Work

SERS nanotags for ultrasensitive and dual biomarker detection of breast cancer

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Sensitive and simultaneous detection of breast cancer 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer 2 (BRCA2) is of significance for the early diagnosis of breast cancers, but it still challenges conventional methods. Herein, we developed a novel surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based method for quantification of breast cancer biomarkers BRCA1 and BRCA2. Highly uniform SERS-active substrate is obtained by self-assembly of silver nanoparticles on a polystyrene template. Gold core silver shell (Au@Ag) nanoparticles embedded with Raman probes were synthesized and used as SERS nanotags. The target genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 were detected through the capture DNA modified on the Ag chip and the probe DNA attached on the SERS nanotags. Dual detection is achieved by changing Raman probes, capture DNA and probe DNA sequences. This method exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity with a wide dynamic linear range (0.001−1000 nM). Moreover, its applicability to the detection of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in cell lysates has been proved, showing its potential application in breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Source: Sensors and Actuators Reports

DOI: 10.1016/j.snr.2025.100344