Multimodal triple-mode probe with colorimetric-fluorescence-SERS (CFSERS) for sensitive and quantitative detection of C-reactive protein in clinical diagnostics
Wei Li, Xinrui Wang, Mingze Zhu, Xin Huang, Pacifique Hirwa Umutoni, Ting‐Hsuan Chen, Jian R. Lu, Shih‐Chi Chen, Guangming Tan, Bryan P. Yan, Bee Luan Khoo
Abstract
Chronic inflammation remains a major global health concern, necessitating the development of advanced tools for continuous, precise monitoring. This study introduces a novel, clinically impactful triple-mode probe that integrates colorimetric, fluorescence, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals, offering unparalleled multimodal detection capabilities. The probe's design leverages europium chelate-doped polystyrene nanoparticles (ECNPs), ensuring minimal signal cross-interference through a long Stokes shift. A key innovation is the development of a multimodal mapping algorithm that seamlessly integrates these optical signals, providing a sensitive and robust platform for biomarker detection with broad dynamic ranges. The probe's clinical relevance is demonstrated by its application in lateral flow assays (LFAs) for detecting C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, achieving a detection limit of 6.31 ng/mL and dynamic ranges from 23.13 to 2000 ng/mL, significantly outperforming single-mode detection methods. In clinical validation using urine samples from 31 patients, the triple-mode LFA showed excellent correlation (0.9377) and agreement (93.55 %) with gold standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results. This demonstrates that the proposed multimodal platform offers a highly sensitive, cost-effective, and versatile tool for monitoring inflammation and other disease biomarkers, with substantial potential for clinical applications in diagnostics and disease management.