DLISA: A DNAzyme-Based ELISA for Protein Enzyme-Free Immunoassay of Multiple Analytes

A DNAzyme-based ELISA, termed DLISA, was developed as a novel protein enzyme-free, triply amplified platform, combining a catalytic and molecular beacon (CAMB) system with a cation exchange reaction for ultrasensitive multiplex fluorescent immunosorbent assay. Classical ELISA, which employs protein enzymes as biocatalysts to afford amplified signals, suffers from poor stability caused by the irreversible denaturation of these enzymes under harsh conditions, such as heat and acidity. Compared with proteins, nucleic acids are more stable and adaptable, and they can be easily produced using a commercial DNA synthesizer. Moreover, the catalytic and cleavage activities of DNAzyme can be achieved in solution; thus, no enzyme immobilization is needed for detection. Taken together, these attributes suggest that a DNAzyme-based ELISA detection approach will be more robust than current ELISA assays. Importantly, the proposed triply amplified DLISA immunoassay method shows ultrasensitive detection of such targets as human IgG with a detection limit of 2 fg/mL (3 x 10(-17) M), which is well within the range of many important disease biomarkers. DLISA can also be used to construct a sensing array for simultaneous multiplexed detection. With these merits, this high-throughput, stable, simple, sensitive, and low-cost multiplex fluorescence immunoassay shows promise for applications in clinical diagnosis.