Alpha Methylacyl-CoA Racemase (AMACR) biomarker-based chronocoulometric aptasensor for prostate cancer

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality in men, underscoring the need for rapid and reliable diagnostic strategies. Conventional detection of α-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) relies on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription PCR, which are limited by high cost, lengthy analysis time and operational complexity, while prostate-specific antigen lacks diagnostic specificity. Herein, we report a rapid electrochemical aptasensor based on mercaptosuccinic acid-capped tungsten telluride quantum dot (MSA-WTe3 QD) integrated with a 60-mer single-stranded DNA aptamer for AMACR detection. The platform achieves detection within 60 s, exhibiting a linear range of 1–200 pg.mL−1 and limits of detection of 0.05 pg.mL−1 in buffer and 0.12 pg.mL−1 in synthetic human serum, which fall well below reported AMACR levels in biological samples (44 μg.mL−1), enabling clinically relevant and early-stage detection. The aptasensor demonstrates high sensitivity, selectivity and stability, outperforming conventional assays in response time and analytical performance. These findings highlight the potential of the proposed sensing platform for rapid and early PCa diagnosis.