Multivalent nanoparticle networks enable point-of-care detection of human phospholipase-A2 in serum.

A rapid and highly sensitive point-of-care (PoC) lateral flow assay for phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is demonstrated in serum through the enzyme-triggered release of a new class of biotinylated multiarmed polymers from a liposome substrate. Signal from the enzyme activity is generated by the adhesion of polystreptavidin-coated gold nanoparticle networks to the lateral flow device, which leads to the appearance of a red test line due to the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of the gold. The use of a liposome as the enzyme substrate and multivalent linkers to link the nanoparticles leads to amplification of the signal, as the cleavage of a small amount of lipids is able to release a large amount of polymer linker and adhesion of an even larger amount of gold nanoparticles.