In our earlier work, a quick and easy-to-use competitive chemiluminescence DNA assessment using Au-MNPs was constructed for detecting genomic p53 [1]. However, this strategy of using modified magnetic nanoparticles as carriers for p53 gene detection still has some limitations. The TP53 protein, also referred to as "the guardian of the genome," is crucial for the processes that repair a damaged genome [2, 3]. According to the theory, it acts as a tumor suppressor and activates downstream genes that impede growth and/or invasion upon binding to a TP53-binding site. TP53 is also the most frequently altered gene in human malignancies under conditions of cell stress, such as DNA damage caused by UV rays. Mutants of TP53 are widespread in numerous human cancers and unable to bind to the consensus DNA-binding site, which results in the loss of tumor suppressor action [4, 5]. Approximately 50% of all human cancers are recognized as an outcome of DNA damage. A variety of cellular stresses regulate various target genes that promote apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, senescence, DNA repair, or changes in metabolism [6, 7]. TP53 protein has therefore been previously determined using various analytical methods, including the use of denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography [8], the polydimethylsiloxane-assisted bead matrix [9], portable surface plasmon resonance biosensors [10, 11], biosensors based on field-effect transistors [12, 13], surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy [14], and electrochemical biosensor technology [15, 16], with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) [17–19]. However, each such technique requires the pretreatment of samples by skilled laboratory personnel owing to the complicated electrode materials and expensive equipment. Additionally, they are time-consuming, and high sensitivity is difficult to attain. Currently, immunochromatographic tests (ICTS) are regarded as a valuable tool for quick screening of food and environmental monitoring along with clinical diagnosis when compared to conventional approaches [20]. ICTS are rapid tests that are simple to use, stable over time, and show low interference [21–23]; therefore, immunochromatographic test strips combined with portable detectors are being manufactured by various manufacturers. Traditional ICTS often have limited sensitivity due to insufficient brightness when utilizing gold nanospheres as signal-intensity reporters [24]. Subsequently, ICTS applications designed for the detection of ultralow concentrations of analytes have now used a variety of novel reporters possessing optimum photostability and improved brightness; these include carbon nanoparticles [25], Fe3O4 nanoparticle aggregates [26], luminescent quantum dot beads [27], and upconverting phosphors [28]. Due to the ease of its conjugation to antibodies, its stability and its intense color, gold in its colloidal form has been the most frequently used immunochromatographic label [29, 30]. Unfortunately, gold cannot quantitatively determine the analyte, and flocculation and aggregation of gold in solution are unsuitable for large-scale ICTS production [31].
The probe of the analyte also impacts the analytical performance and is an important factor for immunoassays of detectable signals. Currently, chemiluminescence (CL) reactions are catalyzed using N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol) or luminol as a luminescence reagent [32–37]. As a novel luminescent probe with high efficiency, NSP-DMAE-NHS demonstrates a much higher efficiency [38], improved selectivity, and enhanced emission intensity for quantitative analysis [39]. NSP-DMAE-NHS exhibits outstanding potential for the immobilization of biomolecules (proteins, DNA) with a carboxyl group, improves the biosensor's performance, and amplifies the signal without causing any damage to the biomolecule in terms of its biochemical activity.
In our previous work, modified magnetic nanoparticles were utilized as carriers to carry out specific binding of gene fragments; these fragments used the magnetic properties of the magnetic particles to carry out the separation operations. Specific binding occurred in the solution phase, and the solution to be tested was not easily preserved; thus, it could not be tailored into a kit for wide-scale utilization in health care. Therefore, based on the results of our earlier investigation, we focused on the applications of chemiluminescence technology and immunochromatographic methods. A novel competitive chemiluminescent assay for the determination of the TP53 fusion protein based on reagent strips was established, with NSP-DMAE-NHS as an efficient luminescence reagent. In this study, the TP53 antigen together with HRP-conjugated goat anti-rabbit IgG were immobilized on control and study lines on the strip, respectively. Then, the (anti-TP53)-(NSP-DMAE-NHS) immunoconjugates were prepared and detected using different concentrations of the TP53 antigen samples with the optimal concentrations. After being immobilized on the control and test lines of the strips, the TP53-(anti-TP53)-(NSP-DMAE-NHS) immunoconjugates and the remaining (anti-TP53)-(NSP-DMAE-NHS) conjugates were determined using a luminous analytical platform. This method combined portable equipment with express testing, enabling the results to be recorded, followed by an immediate transfer of the results with a variety of current telecommunications methods. Thus, the immunochromatographic systems was more competitive in carrying out nonlaboratory analyses. The principle of the chemiluminescent quantitative determination of the TP53 protein based on the reagent strips is shown in Fig. 1. Compared with previous work, our detection method focused on an immunoassay and was characterized by its simplicity, efficiency, high sensitivity, and fast speed. This strategy used reagent strips as the carrier for specific immunobinders and has provided a solid foundation for the preparation of commercial kits and their application in community hospitals and other healthcare institutions.