A paper-based electrochemical immunosensor with reduced graphene oxide/thionine/gold nanoparticles nanocomposites modification for the detection of cancer antigen 125

A paper-based electrochemical immunosensor was developed for the detection of cancer antigen 125 (CA125) by screen-printing technique. The reduced graphene oxide/thionine/gold nanoparticles (rGO/Thi/AuNPs) nanocomposites were compounded and coated onto the working electrode of immunosensor for CA125 antibody (anti-CA125) immobilization and detection signal amplification. The detection principle was based on the fact that the immunocomplex formed by specify binding of CA125 antibody and antigen could reduce the current response of thionine, which was proportional to the corresponding concentration of CA125 antigen. The immunoassay results showed that the linear range of CA125 was from 0.1 U mL−1 to 200 U mL−1 with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 U mL−1 at signal to noise of 3. Quality control serum samples measured by our proposed immunosensor showed acceptable agreement with traditional ELISA method with the relative error less than 8.05%. The immunosensor exhibited good electrochemical performance with high reproducibility, reliability, stability and accuracy. The proposed immunosensor could be used for the determination of CA125 and had the potential for point-of-care testing (POCT) of other tumor marker. •A novel electrochemical immunosensor based on rGO/Thi/AuNPs nanocomposites was developed for the determination of CA125.•The rGO/Thi/AuNPs nanocomposites were synthesized to improve the sensitivity of immunosensor.•The immunosensor showed acceptable agreement with traditional ELISA method in clinical diagnosis.•It could be used for point-of-care testing of tumor markers and had the potential for disease screening in remote region.