The development of a versatile and sensitive analytical biomarker detection platform is important for both early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In the present study, we propose a novel fluorescence-based, ultrasensitive, and label-free biomarker detection platform. This platform relies on a flexible probe design compatible for multiple biomarker identification and Exo-III enzyme-triggered cascade signal amplification. We have validated that this label-free platform exhibits high sensitivity and specificity. Indeed, this platform exhibited brilliant analytical performance in qualifying a carcinoembryonic antigen and small extracellular vesicles (sEVs). It also shows excellent capability in multiplexing mapping of surface proteins of various cancer-derived sEVs. Therefore, we believe that the proposed sensing platform has great potential for clinical diagnosis and anticancer drug development.

ObjectiveBufalin, the main active anti-tumor monomer of toad venom, is crucial in cancer treatment. However, intrinsic issues, such as poor solubility and systematic toxicity, have considerably mitigated its anticancer functions and caused unwanted side effects. It is essential to develop innovative targeting systems to precisely and efficiently deliver anticancer drugs to achieve satisfying therapeutic efficiency.MethodsThis work established a novel and more efficient system for simultaneously detecting and killing colorectal cancer cells. The proposed method designed two allosteric probes, a report probe and a recognize probe. The method exhibited high sensitivity towards cell detection via the recognizing probe identifying target cancer cells and the report probe's signal report. Combining bufalin and fluorouracil endowed better tumor cell inhibition.ResultsWe observed significantly enhanced fluorescence dots surrounding the HCT-116 cell membranes. No fluorescence increments in the other three cells were identified, indicating that the established liposome complex could specifically bind with target cells. In addition, the best ratio of bufalin to fluorouracil was 0.15 and 0.5, respectively. This improved the anti-tumor effects and achieved more than 60% tumor cell inhibition.ConclusionThis method will provide new opportunities for intracellular biomolecule detection and targeted cancer cell therapy.

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