A sensitive biosensor based on a ferrocene-marked adapter for the fluorescence detection of platelet-derived growth factor BB

Abstract A novel fluorescent nanometer biosensor integrating a β-cyclodextrin-modified carbon dot (β-CD-CD) fluorescent nanoprobe and ferrocene-marked adapter (ssDNA-Fc) was developed and used to measure platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. When no PDGF-BB was added, ssDNA-Fc induced the enhanced fluorescence of β-CD-CD nanoprobes. After adding PDGF-BB, ssDNA-Fc specifically bonded with PDGF-BB. Meanwhile, the β-CD-CDs and Fc in ssDNA-Fc initiated host–guest identification, which then induced photoinduced electron transfer and decreased fluorescence, thereby contributing to the high-sensitivity monitoring of PDGF-BB. This novel approach showed a wide linear range of 10 pg mL−1 to 8 μg mL−1 and a low detection limit of 6 pg mL−1 (RSD = ±4.6%). Moreover, the spiked recovery rate in human serum was 98.2%–106.2% (RSD ≤ ±3.79%), indicating that this method can be used to monitor PDGF-BB in human serum.