Highly Sensitive and Robust Detection of Human Telomerase Based on Strand-Displacement Cascade Amplification

Telomerase is a well-validated diagnostic target for the early screening of cancers. To address the limitations of existing sensing methods, we herein fabricate a novel strategy based on the delicate integration of strand displacement cascade amplification and three-dimensional DNA nanostructure-assisted signal immobilization. Modified magnetic nanocomposites and electrodes provide suitable reaction interfaces, which facilitate a convenient purification process. The fabricated electrochemical method not only exhibits good sensitivity, selectivity, and stability but also demonstrates great utility for telomerase inhibitor screening and tumor cell discrimination. Besides, validation with human urine samples confirms the concordance with the clinical diagnostic conclusion. Therefore, this method holds significant potential as a point-of-care testing tool for telomerase-related applications.