Yttrium vanadates based ratiometric fluorescence probe for alkaline phosphatase activity sensing

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology and Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Abnormal serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels are critical biomarkers for various diseases.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of ALP activity is essential for clinical diagnosis.
• Existing fluorescence probes often suffer from background interference and limited accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a ratiometric fluorescence probe for sensitive and accurate determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity.
• To utilize hybrid nanoparticles for enhanced fluorescence sensing capabilities.
• To establish a reliable platform for ALP detection in biological samples.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of hybrid nanoparticles (CDs@YVO₄: Dy³⁺) by combining carbon dots (CDs) and YVO₄: Dy³⁺.
• Development of a ratiometric fluorescence sensing strategy utilizing the distinct emission wavelengths of CDs (blue) and Dy³⁺ (green).
• Employing Cu²⁺ and pyrophosphate (PPi) to create an 'off-on-off' fluorescence response mechanism triggered by ALP activity.

Main Results:

• The developed CDs@YVO₄: Dy³⁺ probe exhibited a linear response to ALP concentration in the range of 0.05–3000 U/L.
• A low detection limit of 0.04 U/L was achieved, demonstrating high sensitivity.
• The probe successfully discriminated ALP enzyme inhibitors and quantified ALP in real human serum samples, showcasing its practical applicability.

Conclusions:

• The ratiometric fluorescence probe based on CDs@YVO₄: Dy³⁺ offers a sensitive, accurate, and reliable method for ALP activity determination.
• The use of a calibrated signal from CDs effectively eliminates background interference, enhancing measurement accuracy.
• This advanced nanosensor holds significant potential for clinical diagnostics and biochemical analysis.