Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Author Spotlight: Assessing the Impact of Novel Iron Chelators on Cancer Cell Metabolism
Published on: February 23, 2024
Colorimetric and ratio-fluorescence dual-mode assay for multicolor detection of acid phosphatase based on iron ions
Qi Jiao1, Zihui Xie1, Yuanying Chen1
1School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources (Ministry of Education of China), Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Processes and Remediation in Ecologically Fragile Regions, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541004, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Acid phosphatase (ACP) is closely associated with various diseases, rendering it a vital clinical diagnostic marker. Therefore, it is significant to establish a detection method for ACP. Enzyme cascade reaction has been a frequently-used method for enzyme detection. Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a class of porous materials which have shown several advantages in the field of separation, catalysis and biological enzyme protection. However, the design and investigation of HOFs-mediated multifunctional nanozymes for applications in biosensing based on enzyme cascade reactions remain ongoing.
Results:
A colorimetric and ratio-fluorescence dual-mode assay for multicolor detection of ACP based on iron ions modified HOFs nanozymes (HOFs@Fe) was constructed. HOFs@Fe exhibits excellent peroxidase-like activity, capable of catalyzing hydrogen peroxide to oxidize o-phenylenediamine into 2,3-diaminophenazine (DAP). The addition of sodium pyrophosphate (PPi) can significantly inhibit the catalytic activity of HOFs@Fe and enhance the fluorescence at 440 nm. Based on the fluorescence properties of HOFs@Fe and DAP, a colorimetric and ratio-fluorescence dual-mode assay was developed for ACP detection. In the fluorescence mode, the detection limit is 0.038 U L-1; in the colorimetric mode, the detection limit is 0.99 U L-1. This method has been applied for ACP detection in human serum. Furthermore, owing to the multi-color of fluorescence mode, a smartphone sensing platform was combined to achieve a point-of-care testing of ACP.
Significance:
This method features simplified procedures, low material synthesis complexity, no requirement for fluorescent labeling, and low detection limits for ACP detection. Furthermore, this work provides a bright avenue for the synthesis of multifunctional HOF-based nanozyme, and offers new opportunities for the development of visual biosensors in the field of biosensing.
