Detection of Early Stage Apoptotic Cells Based on Label-Free Cytochrome c Assay Using Bioconjugated Metal Nanoclusters as Fluorescent Probes.

Cytochrome c (Cyt c) is an important biomarker in cell lysates for the early stage of apoptosis or anticancer agents. Here, two novel label-free fluorescence assays based on hemoglobin-stabilized gold nanoclusters (Hb/AuNCs) and aptamer-stabilized silver nanoclusters (DNA/AgNCs) for analysis of Cyt c are presented. The heme group of the protein induces sensitive sensing platforms accompanied by the decreased fluorescence of both metal nanoclusters. The quenching processes observed found to be based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer mechanism from Hb/AuNCs to Cyt c and photoinduced electron transfer from DNA/AgNCs to the aptamer-Cyt c complex. The linear range for Cyt c was found to be 0–10 μM for Hb/AuNCs and from 0 to 1 μM for DNA/AgNCs, with limits of detection of ∼15 nM. On the basis of strong binding affinity of DNA aptamers for their target proteins, the DNA/AgNCs probe was successfully applied to the quantitative determination of Cyt c in cell lysates, which opens a new avenue to early d...