Monitoring casein kinase II at subcellular level via bio-bar-code-based electrochemiluminescence biosensing method

A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensing method was developed for monitoring casein kinase II (CK2) at subcellular level via bio-bar-code assay. A bio-bar-code probe (h-DNA/AuNPs/p-DNA) prepared by conjugating phosphorylated DNA (p-DNA) and hairpin DNA (h-DNA) onto gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was used as a carrier for ECL signal reagent (Ru(phen)₃²⁺) while a specific peptide was used as a recognition substance. A gold ultramicroelectrode with a diameter of 400 nm was fabricated and then modified with the specific peptide via self-assembly technique to obtain peptide modified gold ultramicroelectrode. The peptide on gold ultramicroelectrode was phosphorylated in the presence of CK2 and adenosine 5′-triphosphate, and then the phosphorylated peptide was integrated with the h-DNA/AuNPs/p-DNA through a process mediated by zirconium cations (Zr⁴⁺), and finally Ru(phen)₃²⁺ was intercalated into h-DNA. A “signal on” ECL method was developed for the detection of CK2 in the range of 0.005–0.2 U/mL with a detection limit of 0.001 U/mL. Additionally, combined efficient subcellular phosphorylation in vivo with bio-bar-code-based ECL biosensing method, the ECL method was further applied to monitor CK2 at subcellular level without tedious subcellular fractionation. It was found that the concentration of CK2 by inserting the peptide modified gold ultramicroelectrode into the nucleus was higher than that into cytoplasm of HeLa cells. A distinct heterogeneity among CK2 concentrations in single cells was observed for cellular heterogeneity assessment.     

“Signal-on” Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Biosensing Method for the Determination of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2

A simple, selective and sensitive “signal-on” electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) biosensing method was developed for matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2). Ru(bpy)₃²⁺, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and Nafion were modified onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to form Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/AuNPs/Nafion/GCE as sensitive ECL platform and then ferrocene (Fc) labeled peptide was assembled onto the modified electrode to form ECL biosensing platform. The ECL intensity increased when the ECL biosensing electrode reacted with MMP-2 because of MMP-2-induced cleavage of Fc labeled peptide. The ECL method was applied to determine MMP-2 with detection limit of 0.3 ng/mL and one-step recognition, which is promising for point-of-care test of protease.     

Polyelectrolyte-based electrochemiluminescence enhancement for Ru(bpy)3 loaded by SiO2 nanoparticle carrier and its high sensitive immunoassay

In this paper the strong electrochemiluminescence (ECL) nanoparticles have been prepared based on the anionic polyelectrolyte sodium polyacrylate (PAA)-ECL enhancement for Ru(bpy)₃²⁺, which were loaded by the carrier of SiO₂ nanoparticle. There were two kinds of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ for the as-prepared nanoparticles, the doped one and the exchanged one. The former was loaded inside the ECL nanoparticles by doping, in a form of ion-pair macromolecules PAA–Ru(bpy)₃²⁺. The corresponding ECL was enhanced about 2 times owing to the doping increase of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺. The latter was loaded on the PAA-doped Nafion membrane by ion exchange. The corresponding ECL was enhanced about 3 times owing to the ion-exchanging increase of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺. At the same time, ECL intensity of the doped-inside Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was further enhanced 13 times because polyelectrolyte PAA in the doped membrane could obviously enhance electron transfer between the doped Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and the working electrode. Furthermore, based on hydrophobic regions of the doped membrane antibody labeling could be easily realized by the as-prepared nanoparticles and then a high sensitive ECL immunoassay for HBsAg was developed. The linear range was between 1.0 and 100 pg mL⁻¹ (R² = 0.9912). The detection limit could be as low as 0.11 pg mL⁻¹ (signal-to-noise ratio = 3).     

Ultrasensitive Eletrogenerated Chemiluminescence Immunoassay by Magnetic Nanobead Amplification

An ultrasensitive electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay was proposed by using magnetic nanobeads (MNBs) as the carrier of ECL labels for ECL emission amplification. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and MNBs were initially immobilized on a platform in 1 : 1 molar ratio via sandwich immunoreaction. Subsequently, the MNBs were released from the platform and labeled with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ species. After the MNBs with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ were immobilized on an Au electrode, ECL of the Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was measured for CEA determination. A linear relation between the ECL intensity and CEA concentration was obtained in a range of 1×10^?14 to 3×10^?13 mol/L (2.0 to 60 pg/mL) with a limit of detection of 8.0×10^?15 mol/L (1.6 pg/mL).     

Tris (2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) electrogenerated chemiluminescence in analytical science

Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ electrogenerated chemiluminescence (CL) has rapidly gained importance as a sensitive and selective detection method in analytical science. The Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ ECL is observed when Ru(bpy) ₃ ³⁺ reacts with Ru(bpy) ₃ ⁺ and yields an excited state Ru(bpy) ₃ ^2+* . ECL emission can also be obtained when a variety of oxidants and reductants react with the reduced or oxidized forms of Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ . Either the reductant or the oxidant can be treated as an analyte. The Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ ECL is used as a detection method for the determination of oxalate and a variety of amine-containing analytes without derivatization in flowing streams such as flow injection and HPLC. When the ECL format is used as a detector for HPLC, unstable post-column reagent addition can often be eliminated and, the problems of both sample dilution and band broadening can be avoided because the Ru(bpy) ₃ ³⁺ species are generatedin situ in the reaction/observation flow cell. Since NADH is sensitively detected with the Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ ECL, many clinically important analytes can be detected by coupling them to dehydrogenase enzymes that utilize -nicotinamide adenine cofactors to convert NAD⁺ to NADH. Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ -derivatives are used as CL labels for immunoassay and PCR assay with Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ /tripropylamine ECL system. The Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ ECL label can be sensitively determined at subpicomolar concentrations, along with an extremely wide dynamic range of greater than six orders of magnitude. Furthermore, it can eliminate disposal and lifetime problems inherent in radio immunoassays. In this paper, basic principles of the Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ ECL are discussed. In addition, analytical applications of the Ru(bpy) ₃ ²⁺ ECL are illustrated with examples.     

Effects of Divalent Metal Ions on Electrochemiluminescence Sensor with Ru(bpy)32+ Immobilized in Eastman‐AQ Membrane

Different effects of divalent metal ions on electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ immobilized in Eastman‐AQ membrane were investigated. Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Fe²⁺ can elevate the ECL of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/proline; while metal ions that underwent redox reactions on the electrode such as Mn²⁺ and Co²⁺ presented intensive quenching effects on Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ ECL. Also, the quenching effect of Mn²⁺ on the ECL sensor with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ immobilized in Eastman‐AQ membrane enhanced to about 30‐folds compared with the case that Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was dissolved in phosphate buffer, and the enhanced quenching effects of Mn²⁺ were studied.     

Determination of β-blockers in pharmaceutical preparations and human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection

A highly selective and sensitive detection method based on tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) [Ru(bpy)₃²⁺] electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) has been developed for the quantitative determination of β-blockers in both pharmaceutical preparations and human urine samples. The ECL emission is based on the reaction between electro-oxidized Ru(bpy)₃³⁺ and the secondary amino groups on the β-blockers. The ECL intensities for the β-blockers were strongly dependent on the pH at which the ECL detections were conducted, with the maximum intensities being obtained at pH 9.0. Under the optimal condition, the detection limit for atenolol and metoprolol were almost 0.5 μM (50 pmol) and 0.08 μM (8 pmol), respectively, with S/N of 3 and a linear working range that extends four orders of magnitude with relative standard deviations below 5% for 10 replicate injected samples. The concentrations of atenolol and metoprolol were determined in pharmaceutical preparations using flow injection analysis with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ ECL detection based on standard addition method. The determined values by the present method showed acceptable agreement with the stated values by manufacturers. The determination of the five β-blockers in human urine samples was performed using HPLC-Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ ECL detection. The resulting chromatogram was much simpler than that obtained with HPLC-UV absorbance detection.     

A Novel Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence (ECL) Sensor Based on Ru(bpy)32+‐Doped Titania Nanoparticles Dispersed in Nafion on Glassy Carbon Electrode

A novel electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) sensor based on Ru(bpy)₃²⁺‐doped titania (RuDT) nanoparticles dispersed in a perfluorosulfonated ionomer (Nafion) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was developed in this paper. The electroactive component‐Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was entrapped within the titania nanoparticles by the inverse microemulsion polymerization process that produced spherical sensors in the size region of 38±3 nm. The RuDT nanoparticles were characterized by electrochemical, transmission electron and scanning microscopy technology. The Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ encapsulation interior of the titania nanoparticles maintains its ECL efficiency and also reduces Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ leaching from the titania matrix when immersed in water due to the electrostatic interaction. This is the first attempt to prepare the RuDT nanoparticles and extend the application of electroactive component‐doped nanoparticles into the field of ECL. Since a large amount of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was immobilized three‐dimensionally on the electrode, the Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ ECL signal could be enhanced greatly, which finally resulted in the increased sensitivity. The ECL analytical performance of this ECL sensor for tripropylamine (TPA) was investigated in detail. This sensor shows a detection limit of 1 nmol/L for TPA. Furthermore, the present ECL sensor displays outstanding long‐term stability.     

Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Sensor Based on Tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium(II)‐Immobilized Natural Clay and Ionic Liquid

A novel electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) sensor based on natural clay and ionic liquid was fabricated. Tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)₃²⁺) was immobilized on natural clay surface through simple adsorption. An ECL sensor was prepared by mixing Ru(bpy)₃²⁺‐incorporated clay, graphite powder and an ionic liquid (1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) as the binder. The electrochemical behavior and ECL of the immobilized Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was investigated. It was observed that the ECL of immobilized Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was activated by the ionic liquid. The proposed ECL sensor showed high sensitivity to tri‐n‐propylamine (TPrA) and the detection limit was found to be 20 pM. In addition, the ECL sensor displayed good stability for TPrA detection and long‐term storage stability.     

Effects of Heteropoly Acids and Surfactant on Electrochemiluminescence of Tris(2,2'-Bipyridine) Ruthenium(II)

ABSTRACT

The effects of heteropoly acids and Triton X-100 on electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of Ru(bpy)₃ ²⁺ are investigated. Triton X-100 prevents the oxidation of oxalate and results in an increase of the ECL signal. H₅SiW₁₁VO₄₀ prevents the direct oxidation of oxalate and makes the electrochemical behavior of Ru(bpy)₃ ²⁺ less reversible, which leads to a decrease of the ECL signal. In contrast, H₃PMo₁₂O₄₀ has negligible effect on ECL intensity. Some possible reasons for the effects on the ECL of Ru(bpy)₃ ²⁺ are discussed based on the adsorption of SiW₁₁VO₄₀ ^5? on electrode surface and the ion association between SiW₁₁VO₄₀ ^5? and Ru(bpy)₃ ²⁺. The signal of ECL decreases linearly with the concentration of heteropoly acid in the range from 2x10^?6 to 1x10^?4 mol 1^?1. The results indicate that ECL of Ru(bpy)₃ ²⁺ is a potential sensitive and selective detection method for heteropoly acids and hence for the elements comprised in them.     

Enhanced anodic Ru(bpy)3(2+) electrogenerated chemiluminescence by polyphenols

Anodic Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) can be enhanced by polyphenols in alkaline solution. Spin trapping-electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments verified that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were generated during the electrolysis of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ in alkaline solution, and oxidation of quercetin enhanced Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ ECL at anodic potential by producing additional ROS. This ECL enhancement can be used to analyze real sample and evaluate antioxidant activity of polyphenols.     

Can clay emit light? Ru(bpy)3-modified clay colloids and their application in the detection of glucose

In this paper, we describe the electrochemiluminescent (ECL) behavior of Ru(bpy)₃³⁺-incorporated clay colloids. Experimental results based on the electrochemical-quartz-crystal-microbalance (EQCM) techniques showed that Ru(bpy)₃³⁺ could be adsorbed by the clay colloids (montmorillonite K10, denoted K10). The resulting clay particles could emit light (λ_em 610 nm) when they were fabricated as thin films sandwiched by two conductive ITO electrodes with opposite biases. These Ru(bpy)₃³⁺-incorporated clay-modified electrodes could also emit light in aqueous oxalate solutions (pH 10) when potentials more positive than 0.9 V vs. SCE were applied. EDTA was an effective promoter for the Ru(bpy)_{3 (clay)}³⁺-oxalate ECL reaction. The resulting ECL showed a remarkable sensitivity to oxygen. A glucose optrode was thus fabricated based on the Ru(bpy)₃³⁺-incorporated K10 colloids and glucose oxidase (GOx). The ECL signals behaved as a function of [glucose], covering a range from 0.1 to 10 mM at pH 10. The detection limits reached a level of 0.1 mM at this pH.     

Electrochemiluminescence of Tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium with Various Co‐reactants under Ultrasound Irradiation

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium, Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ in the presence of various co‐reactants, such as tripropylamine (TPA), oxalate ion (C₂O₄^2?), ascorbic acid (H₂A) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), were investigated under ultrasound irradiation. In sono‐ECL experiments, an indium‐thin‐oxide (ITO) was used as working electrode, and a titanium tipped sonic horn probe (diameter 2 mm) which operated at a frequency of 20 kHz was set in the front of the ITO electrode. Under the ultrasound irradiation, ECL signals were found to be significantly enhanced when TPA and C₂O₄^2? were used as co‐reactants, only slightly enhanced in Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/DHA system, but total quenched in Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/H₂A system. The difference of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ ECL behaviors for various co‐reactant could to be due to the different kinetics of catalytic reactions associated in ECL schemes. ECL quenching effect observed in Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/H₂A system was suggested to be due to electron transfer (ET) route between the excited state *Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and ascorbate anion HA^? diffused from the bulk solution, where the diffusional HA^? species served as electron donor. The effect becomes more pronounced upon sonication because the effective collision frequency between *Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and HA^? would be significantly increased by the enhanced mass transport effect of ultrasound.     

Formation of [Ru(bpy)3]2+‐Containing Microstructures Induced by Electrostatic Assembly and Their Application in Solid‐State Detection of Electrochemiluminescence

Tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)ruthenium(II) ([Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺) is one of the most extensively studied and used electrochemiluminescent (ECL) compounds owing to its superior properties, which include high sensitivity and stability under moderate conditions in aqueous solution. In this paper we present a simple method for the preparation of [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺‐containing microstructures based on electrostatic assembly. The formation of such microstructures occurs in a single process by direct mixing of aqueous solutions of [Ru(bpy)₃]Cl₂ and K₃[Fe(CN)₆] at room temperature. The electrostatic interactions between [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ cations and [Fe(CN)₆]^3? anions cause them to assemble into the resulting microstructures. Both the molar ratio and concentration of reactants were found to have strong influences on the formation of these microstructures. Most importantly, the resulting [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺‐containing microstructures exhibit excellent ECL behavior and, therefore, hold great promise for solid‐state ECL detection in capillary electrophoresis (CE) or CE microchips.     

Development of an ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence inhibition method for the determination of tetracyclines

An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) inhibition method is developed for quantitative determination of four tetracyclines (TCs) in honey samples, including tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), chlortetracycline (CTC) and doxycycline (DC). It was found that the four TCs strongly inhibited the ECL signal of the Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/DBAE system. Based on the ECL signal changes, a simple and ultrasensitive detection method for TCs was thus established. The optimum experimental conditions including the scan mode and scan rate of the applied potential, the type of the buffer solution and its pH, and the concentration of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and DBAE for the ECL inhibition method, were investigated in detail. Under the optimized conditions, the quenched ECL intensity versus the logarithm of the concentration of TCs is in good linear relationship over a concentration range from 4.0 × 10⁻¹¹ to 4.0 × 10⁻⁹ g mL⁻¹. The detection limits were found to be 2.0 × 10⁻¹² g mL⁻¹. The results obtained by the proposed ECL system, in terms of sensitivity, were much better than those of previously reported methods. In addition, the method was applied successfully to determine the total residuals of the four TCs in honey samples. The relative standard deviations were found in a range of 4.9–14.3%, and the recoveries were obtained from 87.5% to 115.0%. A possible mechanism for the quenching effects of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/DBAE system was also proposed.     

Electrochemiluminescence from tris(2,2′-bipyridyl) ruthenium (Ⅱ) in the presence of aminocarboxylic acid co-reactants

Due to the highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL), tris(2,2′-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)32+) is often used in the field of bioarrays with the help of co-reactants. However, the generally used co-reactant, tripropylamine (TPA), is toxic, corrosive and volatile. Therefore, the search for safe, sensitive and economical co-reactants is critical. Herein, three aminocarboxylic acids, ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and 2-hydroxyethylethylene diaminetriacetic ac...     

Study on Electrochemiluminesce of Ru(bpy3)2+ Immobilized in a Titania Sol‐Gel Membrane

The immobilization of tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(II), Ru(bpy)₃²⁺, at a glassy carbon electrode was achieved by entrapping the Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ in a vapor deposited titania sol‐gel membrane. The electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of the immobilized Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ was studied. The Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ modified electrode showed a fast ECL response to both oxalate and proline. The ECL intensity was linearly related to concentrations of oxalate and proline over the ranges from 20 to 700 μmol L^?1 and 20 to 600 μmol L^?1, respectively. The detection limits for oxalate and proline at 3σ were 5.0 μmol L^?1 and 4.0 μmol L^?1, respectively. This electrode possessed good precision and stability for oxalate and proline determinations. The electrogenerated chemiluminescence mechanism of proline system was discussed. This work provided a new way for the immobilization of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and the application of titania sol‐gel membrane in electrogenerated chemiluminescence.     

A Solid‐State Electrochemiluminescence Immunosensor Based on MWCNTs‐Nafion and Ru(bpy)32+/Nano‐Pt Nanocomposites for Detection of α‐Fetoprotein

A approach was successfully employed for constructing a solid‐state electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor by layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)‐Nafion composite film, Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/nano‐Pt aggregates (Ru‐PtNPs) and Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs). The influence of Pt nanoparticles on the ECL intensity was quantitatively evaluated by calculating the electroactive surface area of different electrodes with or without PtNPs to immobilize Ru(bpy)₃²⁺. The principle of ECL detection for target α‐fetoprotein antigen (AFP) was based on the increment of resistance after immunoreaction, which led to a decrease in ECL intensity. The linear response range was 0.01–10 ng mL^?1 with the detection limit of 3.3 pg mL^?1. The immunosensor exhibited advantages of simple preparation and operation, high sensitivity and good selectivity.     

玻碳电极上Ru(bpy)32+的吸附及其电致化学发光的研究

通过电化学循环伏安法和电致化学发光方法, 研究了Ru(bpy)₃²⁺在玻碳电极上的吸附, 研究结果表明, Ru(bpy)₃²⁺的浓度和与玻碳材料接触的时间, 直接影响了Ru(bpy)₃²⁺在玻碳上的吸附. 还考察了吸附的 在玻碳电极上被氧化后脱附的情况.     

Silver(I) ions-enhanced electrochemiluminescence of tris(2,2-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)

In this paper, we demonstrate an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) enhancement of tris(2,2-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)₃²⁺) by the addition of silver(I) ions. The maximum enhancement factor of about 5 was obtained on a glassy carbon electrode in the absence of co-reactant. The enhancement of ECL intensity was possibly attributed to the unique catalytic activity of Ag⁺ for reactions between Ru(bpy)₃³⁺ with OH. The higher enhancement was observed in phosphate buffer solutions compared with that from borate buffer solutions. This resulted from the fact that formation of nanoparticles with large surface area in the phosphate buffer solution exhibited high catalytic activity. The amount of Ag⁺, solution pH and working electrode materials played important roles for the ECL enhancement. We also studied the effects of Ag⁺ on Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/tripropylamine and Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/C₂O₄²⁻ ECL systems.