title: C60 carboxyfullerene-based functionalised nanohybrids as signal-amplifying tags for the ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of procalcitonin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Electrochemical immunosensors have attracted much interest recently. Some researches on electrochemical PCT measurement have been reported but improvements are still needed to enhance detection performance for the clinical determination of PCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this work, a novel signal amplification strategy was developed by fabricating an electrochemical immunosensor for the sensitive detection of procalcitonin (PCT). Amino group-functionalised C(60) nanoparticles were used as a matrix to immobilise a redox probe, ferrocene carboxylic acid (Fc), and were subsequently coated with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) to form PtNP-Fc-C(60) nanocomposites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The experimental results demonstrated that the multi-labelled PtNP-Fc-C(60) nanocomposites displayed satisfactory electrochemical redox activity and high electrocatalytic activity from the PtNPs and glucose oxidase, consequently resulting in high sensitivity for the detection of PCT. The linear range of PCT was 0.01-10 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 6p g/mL (S/N = 3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the proposed immunosensor was only to determine PCT in this study, we expect that this immunosensor should be suitable for the determination of other targets in similar signal-enhanced immunoassays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial & E.N.T. Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300020, PR China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial & E.N.T. Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300020, PR China.
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial & E.N.T. Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300020, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial & E.N.T. Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300020, PR China. Electronic address: zhanglun@tjmuch.com.
authors.forename: Lun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002138:Calibration; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D002384:Catalysis; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D037741:Fullerenes; D005949:Glucose Oxidase; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010984:Platinum; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: C416673:C60 carboxyfullerene; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D037741:Fullerenes; D011498:Protein Precursors; D010984:Platinum; D002116:Calcitonin; D005949:Glucose Oxidase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide
keywords: Electrochemical immunosensor; Ferrocene carboxylic acid; Multi-walled carbon nanotubes; Platinum nanoparticles; Procalcitonin