CRISPR/Cas12a and nanocomposite-based electrochemical/ colorimetric parallel dual-channel aptasensor for highly...

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains a leading global health threat, necessitating precise monitoring of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) as a key risk biomarker for assessing ASCVD risk. Herein, an electrochemical/colorimetric dual- channel aptasensor was developed by integrating nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide-Hemin-trimanganese tetroxide nanoparticles (NrGO-Hemin-Mn₃O₄ NPs) with the CRISPR/Cas12a system. The CRISPR/Cas12a system introduces a powerful signal amplification cascade: a single target binding event activates the trans-cleavage of numerous ssDNA probes, translating into a highly amplified electrical and optical response. The NrGO-Hemin-Mn₃O₄ NPs serves as a conductive redox probe and exhibits superior peroxidase-like activity through the synergistic effect between Hemin and Mn₃O₄. Mechanistically, surface-bound single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) initially induces steric hindrance, which obstructs electron transfer and suppresses the enzyme-mimicking performance of the NrGO-Hemin-Mn₃O₄ NPs. Upon the target LDL binding, the released activator DNA triggers the trans-cleavage activity of Cas12a to degrade the ssDNA, thereby restoring both the electroactivity and catalytic performance of the probe. Experimental results demonstrated that the dual-channel aptasensor achieved a wide linear range from 0.01 to 1000 nM with a detection limit of 0.01 nM, demonstrating that CRISPR integration is pivotal for achieving high sensitivity in complex biological matrices. This dual-channel strategy offers a sensitive, intuitive tool for early clinical screening of ASCVD diseases.