PH Programmed Optical Sensor Arrays for Cancer Plasma Straightforward Discrimination Based on Protein-Responsive Patterns.

Abstract

Optical cross-reactive sensor arrays inspired by the mammalian olfactory system that can realize straightforward discrimination of plasma from cancer patients hold great potential for point-of-care diseases diagnostics. Herein, a pH programmed fluorescence sensor array based on protein-responsive patterns was designed for straightforward discrimination of different types of cancer plasma. It is worth noting that plasma discrimination can be realized only by programming one nanomaterial using different pH values, which greatly simplifies the programmable design of the sensor array, making it an important highlight of this work. In addition, the mechanism of the pH programmed fluorescence sensor array for protein responsiveness was systematically investigated through molecular docking simulation, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and fluorescence lifetime experiments. Most importantly, not only can the differences between plasma from healthy people and and from patients with different cancer species including gastric cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer be discriminated by this pH programmed fluorescence sensor array, but also the blind test of unknown plasma samples can be well identified with 100% accuracy, indicating its promising prospect in clinical application.