Highly luminescent AIE nanoparticle-equipped sensitive point-of-care testing of neuron-specific enolase for small cell lung cancer diagnosis

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a pivotal biomarker for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Precise detection of NSE is imperative for monitoring disease status, assessing treatment efficacy, and predicting recurrence. However, conventional detection methodologies necessitate sophisticated instrumentation and highly skilled personnel, thereby restricting their utility in resource-limited settings. Here, we present aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probe (DBNPs)-based lateral flow immunoassay (DBNP-LFIA) for rapid, sensitive, and user-friendly detection of serum NSE. DBNPs exhibited 81-fold enhancement in signal intensity compared to traditional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). DBNP-LFIA demonstrated a broad dynamic detection range from 0.05 to 111 ng/mL with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.049 ng/mL, the LOD is approximately 27 times lower than that of conventional AuNP-LFIA. The recovery rates in serum samples ranged from 91.36 % to 116.9 %, with coefficients of variation (CV) of ≤ 12.8 %. Thus, DBNPs show significant potential as signal probes for high-performance LFIA, thereby broadening the application spectrum of LFIA in the diagnosis of lung cancer. •Novel yellow AIEgens (DPNA-DMBT) with high QY of 60% and ultra-bright AIE probe (DBNPs，QY: 72.77%) were prepared•DBNP-LFlA achieved a LOD of 0.049 ng/ml for NSE detection, which was 27 times lower than that of AuNP-LFIA.•DBNP-LFlA demonstrates excellent performance in serum, enhancing the diagnostic capabilities for lung cancer.