A dual-aptamer colorimetric sensor based on Cu-MOF@PtPdNPs for the highly sensitive detection of MUC1

The abnormally high expression of MUC1 in various malignant tumors makes it a crucial biomarker for early cancer diagnosis. This study synthesized a Cu-MOF@PtPdNPs nanocomposite exhibiting robust peroxidase-like activity via an in-situ reduction method. By integrating this nanomaterial with a dual-aptamer recognition sandwich strategy, an efficient colorimetric sensor was constructed for MUC1 detection. The nanozyme modified with aptamer2 (Cu-MOF@PtPdNPs-Apt2) was used to specifically recognize the target MUC1. Then, magnetic beads modified with aptamer1 (MB-Apt1) were used to enrich and separate the Cu-MOF@PtPdNPs-Apt2@MUC1, forming sandwich complexes. The sandwich complexes were separated and removed using magnets, and the remaining Cu-MOF@PtPdNPs-Apt2 in the supernatant was used for colorimetric detection. This sensor exhibits a linear range from 1 ng/mL to 100 μg/mL, alongside a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.211 ng/mL. Benefiting from the ingenious sandwich architecture, the sensor demonstrates high selectivity toward MUC1 and shows a good response in human serum, with recovery rates between 92.00% and 97.82%. In conclusion, this study provides a fast and sensitive technical platform for MUC1 detection.