title: Signal enhancement in a lateral flow immunoassay based on dual gold nanoparticle conjugates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to amplify signal of lateral flow immunoassay for specific detection of thrombin.
  
  
  METHODS
  A new, simple method of amplifying signals using two gold nanoparticle conjugates (GNP) in gold-nanoparticle-based lateral flow immunoassay without an additional step was developed. The first conjugates were prepared by labeling DNA1 with 30 nm GNPs, and the second conjugates were prepared by immobilizing both DNA2 and thrombin aptamer on the surfaces of 16 nm GNPs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The detection limit was improved 30 times. The lateral flow immunoassay developed in this study was applied to detect thrombin concentration in the range of 0.5-120 nM with a detection limit of 0.25 nM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lateral flow immunoassay developed in this study was used to detect thrombin concentrations within a range of 0.5-120 nM with a detection limit of 0.25 nM. This assay is very versatile and can be easily extended to other proteins.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, Hunan, China. Electronic address: sgyrab@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Guangyu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Songbai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002138:Calibration; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; C081676:thrombin aptamer; D006046:Gold; D004247:DNA
keywords: Aptamer; Dual gold nanoparticle conjugates; Lateral flow immunoassay; Signal enhancement