Magnetic bead-enzyme assemble for triple-parameter telomerase detection at single-cell level

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Biotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Telomerase activity is a key biomarker for cancer detection and progression.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of telomerase is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring.
• Existing methods for telomerase detection can be complex, time-consuming, or lack sensitivity for certain applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile and sensitive triple-parameter strategy for detecting telomerase activity.
• To utilize magnetic bead-enzyme hybrids for efficient separation and signal amplification.
• To enable point-of-care testing (POCT) and naked-eye detection of telomerase.

Main Methods:

• Development of magnetic bead-enzyme hybrids for telomerase detection.
• Integration of fluorescence analysis, colorimetric assay, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meter as readout methods.
• Combination of detection methods for enhanced sensing performance and result validation.

Main Results:

• The strategy successfully detected telomerase activity in cancer cells and urine samples.
• Magnetic bead-enzyme hybrids facilitated magnetic separation and signal amplification.
• The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meter readout offered high sensitivity at the single-cell level, with easy operation and low cost.
• Individual or combined use of detection methods improved sensing performance and reliability.

Conclusions:

• The developed triple-parameter strategy provides a robust platform for telomerase activity detection.
• The strategy is suitable for naked-eye sensing and point-of-care testing (POCT) applications.
• This approach offers a rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective method for assaying telomerase activity, particularly in clinical settings.