Point-of-Need Test of Cryptococcus Utilizing Aggregation-induced Emission-based Lateral Flow Immunoassay.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Cryptococcus is a WHO-priority fungal pathogen causing severe infections.
• Current detection methods for cryptococcosis lack sensitivity, especially in resource-limited settings.
• Lateral flow immunochromatography (LFIA) offers rapid testing but often insufficient sensitivity for early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, highly sensitive rapid detection platform for Cryptococcus antigen.
• To integrate aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials with LFIA for enhanced diagnostic performance.
• To address the limitations of existing point-of-need (PoN) diagnostic tools for fungal infections.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized TCBPE-PS-COOH composite by encapsulating AIE material (TCBPE) into carboxyl-modified polystyrene microspheres (PS-COOH).
• Developed an AIE-integrated LFIA assay targeting glucuronoxylomannan (GXM), a Cryptococcus biomarker.
• Validated the assay using clinical serum samples and non-Cryptococcus pathogens.

Main Results:

• Achieved a detection sensitivity of 12.3 ng/mL for GXM.
• The AIE-LFIA assay successfully detected Cryptococcus antigen in clinical samples with 100% sensitivity.
• Demonstrated 100% specificity against non-Cryptococcus pathogens and provided results within 12 minutes.

Conclusions:

• The AIE-integrated LFIA platform offers a sensitive, accurate, and user-friendly solution for Cryptococcus detection.
• This approach advances the application of AIE materials in point-of-need fungal diagnostics.
• Provides a strategic framework for developing improved diagnostic tools for infectious diseases.