Quantum dot-based FRET for sensitive determination of hydrogen peroxide and glucose using tyramide reaction

In this paper, we report a new strategy for detection of hydrogen peroxide and glucose using quantum dot (QD)-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and tyramide reaction. The principle of FRET is based on highly sensitive reaction of a carbocyanine dye (Cy5) labeled tyramide and hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and the fluorescence spectrum of QDs (EXmax 605 nm) partially overlaps with the absorption bands of Cy5. We firstly conjugated HRP to QDs, and then demonstrated an efficient FRET between HRP conjugated QDs (as energy donors) and tyramide labeled Cy5 (as energy acceptors) due to the formation of Cy5-labeled HRP-QDs assemblies in the presence of H₂O₂. We observed that the fluorescence Cy5 depended linearly on the H₂O₂ concentration within a range of concentration from 10 to 100 nM and the detection limit of this assay was 10 nM. Based on the principle for determination of H₂O₂, we develop a new strategy for assay of glucose by coupling with glucose oxidase-mediated reaction. The established methods were successfully used for determination of glucose levels in human sera, and the results obtained were in good agreement with commercially available method. Our method is at least 1 order of magnitude more sensitive than in the commercially available method. More importantly, our method described here can be extended to other assay designs using different oxidase enzymes, energy donors and energy acceptors, such as near-infrared (NIR)-to-visible upconversion nanoparticles and silicon and carbon QDs.