TY - JOUR
T1 - Glowstick-inspired smartphone-readable reporters for sensitive, multiplexed lateral flow immunoassays
AU - Brosamer, Kristen
AU - Kourentzi, Katerina
AU - Willson, Richard C.
AU - Vu, Binh V.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for point-of-care (POC) screening tests such as lateral flow assays (LFAs) and highlighted the need for sensitive and cost-effective POC diagnostic platforms. Here, we demonstrate an LFA platform using standard fluorescent nanoparticle reporters in which optical excitation is replaced by chemical excitation using the peroxyoxalate-based chemistry of inexpensive, shelf-stable glowsticks. The one-step chemi-excitation of fluorescent particles produces visible light readable by an unmodified smartphone, enhancing sensitivity while preserving simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Our Glow LFA detected the common model analyte human chorionic gonadotropin with a limit of detection (LoD) of 39 pg/mL—over ten times more sensitive than standard gold nanoparticles using the same antibodies. We also demonstrate its application to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein at 100 pg/mL in nasal swab extract. Multiple fluorescent dyes can be chemi-excited by a single reagent, allowing for color multiplexing on a single LFA strip with a smartphone camera. The detection of three analytes on a single LFA test line was demonstrated using red, green, and blue fluorescent reporter particles, making glow LFA a promising platform for multiplexed detection.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for point-of-care (POC) screening tests such as lateral flow assays (LFAs) and highlighted the need for sensitive and cost-effective POC diagnostic platforms. Here, we demonstrate an LFA platform using standard fluorescent nanoparticle reporters in which optical excitation is replaced by chemical excitation using the peroxyoxalate-based chemistry of inexpensive, shelf-stable glowsticks. The one-step chemi-excitation of fluorescent particles produces visible light readable by an unmodified smartphone, enhancing sensitivity while preserving simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Our Glow LFA detected the common model analyte human chorionic gonadotropin with a limit of detection (LoD) of 39 pg/mL—over ten times more sensitive than standard gold nanoparticles using the same antibodies. We also demonstrate its application to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein at 100 pg/mL in nasal swab extract. Multiple fluorescent dyes can be chemi-excited by a single reagent, allowing for color multiplexing on a single LFA strip with a smartphone camera. The detection of three analytes on a single LFA test line was demonstrated using red, green, and blue fluorescent reporter particles, making glow LFA a promising platform for multiplexed detection.
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U2 - 10.1038/s44172-023-00075-2
DO - 10.1038/s44172-023-00075-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85201620736
SN - 2731-3395
VL - 2
JO - Communications engineering
JF - Communications engineering
IS - 1
M1 - 31
ER -