DNAzyme assisted single amplification for FEN1 activity detection using a personal glucose meter.

Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) plays a vital role in cancer by modulating DNA repair mechanisms, inducing genomic instability, and serving as a promising biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this work, we present the development of a novel DNAzyme signal amplification-directed point-of-care sensing system (Dz-PGM) for the sensitive and specific detection of FEN1. The Dz-PGM system utilizes DNAzyme signal amplification in conjunction with a personal glucose meter (PGM) for reporting, capitalizing on a biochemical cascade initiated by FEN1 recognition. Benefiting from enzymatic recognition, magnetic separation, and DNAzyme based signal amplification, this Dz-PGM system demonstrates exceptional specificity and achieves a low detection limit of 3.56× 10 U/mL for FEN1. The versatility of the system is further demonstrated through its ability to screen FEN1 inhibitor drugs and to distinguish FEN1 levels in real cell samples with high accuracy. The article underscores the potential of the Dz-PGM system as a promising tool for early cancer diagnosis, and in constructing sensitive detection platforms for DNA repair enzymes.