A highly sensitive and selective fluorescent biosensor for breast cancer derived exosomes using click reaction of azide–CD63 aptamer and alkyne-polymer dots

Abstract

Exosomes have gained recognition as valuable reservoirs of biomarkers, holding immense potential for early cancer detection. Consequently, there is a pressing need for the development of an economical and highly sensitive exosome detection methodology. In this work, we present a fluorescence method for breast cancer-derived exosome detection based on Cu-triggered click reaction of azide-modified CD63 aptamer and alkyne functionalized Pdots. The detection threshold for the exosomes obtained from the breast cancer serum was determined to be 6.09 × 10⁷ particles per μL, while the measurable range spanned from 6.50 × 10⁷ to 1.30 × 10⁹ particles per μL. The employed methodology achieved notable success in accurately distinguishing breast cancer patients from healthy individuals through serum analysis. The application of this method showcases the significant potential for early exosome analysis in the clinical diagnosis of breast cancer patients.