Highly sensitive fluorescence detection of trypsin based on gold nanoparticle probes

Abstract

In this study, a simple, sensitive, and selective fluorometric platform has been constructed for measuring trypsin in biological samples using the prepared Au–peptide–FITC beacon. The fluorescence of FITC was quenched by Au NPs owing to the FRET mechanism and recovered after selective cleavage of the beacon peptide by trypsin. The calibration plot for trypsin was achieved over the concentration range of 10–100 nmol L⁻¹ with a correlation coefficient of 0.995 and a limit of detection of 5 nmol L⁻¹. In addition, the application of the present approach in determining the trypsin content in blood plasma samples was demonstrated to be satisfactory, which suggested its potential for diagnostic purpose.