Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
09:03
Field-Deployable Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus Detection Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Combined with CRISPR-Cas12a
Published on: December 23, 2022
Aptamer-Coupled Droplet CRISPR/Cas12a Enables Ultrasensitive sPD-L1 Detection
Yunping Wu1,2, Ruigang Jin2, Ting Lei3
1Central Hospital of Dalian University of Technology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116033, China.
Analytical Chemistry
|May 26, 2026
Summary
We developed an ultrasensitive aptamer-coupled droplet CRISPR/Cas12a (ADC) platform for detecting soluble programmed death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1). This rapid, femtomolar assay enhances cancer diagnosis and immunotherapy monitoring via liquid biopsy.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Ultrasensitive detection of soluble programmed death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) is crucial for early cancer diagnosis and monitoring immunotherapy efficacy.
- Conventional methods like ELISA lack sensitivity, and PCR detects nucleic acid surrogates, not the active protein.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly sensitive and rapid assay for quantifying sPD-L1 in peripheral blood.
- To establish a platform for ultrasensitive liquid-biopsy analysis of protein biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- An aptamer-coupled droplet CRISPR/Cas12a (ADC) platform was designed, integrating a structure-switching aptamer with picolitre droplet microfluidics.
- The platform utilizes Cas12a trans-cleavage activity, triggered by aptamer binding, for signal amplification without preamplification.
- Picolitre droplet confinement enhances reaction kinetics and suppresses background noise, improving sensitivity.
Main Results:
- The ADC platform achieved femtomolar quantification of sPD-L1 with a limit of detection of 0.5 pM.
- The assay demonstrated a dynamic range spanning three orders of magnitude and 100% diagnostic accuracy in plasma samples.
- The entire detection process was completed within 70 minutes.
Conclusions:
- The ADC platform offers a rapid, ultrasensitive, and accurate method for sPD-L1 detection, suitable for early cancer diagnosis and immunotherapy monitoring.
- The modular design of the ADC architecture allows for adaptation to detect other protein biomarkers, presenting a universal strategy for liquid biopsy.
