Fluoroimmunoassay for Antigen based on Fluorescence Quenching between Quantum Dots and Gold Nanoparticles

A unique, sensitive, and highly specific fluoroimmunoassay system for antigen detection using gold and quantum dot nanoparticles has been developed. The assay is based on the fluorescence quenching of quantum dots caused by gold nanoparticles coated with antibody. To demonstrate its analytical capabilities, the CdTe quantum dots were coated with anti-HBsAg monoclonal antibodies (QDs-MAb1) and gold nanoparticles coated with another anti-HBsAg monoclonal antibodies (GNPs-MAb2) which specifically bound with HBsAg could sandwich the HBsAg captured by the immunoreactions. The sandwich-type immunocomplex was formed and the fluorescence intensity of quantum dots was measured. The results showed that the fluorescence intensity of quantum dots at 570 nm was negative linear proportional to the HBsAg concentration logarithm, and the limit of detection of the HBsAg was 0.928 ng/mL. This new system can be extended to detect target molecules with matched antibodies and has broad potential applications in immunoassay and disease diagnosis.