SiO2@Pt core—satellite nanoparticles for highly sensitive detection of cardiac troponin I via chemiluminescent lateral flow immunoassay

Abstract

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a key biomarker for diagnosing myocardial infarction, one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Rapid and highly sensitive detection of cTnI is critical for cardiovascular patients, as their condition can deteriorate rapidly, leading to fatal outcomes. Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) is a suitable platform for detecting cTnI due to its rapid turnaround time, simplicity, portability and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, low sensitivity of LFIA highlights the need for further enhancement to improve its performance. Chemiluminescence (CL) may offer a viable solution because it can provide high sensitivity, minimizing background signal. However, conventional enzymes for CL reactions, such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP), exhibit poor thermal stability. These challenges highlight the need for alternative catalytic materials with improved thermal stability and activity for use as signal probes in LFIA. In this study, chemiluminescence-based sensitive LFIA platform was designed using SiO2@Pt core-satellite nanoparticles (SiO2@Pt CSNPs). Densely formed small PtNP satellites on the SiO2 increased surface-to volume ratio, thereby enhancing catalytic activity and sensitivity of detection. Additionally, it stabilized the system at room temperature. The proposed platform enables a detection limit of 1pg/ml for cTnI within 20minutes, demonstrating its potential for rapid diagnosis of myocardial infarction.