A fluorescence biosensor for VEGF detection based on DNA assembly structure switching and isothermal amplification

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key biomarker for cancer angiogenesis.
• Accurate detection of VEGF is crucial for cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
• Existing detection methods may lack sensitivity, selectivity, or simplicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel aptasensor for sensitive and selective detection of VEGF.
• To utilize DNA assembly structure switching and isothermal amplification for enhanced signal generation.
• To validate the aptasensor's performance in detecting VEGF in human serum samples.

Main Methods:

• A DNA assembly comprising an isothermal amplification template, aptamer, primer, and protector chain was designed.
• Target-induced structure switching initiated isothermal amplification.
• Toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement was used for signal amplification with fluorescent probes.

Main Results:

• The aptasensor demonstrated sensitive and selective detection of VEGF.
• The system showed a significant increase in fluorescence signal upon VEGF binding.
• The method was successfully applied to detect VEGF in human serum samples with satisfactory results.

Conclusions:

• The developed aptasensor offers a sensitive, selective, and simple platform for VEGF detection.
• This approach holds promise for cancer research and clinical diagnostics.
• The DNA assembly-based strategy provides a robust sensing platform for biomarker detection.