy of tumors. Herein, a fluorescence (FL) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) dual-mode biosensor was developed for sensitive detection and imaging of MUC1 in living cells. The FL-SERS biosensor was based on self-assembled satellite structures mediated by the competition of MUC1 and complementary DNA modified on Au nanostars (AuNS-cDNA-PEG) with aptamer modified on quantum dots (QD-PDDA-Apt). This biosensor achieved dual-mode quantification and imaging of MUC1 by quenching the FL signal of QD and significantly enhancing the SERS signal of PDDA through the metal FL quenching effect and hotspot effect of AuNS, respectively. The dual-mode biosensor exhibited high sensitivity to MUC1, with a detection limit of 1.19 fg/mL under FL mode and 1.16 fg/mL under SERS mode. Moreover, this biosensor displayed good selectivity, nice biological stability and low cytotoxicity. Importantly, this biosensor possessed an excellent MUC1 dual-mode imaging capability with high specificity in different tumor cells, providing a new idea for clinical diagnosis of tumors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest ■The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The screening of glycoprotein markers has become an integral part of the in vitro diagnosis of malignant tumors. Herein, an electrochemical method based on alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-mediated enzymatic silver deposition is reported for the highly sensitive detection of glycoprotein tumor markers, in which ALP enzymes are decorated to the glycan moieties of targets via the lectin-carbohydrate interactions. As glycoproteins are conjugated with multiple glycan chains, lectin-mediated labeling can result in the decoration of each target with multiple ALP enzymes. Moreover, the enzymatic hydrolysis of ascorbic acid 2-phosphate into ascorbic acid can result in the deposition of a high density of silver particles, which can then be sensitively assayed via the robust Ag/AgCl solid-state voltammetric process. As a result, the enzymatic silver deposition-based electrochemical method exhibits high sensitivity. Using the aptamer-based electrochemical detection of the breast cancer-associated glycoprotein CA15-3 as a proof of concept, a detection limit of 0.32 mU/mL has been demonstrated. Results show that the synergism of the aptamer-based capture and the glycoform-specific discrimination capability of the lectin-carbohydrate interactions can endow this method with high selectivity, and its practical use in the assay of CA15-3 levels in serum samples has been illustrated. With benefits from the high efficiency, mild reaction conditions, and user-friendly operation, the lectin-mediated labeling of ALP enzymes for enzymatic silver deposition is highly applicable to the electrochemical detection of low-abundance glycoprotein tumor markers.

Improvement in the sensitivity and accuracy of ECL-based biosensors, to a great extent, depends on the fabrication of high-performance electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors. Herein, polyethyleneimine (PEI)-grafted bimetallic ZnNi metal-organic framework (ZnNi-MOF/PEI) nanospheres were synthesized to prepare a L012-based ECL immunosensor for detecting carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3). The introduced PEI was utilized not only as a bridging element for L012 luminophore and detection antibody (Ab 2 ) immobilization but also as a co-reactant for generating the self-enhanced ZnNi-MOF/PEI-L012@Ab 2 ECL signal probe. Furthermore, Pt nanoparticle-functionalized CeO 2 nanorods (CeO 2 -Pt) featuring high-efficiency electrocatalytic properties, as a co-reaction accelerator, could catalyze H 2 O 2 to generate abundant reactive oxygen species (ROS), further augmenting the ECL signal of ZnNi-MOF/PEI-L012@Ab 2 . In the presence of CA15-3 antigen, the capture antibody (Ab 1 )-conjugated CeO 2 -Pt complex (CeO 2 -Pt@Ab 1 ) and ZnNi-MOF/PEI-L012@Ab 2 would get closer to each other, with the formation of a "signal-on" sandwich-type ECL immunosensor. The ZnNi-MOF-assisted ECL biosensor achieved a detection limit of down to 5.75✕10 -5 U mL -1 . This work shows distinguished potential for measuring low levels of biomarkers that may help in the clinical diagnosis of breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The Mucin1 (MUC1) protein, involved in cytoprotective and signaling pathways, is abnormally elevated in various cancers, making it a key cancer indicator. Exosomes, which reflect the status of their originating cells, offer potential for cancer diagnosis. Thus, developing a method to detect MUC1-positive exosomes is crucial for the early diagnosis of certain cancers. In this study, we developed a highly sensitive, specific, and simple UV-visible signal amplification method to detect MUC1-positive exosomes using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT). Initially, exosomes were captured on magnetic beads using a CD63 aptamer(apt). The Primer-AuNPs-MUC1 apt complex which we synthesized by low pH loading method was then attached MUC1 proteins on the surface of the exosomes to create a sandwich structure. TdT catalyzed the extension of Biotin-dATP at the 3' end of the primer, introducing multiple biotin sites into the sandwich structure. These sites subsequently bound multiple streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase (streptavidin-HRP), which catalyzed the oxidative color change of the substrate, which can be detected by colorimetric method. This method can detect A549 exosomes in the range of 1.4E+6 to 4.2E+8 particles/mL and shows high specificity for cell lines with different MUC1 expression. Additionally, it successfully distinguished cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients (n=11) from healthy individuals (n=7) in clinical serum assays, demonstrating good performance in real sample detection., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A dual-SERS encoding strategy was designed for in situ and in vivo evaluation of multiplex protein-specific glycosylation of tumors. The dual-SERS encoding strategy consisted of two pairs of dual gold nanoprobes with different diameters of 10 and 30 nm, which were encoded with four different and distinguishable Raman signal molecules. The 10 and 30 nm gold nanoprobes (Au10 and Au30 probes, respectively) were further modified with lectins and aptamers to recognize the target glycans and proteins, respectively. After sequential binding to the target glycans and proteins, the adjacent Au10 and Au30 probes could emit strong surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals to indicate the multiplex protein-specific glycosylation information on cells and in vivo, which can reveal in situ the distribution differences of different tumor markers in the central and marginal regions of tumors. This strategy has been successfully applied for in situ imaging and evaluation of the MUC1 and EpCAM-specific Sia and Gal/GalNAc information on cell surfaces and tumor xenografted mice, providing a convenient and powerful tool to study protein-specific glycosylation-related physiological and pathological mechanisms.

Exosomes have emerged as a promising noninvasive biomarker for early cancer diagnosis due to their ability to carry specific bioinformation related to cancer cells. However, accurate detection of trace amount of cancer-derived exosomes in complex blood remains a significant challenge. Herein, an ultra-highly sensitive SERS sensor, powered by the branched hybridization chain reaction (bHCR) and tetrahedral DNA-based trivalent aptamer (triApt-TDN), has been proposed for precise detection of cancer-derived exosomes. Taking gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells-derived exosomes as a test model, the triApt-TDNs were constructed by conjugating aptamers specific to mucin 1 (MUC1) protein with tetrahedral DNAs and subsequently immobilized on the surface of silver nanorods (AgNRs) arrays to create SERS-active sensing chips capable of specifically capturing exosomes overexpressing MUC1 proteins. The bHCR was further initiated by the trigger aptamers (tgApts) bound to exosomes, and as a result the SERS tags were assembled into AuNP network structures with abundant SERS hotspots. By optimizing the sensing conditions, the SERS sensor showed good performance in ultra-highly sensitive detection of target exosomes within 60 min detection time, with a broad response ranging of 1.44 to 1.44 × 10 4 particles·μL -1 and an ultralow limit of detection capable of detecting a single exosome in 2 μL sample. Furthermore, the SERS sensor exhibited good uniformity, repeatability and specificity, and capability to distinguish between gastric cancer (GC) patients and healthy controls (HC) through the detection of exosomes in clinical human serums, indicating its promising clinical potential for early diagnosis of gastric cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) is a critical biomarker for breast cancer, used to monitor disease severity and recurrence. Furthermore, its detection can be beneficial in post-operative treatment. Thus, biosensors that can track CA 15-3 levels in patients would provide useful data for disease monitoring. This study proposed molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) specific for CA 15-3 detection; furthermore, the synthesized nanoMIPs were combined with an electrochemical sensor for breast cancer monitoring. The CA 15-3-specific nanoMIPs were generated via solid-phase synthesis. For sensor fabrication, a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was decorated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and Au nanoparticles to improve the sensitivity. 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) enabled linking the synthesized CA 15-3-specific nanoMIPs to the electrode via the reaction with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC). Characterizations via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and the electrochemical method suggested the successful modification of the SPCE surface. Square wave voltammetry (SWV) was used to evaluate the sensor's performance in detecting CA 15-3. The sensor exhibited a wide detection range from 1 to 100 U/mL of CA 15-3 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.14 U/mL. The detection range covered the reference level (30 U/mL) of CA 15-3, allowing for distinguishing between healthy people and patients. The sensor allowed for the accurate and reliable determination of CA 15-3 concentrations in serum samples after pretreatment. In addition, the proposed sensor offers advantages in terms of easy fabrication and detection, low costs, and disposability. Therefore, it could serve as an alternative device for breast cancer monitoring., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Chutimon Akkapinyo reports financial support was provided by National Research Council of Thailand. Rungtiva P. Poo-arporn reports financial support was provided by Thailand Science Research and Innovation. Rungtiva P. Poo-arporn reports financial support was provided by National Science, Research and Innovation Fund. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Herein, a G-quadruplex-enriched DNA nanonetwork (GDN) self-assembled via Y-modules was designed to construct an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensing platform with low background for the detection of mucin 1 related to cancers. The single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) S1 converted from target mucin 1 could hybridize with ssDNA S2 and ssDNA S3 with split G-quadruplex fragments at ends to form Y-modules and self-assemble into a GDN, which can capture abundant electroactive substance hemin for a significant electrochemical signal. Impressively, compared with conventional G-quadruplex nanowires with low loading capacity and poor structural stability, the GDN assembled by Y-modules was able to load more signaling probes and obtain a more stable structure for the support of G-quadruplexes, thereby outputting a stronger and more stable electrochemical signal. Moreover, a complete G-quadruplex assembled from two split G-quadruplex effectively reduced the background signal and thus improved the signal-to-noise ratio for the sensitive detection of mucin 1. As a result, the constructed electrochemical biosensor based on GDN achieved ultrasensitive detection of target mucin 1 with a detection limit down to 0.15 fg mL -1 and was successfully applied to analyze mucin 1 in human serum samples, exhibiting great potential for protein biomarker analysis and clinical diagnosis of diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Exosomes represent optimal biomarkers for liquid biopsy. Current exosome-based methods are still limited by isolation methods, long processing times, complex structure, low accuracy, large sample volume consumption, and the influence of chemical reagents on the analysis results., Result: To overcome these challenges, a novel microfluidic approach that employs continuous, rapid, and efficient processes is proposed for the capture and enriching exosomes using the optical transparent antibody-conjugated microbeads within the chip. By interfering with laminar flow, increasing mass transfer efficiency, expanding the specific reaction area, and concentrating the fluorescent signal, the microbeads raise the sensitivity of the detection. Furthermore, multiple biomarkers of a single disease could be detected simultaneously by multi-color labeling with a single sample injection. This method required only 50 μL of plasma sample for detection within 35 min, demonstrating a low detection limit of 2.61 × 10 3 exosomes/μL, coupled with high reproducibility, stability, and specificity. We evaluated the diagnostic potential for breast cancer (BC) by analyzing plasma exosomes in samples from 15 patients with BC and 15 healthy individuals. The identification of total exosomes, EpCAM-positive exosomes, and MUC1-positive exosomes demonstrated a strong ability to distinguish between cancer patients and healthy individuals, as indicated by area under curve (AUC) values of 0.88, 0.98, and 0.99, respectively. The integrated multi-biomarker detection strategy achieved the highest of diagnostic accuracy and specificity (SUM, AUC = 1.0)., Significance: This study presents a novel exosome-based liquid biopsy strategy, which is expected to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of early diagnosis for cancer and other diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nowadays, rapid and facile diagnosis of cancer using user friendly processes has attracted much attention. In this regard, an electrochemical (EC) biosensor with high sensitivity was fabricated by merging MIL156 MOF@COF nanocomposite with Au nanoparticles for the detection of CA15-3. Herein, metal clusters of MIL-156 as a Metal organic frameworks (MOF) were coated by a crystalline covalent organic frameworks (COF) through covalent bonding and created core-shell-like structures. The active part of the working electrode was modified in two consecutive steps. First, MIL-156 MOF@COF and then Au nanoparticles were electrodeposited on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The porosity of nanocomposite has significantly increased the surface area and improved the conductivity. Au nanoparticles also form an acceptable substrate for bonding antibodies due to their high affinity with amino groups. In addition, Au nanoparticles amplify the EC signal of the biosensor with their undeniable conductivity. Nanocomposite was characterized with XRD, SEM, and EDAX techniques. To investigate the proposed biosensor, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used as an analytical technique. The CA15-3 calibration provided a linear range between concentrations of 30 and 100 nU/mL, thus expressing the powerful diagnostic potential of the designed biosensor. Furthermore, the suggested biosensor has been used in serum samples and discriminate breast cancer sufferers from healthy individuals with high confidence levels., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All patients were asked to complete the informed consent. All procedures of this study were approved by the Local Ethics Committee of Semnan University of Medical Sciences (IR.SEMUMS.REC.1402.218). All procedures were done under the declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The development of integrated analytical devices is crucial for advancing next-generation point-of-care platforms. Herein, we describe a facile synthesis of a strongly catalytic and durable Nitrogen-doped graphene oxide decorated platinum cobalt (NGO-PtCo) nanocomposite that is conjugated with target-specific DNA aptamer (i-e. MUC1) and grown on carbon fiber. Benefitting from the combined features of the high electrochemical surface area of N-doped GO, high capacitance and stabilization by Co, and high kinetic performance by Pt, a robust, multifunctional, and flexible nanotransducer surface was created. The designed platform was applied for the specific detection of a blood-based oncomarker, CA15-3. The electrochemical characterization proved that nanosurface provides a highly conductive and proficient immobilization support with a strong bio-affinity towards MUC1 aptamer. The specific interaction between CA15-3 and the aptamer alters the surface properties of the aptasensor and the electroactive signal probe generated a remarkable increase in signal intensity. The sensor exhibited a wide dynamic range of 5.0 × 10 -2 -200 U mL -1 , a low limit of detection (LOD) of 4.1 × 10 -2 U mL -1 , and good reproducibility. The analysis of spiked serum samples revealed outstanding recoveries of up to 100.03 %, by the proposed aptasensor. The aptasensor design opens new revelations in the reliable detection of tumor biomarkers for timely cancer diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Akhtar Hayat reports financial support was provided by COMSATS University Islamabad - Lahore Campus. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, an electrochemical biosensor based on a cadmium telluride/polypyrrole (CdTe/PPy) nanocomposite was developed for the detection of MUC1 with high selectivity and sensitivity. Results indicate that the CdTe/PPy nanocomposite is modified on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE), which affords a large surface area for immobilizing cap-DNA, ensuring its high selectivity and sensitivity. Next, CdTe-linked sig-DNA (MUC1 aptamer) was introduced, allowing the MUC1 aptamer to hybridize with cap-DNA. CdTe is a signal amplification element used to generate a differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) signal. Conceivably, target MUC1 detection was based on current signal change due to concentration change in the signal amplification element CdTe. In the presence of MUC1, the MUC1 aptamer specifically binds to MUC1, resulting in the release of CdTe-sig-DNA from the electrode surface and a decrease in peak current. Under optimized experimental conditions, the electrochemical biosensor is highly selective, sensitive, stable, and reproducible for MUC1 ranging from 0.1 nM to 100 nM with a detection limit of 0.05 nM (S/N = 3). Therefore, the electrochemical biosensor has potential applications in medical disease diagnosis.

Mucin 1 (MUC1) is frequently overexpressed in various cancers and is essential for early cancer detection. Current methods to detect MUC1 are expensive, time-consuming, and require skilled personnel. Therefore, developing a simple, sensitive, highly selective MUC1 detection sensor is necessary. In this study, we proposed a novel "signal-on-off" strategy that, in the presence of MUC1, synergistically integrates catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) with DNA tetrahedron (Td)-based nonlinear hybridization chain reaction (HCR) to enhance the immobilization of electrochemically active methylene blue (MB) on magnetic nanoparticles (MNP), marking the MB signal "on". Concurrently, the activation of CRISPR-Cas12a by isothermal amplification products triggers the cleavage of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) at the electrode surface, resulting in a reduction of MgAl-LDH@Fc-AuFe-MIL-101 (containing ferrocene, Fc) on the electrode, presenting the "signal-off" state. Both MB and MgAl-LDH@Fc-AuFe-MIL-101 electrochemical signals were measured and analyzed. Assay parameters were optimized, and sensitivity, stability, and linear range were assessed. Across a concentration spectrum of MUC1 spanning from 10 fg/mL to 100 ng/mL, the MB and MgAl-LDH@Fc-AuFe-MIL-101 signals were calibrated with each other, demonstrating a "signal-on-off" dual electrochemical signaling pattern. This allows for the precise and quantitative detection of MUC1 in clinical samples, offering significant potential for medical diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest I am authorized on behalf of all the authors of this article to confirm that no author has any conflict of interest to disclose, all authors have approved the version submitted for publication, the work in this article is original and has not been published previously, and the article is not under consideration by any other journal., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Although circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have demonstrated considerable importance in liquid biopsy, their detection is limited by low concentrations and complex sample components. Herein, we developed a homogeneous, simple, and high-sensitivity strategy targeting breast cancer cells. This method was based on a non-immunological stepwise centrifugation preprocessing approach to isolate CTCs from whole blood. Precise quantification is achieved through the specific binding of aptamers to the overexpressed mucin 1 (MUC1) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) proteins of breast cancer cells. Subsequently, DNAzyme cleavage and parallel catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) reactions on the cholesterol-stacking DNA machine were initiated, which opened the hairpin structures T-Hg 2+ -T and C-Ag + -C, enabling multiple amplifications. This leads to the fluorescence signal reduction from Hg 2+ -specific carbon dots (CDs) and CdTe quantum dots (QDs) by released ions. This strategy demonstrated a detection performance with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3 cells/mL and a linear range of 5-100 cells/mL. 42 clinical samples have been validated, confirming their consistency with clinical imaging, pathology findings and the folate receptor (FR)-PCR kit results, exhibiting desirable specificity of 100% and sensitivity of 80.6%. These results highlight the promising applicability of our method for diagnosing and monitoring breast cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) is a group of lung disorders characterized by interstitial lung thickening due to inflammatory and fibrotic processes. Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is a molecule secreted by damaged type II alveolar pneumocytes in the alveolar space. The goal of the present study was to compare two detection methods of KL-6 in both bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum from ILD patients at the moment of diagnosis., Methods: Patients with suspicious of ILD and followed at two Italian referral centres for rare lung diseases were included in the study. BAL fluid and serum were collected and analysed by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) and fluorescent enzyme immunoassay (FEIA) methods provided by Tosoh Biosciences., Results: A total of 158 (mean age ± standard deviation, 61.5 ± 13.7, 65 females) patients were enrolled. A total of, 36 had diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), 74 sarcoidosis, 15 connective tissue disease-ILD (CTD-ILD) and 33 other ILD. Diagnostic agreement between two methods was demonstrated for both BAL (r = 0.707, p < 0.0001) and serum (r = 0.816, p < 0.0001). BAL KL-6 values were lower than serum (p < 0.0001). IPF patients had higher serum KL-6 concentration than other ILDs (p = 0.0294), while BAL KL-6 values were lower in IPF than in non-IPF (p = 0.0023)., Conclusion: This study explored KL-6 concentrations through the CLEIA method in serum and BAL of patients with various ILDs, showing significant differences of biomarkers concentrations between IPF and other non-IPF ILDs. Our findings are promising as they provided further knowledge concerning KL-6 expression across different ILDs and may suggest its utility in differential diagnosis., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

While it is recognized that early diagnosis of cancer-related biomarkers can become an effective avenue for timely treatment and successfully improve patient survival, it remains challenging to get accurate inspection results. Currently, most reported cancer biomarker sensing methods are focused on the quantitative detection of a single type of biomarker, which makes accurate medical diagnostics difficult. In this work, we constructed a DNA walker nanomachine aptasensor based on gold nanoparticles for the simultaneous sensing of dual cancer biomarkers. The aptamers, labelled with a fluorophore, hybridized with complementary strands on the gold nanoparticle surface, serve as a walking track. Target analytes bind to their specific aptamers, leading to the dissociation of the unstable double-strand spherical nucleic acid. Exonuclease I (Exo I) selectively digested the aptamers bound with the target analytes, then the released targets go back to the next apamers on the gold nanopareticles surface for walking. The use of spherical nucleic acid probes improved the sensitivity of analyte detection. Exo I provided a driving power for target recycling and considerably improved the sensitivity of the aptasensor as well. The DNA walker nanomachine aptasensor was successfully applied for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the range of 0.167 to 3.34 ng mL -1 , and mucin-1 (MUC-1) in the same range. Moreover, we used the two aptamers to construct the DNA walker nanomachine and achieved the simultaneous detection of CEA and MUC-1, thus having great potential for biomolecular logic gate construction and early disease diagnosis.

Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) is a crucial marker used in the diagnosis and monitoring of breast cancer (BC). The demand for early and precise cancer detection has grown, making the creation of biosensors that are highly sensitive and specific essential. This review paper provides a thorough examination of the progress made in optical and electrochemical biosensors for detecting the cancer biomarker CA 15-3. We focus on explaining their fundamental principles, sensitivity, specificity, and potential for point-of-care applications. The performance attributes of these biosensors are assessed by considering their limits of detection, reaction times, and operational stability, while also making comparisons to conventional methods of CA 15-3 detection. In addition, we explore the incorporation of nanomaterials and innovative transducer components to improve the performance of biosensors. This paper conducts a thorough examination of recent studies to identify the existing obstacles. It also suggests potential areas for future research in this fast progressing field.The paper provides insights into their advancement and utilization to enhance patient outcomes. Both categories of biosensors provide significant promise for the detection of CA 15-3 and offer distinct advantages compared to conventional analytical approaches., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study developed an innovative biosensor strategy for the sensitive and selective detection of canine mammary tumor biomarkers, cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) and mucin 1 (MUC-1), integrating green silver nanoparticles (GAgNPs) with machine learning (ML) algorithms to achieve high diagnostic accuracy and potential for noninvasive early detection. The GAgNPs-enhanced electrochemical biosensor demonstrated selective detection of CA 15-3 in serum and MUC-1 in tissue homogenates, with limits of detection (LODs) of 0.07 and 0.11 U mL -1 , respectively. The nanoscale dimensions of the GAgNPs endowed them with electrochemically active surface areas, facilitating sensitive biomarker detection. Experimental studies targeted CA 15-3 and MUC-1 biomarkers in clinical samples, and the biosensor exhibited ease of use and good selectivity. Furthermore, ML algorithms were employed to analyze the electrochemical data and predict biomarker concentrations, enhancing the diagnostic accuracy. The Random Forest algorithm achieved 98% accuracy in tumor presence prediction, while an Artificial Neural Network attained 76% accuracy in CA 15-3-based tumor grade classification. The integration of ML techniques with the GAgNPs-based biosensor offers a promising approach for noninvasive, accurate, and early detection of canine mammary tumors, potentially revolutionizing veterinary diagnostics. This multilayered strategy, combining eco-friendly nanomaterials, electrochemical sensing, and ML algorithms, holds significant potential for advancing both biomedical research and clinical practice in the field of canine mammary tumor diagnostics., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Exosomes, as novel biomarker for liquid biopsy, exhibit huge important potential value for cancer diagnosis. However, various proteins show different expression levels on exosomal membrane, and the absolute concentration of exosomes in clinical samples is easily influenced by a number of factors. Here, we developed a CRISPR/Cas12a and aptamer-chemiluminescence based analysis (CACBA) for the relative abundance determination of tumor-related protein positive exosomes in plasma for breast cancer diagnosis. The total concentration of exosomes was determined through captured CD63 using a CRISPR/Cas12a-based method with the LoD of 8.97 × 10 3 particles/μl. Meanwhile, EpCAM and MUC1 positive exosomes were quantitatively detected by aptamer-chemiluminescence (ACL) based method with the LoD of 1.45 × 10 2 and 3.73 × 10 2 particles/μl, respectively. It showed that the percentages of EpCAM and MUC1 positive exosomes offered an excellent capability to differentiate breast cancer patients and healthy donors. The high sensitivity, strong specificity, outstanding anti-interference capability, and steady recovery rate of this approach offered higher accuracy and robustness than the commercialized method in clinical trial. In addition with good stability, easy preparation and low cost, this method not only provides a new approach to rapid analysis of exosome proteins, it may be quickly extended to the diagnoses of various cancers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) reflect the genotype and phenotype of original cells and are biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of tumors. Yet, their small size and low density make them difficult to isolate and detect in body fluid samples. This study proposes a novel acDEP-Exo chip filled with transparent micro-beads, which formed a non-uniform electrical field, and finally achieved rapid, sensitive, and tunable sEVs capture and detection. The method requires only 20-50 μL of sample, achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 161 particles/μL, and can detect biomarkers within 13 min. We applied the chip to analyze the two markers of sEV's EpCAM and MUC1 in clinical plasma samples from breast cancer (BC) patients and healthy volunteers and found that the combined evaluation of sEV's biomarkers has extremely high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. The present study introduces an alternative approach to sEVs isolation and detection, has a great potential in real-time sEVs-based liquid biopsy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A label-free optical sandwich immunoassay sensor, utilizing weak value amplification and total internal reflection, was devised for real-time, high-sensitivity analysis and detection of low-concentration targets. 3D printed channels and sodium chloride solution were employed to ensure reproducibility, reliability, and stability of the measurements for calibration. The sandwich structure demonstrated enhanced responsiveness in the proposed optical biosensor through a comparative analysis of the direct assay and sandwich assay for detecting alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) at the same concentration. By optimizing the binding sequences of the coating antibody, target, and detection antibody in the sandwich method, a more suitable sandwich sensing approach based on weak value amplification was achieved. With this approach, the limit of detection (LOD) of 6.29 ng/mL (pM level) for AFP in PBS solution was achieved. AFP testing and regeneration experiments in human serum have proved the feasibility of our methods in detecting complex samples and the reusability of sensing chips. Additionally, the method demonstrated excellent selectivity for unpaired antigens. The efficacy of this methodology was evaluated by simultaneously detecting AFP, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and CA15-3 on a singular sensor chip. In conclusion, the label-free sandwich immunoassay sensing scheme holds promise for advancing the proposed optical sensors based on weak value amplification in early diagnosis and prevention applications. Compared to other biomarker detection methods, it will be easier to promote in practical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Abstract: Superficial anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged myxoid spindle cell neoplasm (SAMS) is a recently described entity which coexpresses ALK, CD34, and commonly S100. These neoplasms are characterized morphologically by concentric spindle cell whorls and cords and are commonly set in an abundant myxoid to myxocollagenous stroma, thus mimicking perineurioma or hybrid nerve sheath tumor. EMA immunostain has been reported to be negative in SAMS which helps in excluding the latter entities. Herein, we report the first EMA-positive SAMS of the right leg in a 37-year-old female patient masquerading as perineurioma/hybrid nerve sheath tumor. The tumor morphologically was comprised of spindle cells arranged in loose whorls and short fascicles set in myxoid to collagenous stroma and coexpressed CD34 and EMA, reminiscent of perineurioma. S100 showed focal staining. ALK immunostain was subsequently performed and was positive. ALK gene rearrangement was identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization break-apart assay and was further confirmed by next-generation sequencing-based RNA sequencing demonstrating FLNA::ALK fusion, thus supporting the diagnosis of SAMS. In conclusion, EMA can be expressed in SAMS, thus posing as a diagnostic pitfall. ALK immunostain and molecular studies are essential for confirming the diagnosis of SAMS and excluding potential mimickers, particularly perineurioma or hybrid nerve sheath tumor., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The serum markers Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), surfactant protein A (SP-A), and surfactant protein D (SP-D) have been used for the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and prognosis prediction of interstitial pneumonia. However, the significance of measuring the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) KL-6, SP-D, and SP-A levels in predicting the prognosis of chronic fibrosing interstitial pneumonia (CFIP), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the significance of measuring the serum and BALF KL-6, SP-A, and SP-D levels in predicting the prognosis of patients with CFIP., Methods: Among 173 patients who were diagnosed with CFIP between September 2008 and February 2021, 39 who underwent bronchoalveolar lavage were included in this study. Among these, patients experiencing an annual decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) of ≥10% or those facing challenges in undergoing follow-up pulmonary function tests owing to significant deterioration in pulmonary function were categorized as the rapidly progress group. Conversely, individuals with an annual decrease in the FVC of <10% were classified into the slowly progress group. The serum and BALF KL-6, SP-D, and SP-A levels, as well as BALF/serum SP-D and SP-A ratios were compared between the two groups., Results: Among the patients with CFIP, the BALF SP-D level (p=0.0111), BALF SP-A level (p<0.0010), BALF/serum SP-D ratio (p=0.0051), and BALF/serum SP-A ratio (p<0.0010) were significantly lower in the rapidly than in the slowly progress group (p<0.0010). The receiver operating characteristics analysis results demonstrated excellent performance for diagnosing patients with CFIP, with the BALF SP-D level (area under the curve [AUC], 0.7424), BALF SP-A level (AUC, 0.8842), BALF/serum SP-D ratio (AUC, 0.7673), and BALF/serum SP-A ratio (AUC, 0.8556). Moreover, the BALF SP-A level showed a notably superior CFIP diagnostic capability. Survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method revealed that patients with a BALF SP-A level of <1500 ng/mL and BALF/serum SP-A ratio of <15.0 had poor prognoses., Conclusions: Our results suggest that BALF SP-A measurement may be useful for predicting the prognosis in patients with CFIP., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Bacteria inherently possess the capability of quorum sensing in response to the environment. In this work, we have proposed a strategy to confer bacteria with the ability to recognize targets with quorum-sensing behavior. Meanwhile, we have successfully achieved artificial control over the target-triggered aggregation of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) by modifying the bacteria surface in a new way. Furthermore, by making use of green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressed by E. coli as the output signal, the aggregation of modified E. coli can be observed with the naked eye. Therefore, via the detection of the target, MUC1, an ovarian cancer biomarker, a simple and conveniently operated method to diagnose ovarian cancer is developed in this work. Experimental results show that the developed low-background and enzyme-free amplification method enables the highly sensitive detection of MUC1, achieving a remarkable limit of detection (LOD) of 5.47 fM and a linear detection range spanning from 1 pM to 50 nM and 50 nM to 100 nM, respectively. Clinical samples from healthy donors and patients can give distant assay results, showing great potential for clinical applications of this method.

Mucin 1 is an essential tumor biomarker, and developing cost-effective and portable methods for mucin 1 detection is crucial in resource-limited settings. Herein, the pH-regulated dual-enzyme mimic activities of manganese dioxide nanosheets were demonstrated, which were integrated into an aptasensor for dual-mode detection of mucin 1. Under acidic conditions, manganese dioxide nanosheets with oxidase mimic activities catalyzed the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine sulfate, producing visible multicolor signals; while under basic conditions, manganese dioxide nanosheets with catalase mimic activities were used as catalyst for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, generating gas pressure signals. The proposed method allows the naked eye detection of mucin 1 through multicolor signal readout and the quantitative detection of mucin 1 with a handheld pressure meter or a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The study demonstrates that manganese dioxide nanosheets with pH-regulated dual-enzyme mimic activities can facilitate multidimensional transducing signals. The use of manganese dioxide nanosheets for the transduction of different signals avoids extra labels and simplifies the operation procedures. Besides, the signal readout mode can be selected according to the available detection instruments. Therefore, the use of manganese dioxide nanosheets with pH-regulated dual-enzyme mimic activities for dual-signal readout provides a new way for mucin 1 detection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Accurate and sensitive detection of disease-associated proteins in early stage of patients plays an important role in timely treatment and successfully extending patients' lives. To meet this demand, we herein rationally designed a flexible target-induced DNA nanomachine operation (TIDNMO) sensor for the detection of proteins. The TIDNMO system was composed of DNA nanoswitch and DNA walker. Triplex DNA nanoswitch was triggered by specific target, followed by the release of the walking strand, which initiated the DNA walker amplification as signal output. In addition, the Exo III could drive walking strand autonomously move on gold nanoparticle surface to realize 2 orders of magnitude signal amplification. What's more, this sensor could transform its suitable functional recognition element of DNA nanoswitch to recognize other specific molecule and realize different targets sensing based on identical walking tracks. Considering the facile reporter elements and efficient amplification performance, the present DNA nanomachine as a sensor could achieve a detection limit of 68 pM for anti-Dig antibody, 0.95 pM for mucin-1 respectively, along with a superb specificity. Furthermore, the method reported here opened a new chapter in disease-related protein sensing for the development of clinical early diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mucin 1 is a significant tumor marker, and developing portable and cost-effective methods for its detection is crucial, especially in resource-limited areas. Herein, we developed an innovative approach for mucin 1 detection using a visible multicolor aptasensor. Urease-encapsulated DNA microspheres were used to mediate multicolor change facilitated by the color mixing of the mixed pH indicator, a mixed methyl red and bromocresol green solution. Distinct color changes were exhibited in response to varying mucin 1 concentrations. Notably, the color mixing of the mixed pH indicator was used to display various hues of colors, broadening the range of color variation. And color tonality is much easier to differentiate than color intensity, improving the resolution with naked-eyes. Besides, the variation of color from red to green (a pair of complementary colors) enhanced the color contrast, heightening sensitivity for visual detection. Importantly, the proposed method was successfully applied to detect mucin 1 in real samples, demonstrating a clear differentiation of colors between the samples of healthy individuals and breast cancer patients. The use of a mixed pH indicator as a multichromatic substrate offers the merits of low cost, fast response to pH variation, and plentiful color-evolution. And the incorporation of calcium carbonate microspheres to encapsulate urease ensures stable urease activity and avoids the need for extra urease decoration. The color-mixing dependent strategy opens a new way for multicolor detection of MUC1, characterized by vivid color changes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mucin1 (MUC1) is an extensively glycosylated transmembrane protein that is widely distributed and overexpressed on the surface of cancer cells, playing an important role in tumor occurrence and metastasis. Therefore, highly sensitive detection of MUC1 is of great significance for early diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognosis of cancer. Here, an ultra-sensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform was developed based on an aptamer amplification strategy for highly selective and sensitive detection of MUC1 overexpressed in serum and on cancer cell surfaces. The sensing platform utilized copper phthalocyanine to fabricate porous organic polymers (CuPc POPs), and was effectively integrated with g-C 3 N 4 /MXene to form a ternary heterojunction material (g-C 3 N 4 /MXene/CuPc POPs). This material effectively improved electron transfer capability, significantly enhanced light utilization, and greatly enhanced photoelectric conversion efficiency, resulting in a dramatic increase in photocurrent response. MUC1 aptamer 1 was immobilized on a chitosan-modified photoelectrode for the selective capture of MUC1 or MCF-7 cancer cells. When the target substance was present, MUC1 aptamer 2 labeled with methylene blue (MB) was specifically adsorbed on the electrode surface, leading to enhanced photocurrent. The concentration of MUC1 directly correlated with the number of MB molecules attracted to the electrode surface, establishing a linear relationship between photocurrent intensity and MUC1 concentration. The PEC biosensor exhibited excellent sensitivity for MUC1 detection with a wide detection range from 1 × 10 -7 to 10 ng/mL and a detection limit of 8.1 ag/mL. The detection range for MCF-7 cells was from 2 × 10 1 to 2 × 10 6  cells/mL, with the capability for detecting single MCF-7 cells. The aptamer amplification strategy significantly enhanced PEC performance, and open up a promising platform to establish high selectivity, stability, and ultrasensitive analytical techniques., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, a colorimetric aptasensor based on magnetic beads (MBs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP) was prepared for the detection of mucin 1 (MUC1). Complementary DNA of the MUC1 aptamer (Apt) immobilized on the MBs was combined with the prepared AuNPs-Apt-HRP complex (AuNPs@Apt-HRP). In the presence of MUC1, it specifically bound to Apt, resulting in the detachment of gold nanoparticles from the MBs. After magnetic separation, AuNPs@Apt-HRP was separated into the supernatant and reacted with 3,3',5,5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to produce color reaction from colorless to blue. The linear range of MUC1 was from 75 to 500 μg/mL (R 2  = 0.9878), and the detection limit was 41.95 μg/mL. The recovery rate of MUC1 in human serum was 99.18 %∼101.15 %. This method is simple and convenient. Moreover, it does not require complex and expensive equipment for detection of MUC1. It provides value for the development of MUC1 colorimetric sensors and a promising strategy for the determination of MUC1 in clinical diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The development of an ultrasensitive and precise measurement of a breast cancer biomarker (cancer antigen 15-3; CA15-3) in complex human serum is essential for the early diagnosis of cancer in groups of healthy populations and the treatment of patients. However, currently available testing technologies suffer from insufficient sensitivity toward CA15-3, which severely limits early large-scale screening of breast cancer patients. We report a versatile electrochemical immunoassay method based on atomically cobalt-dispersed nitrogen-doped carbon (Co-NC)-modified disposable screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and its metabolite, ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AAP), as the electrochemical labeling and redox signaling unit for sensitive detection of low-abundance CA15-3. During electrochemical detection by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), it was found that the Co-NC-SPCE electrode did not have a current signal response to the AAP substrate; however, it had an extremely favorable response current to ascorbic acid (AA). Based on the above principle, the target CA15-3-triggered immunoassay enriched ALP-catalyzed AAP produces a large amount of AA, resulting in a significant change in the system current signal, thereby realizing the highly sensitive detection of CA15-3. Under the optimal AAP substrate concentration and ALP catalysis time, the Co-NC-SPCE-based electrochemical immunoassay demonstrated a good DPV current for CA15-3 in the assay interval of 1.0 mU/mL to 10,000 mU/mL, with a calculated limit of detection of 0.38 mU/mL. Since Co-NC-SPCE has an excellent DPV current response to AA and employs split-type scheme, the constructed electrochemical immunoassay has the merits of high preciseness and anti-interference, and its clinical diagnostic results are comparable to those of commercial kits., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Timely identification of cancers is pivotal in optimizing treatment efficacy and reducing their widespread impact. This study introduces a novel biosensor for the sensitive electrochemical detection of cancer cells overexpressing mucin 1 (MUC1), a well-established model for breast cancer. The sensor substrate comprises gold columnar nanostructures obtained through glancing angle deposition (GLAD) of copper nanostructures, subsequently replaced by gold via a facile galvanic replacement process. Functionalizing these gold nanostructures with aptamers targeting the MUC1 glycoproteins, a prominent cancer biomarker, enables specific recognition of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The proposed electrochemical sensing platform offers several advantages, including high selectivity, a wide linear range of detection, a low detection limit of 30 cells per mL, and long-term stability, rendering this sensor highly desirable for definitive breast cancer diagnosis.

In situ monitoring of cell secretions and communications plays a fundamental role in screening of disease diagnostic biomarkers and drugs. Quantitative detection of cell secretions and monitoring of intercellular communication have been separately reported, which often rely on target labeling or complex pretreatment steps, inevitably causing damage to the target. Simultaneous in situ noninvasive detection of cell secretions and monitoring of intercellular communication are challenging and have never been reported. Herein, we smartly developed a portable device for in situ label-free monitoring of cell secretions and communications with fluorescence and ion-transport-based nanochannel electrochemistry. Based on the dual signal mode, a series of nonelectroactive secretions were sensitively and accurately quantified. The detection limits for VEGF, MUC1, and ATP were 3.84 pg/mL, 32.7 pg/mL, and 47.4 fM (3σ/ S ), which were 1/3.9, 1/1.1, and 1/41 of those of commercial ELISA kits, respectively. More interestingly, under the released secretions, the gradual opening of the nanochannel connected the two cells in the left and right chambers of the device; thus, the secretion mediated intercellular communication can be monitored. The proposed platform may provide a promising tool for understanding the mechanism of intercellular communication and discovering new therapeutic targets.

Breast cancer poses the significance of early diagnosis and treatment. Here, we developed an innovative photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor characterized by high-level dual photocurrent signals and exceptional sensitivity. The PEC sensor, denoted as MIL&Ag 2 S, was constructed by incorporating Ag 2 S into a metal-organic framework of MIL-101(Cr). This composite not only enhanced electron-hole separation and conductivity but also yielded robust and stable dual photocurrent signals. Through the implementation of signal switching, we achieved the combined detection of cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) with outstanding stability, reproducibility, and specificity. The results revealed a linear range for CEA detection spanning 0.01-32 ng/mL, with a remarkably low detection limit of 0.0023 ng/mL. Similarly, for CA15-3 detection, the linear range extended from 0.1 to 320 U/mL, with a low detection limit of 0.014 U/mL. The proposed strategy introduces new avenues for the development of highly efficient, cost-effective, and user-friendly PEC sensors. Furthermore, it holds promising prospects for early clinical diagnosis, contributing to potential breakthroughs in medical detection and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

We report an ultrasensitive sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor to detect the breast cancer biomarker CA 15-3. Amine-functionalized composite of reduced graphene oxide and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (MRGO-NH 2 ) was used as an electrochemical sensing platform material to modify the electrodes. The nanocomposite comprising Pt and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs) anchored on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Pt-Fe 3 O 4 -MWCNTs-NH 2 ) was utilized as a pseudoenzymatic signal-amplifying label. Compared to reduced graphene oxide, the composite MRGO-NH 2 platform material demonstrated a higher electrochemical signal. In the Pt-Fe 3 O 4 -MWCNTs-NH 2 label, multiwalled carbon nanotubes provided the substratum to anchor abundant catalytic Pt and Fe 3 O 4 NPs. The nanocomposites were thoroughly characterized using transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An electroanalytical study and prevalidation of the immunosensor was carried out. The immunosensor exhibited exceptional capabilities in detecting CA 15-3, offering a wider linear range of 0.0005-100 U mL -1 and a lower detection limit of 0.00008 U mL -1 . Moreover, the designed immunosensor showed good specificity, reproducibility, and acceptable stability. The sensor was successfully applied to analyze samples from breast cancer patients, yielding reliable results.

Accurate classification of tumor cells is of importance for cancer diagnosis and further therapy. In this study, we develop multimolecular marker-activated transmembrane DNA computing systems (MTD). Employing the cell membrane as a native gate, the MTD system enables direct signal output following simple spatial events of "transmembrane" and "in-cell target encounter", bypassing the need of multistep signal conversion. The MTD system comprises two intelligent nanorobots capable of independently sensing three molecular markers (MUC1, EpCAM, and miR-21), resulting in comprehensive analysis. Our AND-AND logic-gated system (MTD AND-AND ) demonstrates exceptional specificity, allowing targeted release of drug-DNA specifically in MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, the transformed OR-AND logic-gated system (MTD OR-AND ) exhibits broader adaptability, facilitating the release of drug-DNA in three positive cancer cell lines (MCF-7, HeLa, and HepG2). Importantly, MTD AND-AND and MTD OR-AND , while possessing distinct personalized therapeutic potential, share the ability of outputting three imaging signals without any intermediate conversion steps. This feature ensures precise classification cross diverse cells (MCF-7, HeLa, HepG2, and MCF-10A), even in mixed populations. This study provides a straightforward yet effective solution to augment the versatility and precision of DNA computing systems, advancing their potential applications in biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic research.

This work presents a novel approach for tailoring molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with a preliminary stage of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), for a more precise definition of the imprinted cavity. A well-defined copolymer of acrylamide and N , N '-methylenebisacrylamide (PAAm-co-PMBAm) was synthesized by ATRP and applied to gold electrodes with the template, followed by a crosslinking reaction. The template was removed from the polymer matrix by enzymatic/chemical action. The surface modifications were monitored via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), having the MIP polymer as a non-conducting film designed with affinity sites for CA15-3. The resulting biosensor exhibited a linear response to CA15-3 log concentrations from 0.001 to 100 U/mL in PBS or in diluted fetal bovine serum (1000×) in PBS. Compared to the polyacrylamide (PAAm) MIP from conventional free-radical polymerization, the ATRP-based MIP extended the biosensor's dynamic linear range 10-fold, improving low concentration detection, and enhanced the signal reproducibility across units. The biosensor demonstrated good sensitivity and selectivity. Overall, the work described confirmed that the process of radical polymerization to build an MIP material influences the detection capacity for the target substance and the reproducibility among different biosensor units. Extending this approach to other cancer biomarkers, the methodology presented could open doors to a new generation of MIP-based biosensors for point-of-care disease diagnosis.

Squamoid eccrine ductal carcinoma (SEDC) is a cutaneous adnexal malignancy that is histologically challenging to distinguish from squamous cell carcinoma. We report three cases of this rare entity and review the present literature regarding clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical features. Patients presented with a single nodule or plaque lesion on their back and temple. The shave biopsies for Patient A and C were interpreted as SEDC. Patient B's initial shave biopsy was interpreted as probable surface of squamous cell carcinoma, and subsequent excision revealed SEDC. Ductal differentiation was confirmed by positive expression of epithelial membrane antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen immunostains in all three patients. Review of the 67 previously reported cases emphasizes the importance of diagnosing SEDC accurately and promptly given its potential for distant metastasis and mortality. Perineural or lymphatic invasion is associated with higher rate of recurrence or metastasis. There should be high pathologic suspicion for SEDC in an elderly patient presenting with a palpable lesion, even if located outside of the head and neck area, particularly when there is suggestion of ductal differentiation in a sample of a squamous neoplasm.

A homogeneous rapid (45 min) one-pot electrochemical (EC) aptasensor was established to quantitatively detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in lung cancer patients using mucin 1 as a marker. The core of this study is that the three single-stranded DNA (Y1, Y2, and Y3) could be hybridized to form Y-shaped DNA (Y-DNA) and further self-assemble to form DNA nanosphere. The aptamer of mucin 1 could be complementary and paired with Y1, thus disrupting the conformation of the DNA nanosphere. When mucin 1 was present, the aptamer combined specifically with mucin 1, thus preserving the DNA nanosphere structure. Methylene blue (MB) acted as a signal reporter, which could be embedded between two base pairs in the DNA nanosphere to form a DNA nanosphere-MB complex, reducing free MB and resulting in a lower electrochemical signal. The results demonstrated that the linear ranges for mucin 1 and A549 cells were 1 ag/mL-1 fg/mL and 1-100 cells/mL, respectively, with minimum detectable concentrations were 1 ag/mL and 1 cell/mL, respectively. The quantitative analysis of CTCs in 44 clinical blood samples was performed, and the results were consistent with the computerized tomography (CT) images, pathological findings and folate receptor-polymerase chain reaction (FR-PCR) kits. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve exhibited an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.970. The assay revealed 100% specificity and 94.1% sensitivity. It is believed that this electrochemical aptasensor could provide a new approach to detect CTCs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein commonly expressed in epithelial cells with stable levels and polarized distribution. Their expression levels and spatial distribution abnormally altered during oncogenesis and play tumor-promoting roles synergistically. We herein propose a magnetic DNAzyme walker (MDW) for both in-situ imaging and sensitive detection of MUC1. This MDW was constructed by modifying specially designed track strands (TSs) and walking strands (WSs) on a streptavidin magnetic bead (SA-MB). The TSs contained cleavage sites for DNAzymes and were labeled with Cy3 at free ends. The WSs contained DNAzyme sequences and were firstly blocked by hybridizing with Cy5-labeled aptamers of MUC1. The DNAzymes were unlocked upon aptamers binding to MUC1 on cells. MDWs were then transferred to a buffer suitable for DNAzyme action, where the unlocked DNAzymes cleaved multiple TSs, releasing amplified Cy3-fragments, which were separated from the uncleaved ones by magnetic separation. In-situ imaging of MUC1 were achieved by the fluorescence of Cy5 on aptamers bound to MUC1. Sensitive detection of MUC1 were achieved by the amplified fluorescence of released Cy3. In-situ imaging and walker operation for detection were triggered by the same targets at the same time, ensuring the signals are real-time correlative. Moreover, MDWs' operation was separated from cells, reducing interference between imaging and detection. The proposed MDW offers a potential approach for comprehensive analysis of MUC1 in early diagnosis and progression assessment of tumor., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mucin 1 (MUC1) is usually overexpressed in a variety of malignant tumors, and quantitative analysis of MUC1 plays an important role in the early diagnosis of cancer. In this work, a highly sensitive MUC1 assay was developed by integrating microchip electrophoresis (MCE) with target recycling amplification (TRA) and strand displacement amplification (SDA). Specifically, the presence of MUC1 can trigger the exposure of the designed hairpin probe (HP) to initiate SDA and an amplified amount of ssDNA is produced finally. The amount of these ssDNA can be detected by MCE, then the concentration of MUC1 can be obtained through the correlation between MUC1 concentration and ssDNA concentration. The experimental results show that the MCE signal had a good linear relationship with MUC1 concentration in the range of 1.0 pg/mL - 1.0 × 10 3 pg/mL with a low limit of detection of 0.23 pg/mL under the optimal conditions (S/N = 3). Additionally, the assay had been successfully applied to detect MUC1 in biological samples with satisfactory results, providing an alternative assay for the detection of other tumor markers owing to the high sensitivity, high selectivity, simple operation and low sample consumption., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Intelligently walking DNA nanomachines have sprung up an upsurge in various nucleic acid testing, but the rapid and sensitive test methods toward disease biomarker proteins based on the signal amplification strategy of DNA nanomachines were still ongoing development. In this work, an electrochemical aptasensor coupling the magnetic separation technique with the nuclease-powered walking DNA nanomachine was established for Mucin 1 (MUC1) detection. The magnetic beads (MBs) were modified by MUC1 aptamer hybridized with blocker DNA probe (BDP). After reacting with MUC1 proteins, the BDP was released from MBs to trigger the opening of capture hairpin DNA on Au nanoparticle (Au NPs)/MXene-modified electrode surface. In the presence of exonuclease III (Exo III), the BDP as a DNA walker is activated to autonomously move on the electrode. Then, lots of residual DNA fragments can still stay on electrode, further hybridizing with hairpin DNA, which can capture more UiO-66-NH 2 metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The amounts of ligands in MOFs can generate enhanced differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) signal probes. Furthermore, the concentrations of MUC1 can convert into the amplified DPV signals by introducing the signal amplification between the BDP as DNA walkers and Exo III as driven forces. This proposed electrochemical aptasensor achieved MUC1 detection ranging from 5 pg/mL to 50 ng/mL with detection limit of 0.72 pg/mL. Consequently, the designed and nuclease-powered walking DNA nanomachine provided an efficient strategy for the quantitative analysis of proteins by the interconversion between protein and BDP as a walker, which exhibited practical applicability of MUC1 detection in human serum., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background/aim: The aim of the present investigation was to characterize the growth pattern and antigen profile of peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNST) in a large series of tumors obtained from patients with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) focusing on morphological characteristics of diffuse plexiform neurofibroma (DPNF)., Materials and Methods: Tissue micro-array (TMA) analysis was applied to study 520 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human PNST of 385 patients with confirmed NF1 diagnosis. PNST originated from all areas of the body and were classified as cutaneous neurofibroma (CNF, n=114), diffuse neurofibroma (DNF, n=109), DPNF (n=108), plexiform neurofibroma (PNF, n=110), and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST, n=22). Histomorphology and antigen expression patterns of the tumors were determined [S100, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), CD90, mast cell tryptase, and neurofilament]., Results: Benign PNST showed significantly more S100-positive tumor cells than MPNST (p<0.001). EMA expression was most pronounced in perineurium of DPNF. The number of mast cells in CNF, DNF and DPNF was significantly higher compared to PNF and MPNST (p<0.001 for both comparisons, Mann-Whitney U-test)., Conclusion: DPNF show some distinct cellular characteristics. A high number of EMA positive cells possibly indicates the dissemination of perineural cells to the surrounding tissue. Concerning mast cell density, DPNF resemble DNF and CNS rather than PNF. Close contact of tumor cells in DPNF, DNF and CNF with the immune system is a prerequisite for permanent immunological reactions in contrast to PNF in which tumor cells are partitioned from the immune system by the perineurium and blood-nerve barrier of blood vessels. It is assumed that these morphological distinctions may reflect in part the biological differences between the entities. While PNF is a known precancerous stage in NF1 patients, DPNF are not rated as such. Furthermore, the morphologic differences between benign nerve sheath tumors may be important for the efficacy of drugs to access tumor cells., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Developing sensing platforms that simultaneously integrate high sensitivity and accuracy has been a promising but challenging task for the detection of protein biomarkers in clinical samples. Herein, we engineered an Au nanostar-based liquid phase interfacial ratiometric SERS platform with programmable entropy-driven DNA circuits to detect the protein biomarker Mucin 1 (MUC1) in clinical samples.

Background: Despite the considerable advances made in the treatment of cancer, it remains a global threat. Tartrazine (E102) is a synthetic dye widely used in food industries; it has recently been shown to induce oxidative stress (a well known risk factor of cancer) in rat tissues. The present work therefore aimed to assess the impact of a regular consumption of tartrazine on the incidence of breast cancer in rats., Methods: Forty (40) Wistar rats aged 55 to 60 days were randomly assigned into 5 groups (n = 8) including two groups serving as normal controls and receiving distilled water (NOR) or tartrazine (NOR + TARZ). The three remaining groups were exposed to the carcinogen DMBA (50 mg/kg) and treated for 20 weeks with either distilled water (DMBA), tartrazine 50 mg/kg (DMBA + TARZ) or a natural dye (DMBA + COL). The parameters evaluated were the incidence, morphology and some biomarkers (CA 15-3, estradiol and α-fetoprotein) of breast cancer. The oxidative status and histomorphology of the tumors were also assessed., Results: A regular intake of tartrazine led to an early incidence of tumors (100% in rats that received TARZ only vs 80% in rats that received DMBA only), with significantly larger tumors (p < 0.001) (mass = 3500 mg/kg and volume = 4 cm 3 ). The invasive breast carcinoma observed on the histological sections of the animals of the DMBA + TARZ group was more developed than those of the DMBA group. The increase in serum α-fetoprotein (p < 0.05) and CA 15-3 (p < 0.01) levels corroborate the changes observed in tumors. The presence of oxidative activity in animals of the DMBA + TARZ group was confirmed by a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and catalase) as well as the level of GSH and increase in the level of MDA compared to the rats of the DMBA and NOR groups., Conclusion: Tartrazine therefore appears to be a promoter of DMBA-induced breast tumorigenesis in rats through its oxidative potential. This work encourages further studies on the mechanisms of action of tartrazine (E102) and its limits of use., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Object: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a specific form of chronic fibrosing interstitial pneumonia with various etiology. The severity and progression of ILD usually predict the poor outcomes of ILD. Otherwise, Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is a potential immunological biomarker reflecting the severity and progression of ILD. This meta-analysis is to clarify the predictive value of elevated KL-6 levels in ILD., Method: EBSCO, PubMed, and Cochrane were systematically searched for articles exploring the prognosis of ILD published between January 1980 and April 2021. The Weighted Mean Difference (WMD) and 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were computed as the effect sizes for comparisons between groups. For the relationship between adverse outcome and elevated KL-6 concentration, Hazard Ratio (HR), and its 95%CI were used to estimate the risk factor of ILD., Result: Our result showed that ILD patients in severe and progressive groups had higher KL-6 levels, and the KL-6 level of patients in the severe ILD was 703.41 (U/ml) than in mild ILD. The KL-6 level in progressive ILD group was 325.98 (U/ml) higher than that in the non-progressive ILD group. Secondly, the KL-6 level of patients in acute exacerbation (AE) of ILD was 545.44 (U/ml) higher than stable ILD. Lastly, the higher KL-6 level in ILD patients predicted poor outcomes. The KL-6 level in death of ILD was 383.53 (U/ml) higher than in survivors of ILD. The pooled HR (95%CI) about elevated KL-6 level predicting the mortality of ILD was 2.05 (1.50-2.78), and the HR (95%CI) for progression of ILD was 1.98 (1.07-3.67)., Conclusion: The elevated KL-6 level indicated more severe, more progressive, and predicted the higher mortality and poor outcomes of ILD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Zhang, Shen, Duan and Gao.)

Objectives: This study evaluated the prognostic factors for acute exacerbation (AE), including sequential changes in Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) levels, in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) patients., Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. We reviewed 125 patients diagnosed with RA-ILD between 2010 and 2019. We defined ΔKL-6 as the annual variation rate of KL-6 one visit before AE onset (or the last visit). The Cox regression analysis was used for evaluating significant variables associated with AE. We analysed the overall survival and respiratory-related death-free survival., Results: Thirty-three patients (26.4%) developed AE during the observation period. The univariate analysis revealed that KL-6 levels at RA-ILD diagnosis [hazard ratio (HR), 1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-1.15; p  < .01) and ΔKL-6 (HR: 3.69; 95% CI: -1.36 to 7.96; p =  .01] were significantly associated with AE. ΔKL-6 was an independent prognostic factor for AE in the multivariate analysis (HR: 3.37; 95% CI: -1.16 to 8.87; p =  .03). Patients with AE had a significantly higher overall mortality rate ( p =  .02) and respiratory-related mortality rate ( p <  .01) than those without AE., Conclusion: ΔKL-6 can be a prognostic marker for detecting AE in RA-ILD patients.

A new electrochemical immunosensor is developed for the label-free simultaneous detection of mucin1 (MUC1), cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) early breast cancer biomarkers. The biosensor is simply designed using the deposition of three different systems of redox species-antibody-conjugated polyethylenimine coated-gold nanoparticles (PEI-AuNPs), for the first time. The screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) comprising a three-working electrode array is modified with the conjugated PEI-AuNPs. Multiplex sensing is performed by utilizing the distinguishable electrochemical responses of the redox-active species; anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid (AQ), thionine chloride (TH), and AgNO 3 (Ag + ) on the PEI-AuNPs conjugates for the detection of MUC1, CA15-3, and HER2, respectively. The single-run determination of the biomarkers by the proposed immunosensor is carried out by measuring the decrease (%) in the oxidation peak currents due to the formation of three kinds of antibody-antigen complexes. The decreased currents are logarithmically proportional to the antigen concentrations in the ranges of 0.10-100 U mL -1 CA15-3 and 0.10-100 ng mL -1 MUC1 and HER2 with detection limits of 0.21 U mL -1 , 0.53 ng mL -1 and 0.50 ng mL -1 , respectively, which are significantly lower than the clinically relevant cut-off levels. The sensor reveals high selectivity and satisfactory reproducibility. After storing for two weeks, the sensor retains the responses with ca. 90% of the initial currents. The immunosensor is successfully applied to detect three tumor markers in human serum and can provide a new technological platform for the development of low-cost, highly stable, sensitive, selective, and point-of-care (POC) diagnosis.