Construction of the CRISPR/Cas12a-digital integrated immunoassay technology for CD44 detection

Digital immunoassay allows for the detection of proteins at fg/mL levels by leveraging the principles of Poisson distribution. Nevertheless, the inherent Poisson noise restricts digital sensitivity to targets exceeding 100 molecules, rendering standard digital assays incapable of detecting targets below this threshold. To overcome this constraint, we introduce an integrated CRISPR/Cas12a-digital immunoassay technology. In this system, the CRISPR/Cas12a machinery first acts as a molecular amplifier, converting each target protein into multiple enzymatic reporters. These enzyme molecules are then individually quantified via a digitized readout system, enabling ultrasensitive protein detection. By harnessing the catalytic amplification of CRISPR/Cas12a, the method achieves detection of proteins at copy numbers below 100, effectively surpassing the conventional sensitivity barrier of digital immunoassays. We validated this approach through highly selective and accurate detection of CD44 protein. A linear response was observed across a concentration range of 0.05 to 5 fg/mL, conforming to the calibration model: P(X > 0) = 0.1191c + 0.0036. The limit of detection was determined to be 0.018 fg/mL, equivalent to approximately 36 molecules of CD44. The method was further applied to quantify CD44 in plasma samples from colorectal cancer patients, demonstrating its strong potential for clinical use in early cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring.