Reversible Fluorescent Nanoswitch Based on Carbon Quantum Dots Nanoassembly for Real-Time Acid Phosphatase Activity Monitoring

A reversible fluorescence nanoswitch by integrating carbon quantum dots nanoassembly and pyrophosphate ion is developed, and a reliable real-time fluorescent assay for acid phosphatase (ACP) activity is established on the basis of the fluorescence nanoswitch. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) abundant in carboxyl groups on the surface, nickel(II) ion and pyrophosphate ion comprise the fluorescent nanoswitch, which operates in the following way: the nanoassembly consisting of CQDs and nickel ions can be triggered by pyrophosphate ion serving as an external stimulus. At the same time, the fluorescence nanoswitch switches between two fluorescence states (OFF and ON) accompanying shifts in their physical states aggregation and disaggregation. Based on the nanoswitch, the introduction of ACP leads to breakdown of pyrophosphate ions into phosphate ions and resultant fluorescence quenching due to catalytic hydrolysis of ACP toward pyrophosphate ions (PPi). Quantitative evaluation of ACP activity in a broad range from 18.2 U/L to 1300 U/L, with a detection limit of 5.5 U/L, can be achieved in this way, which endows the assay with sufficiently high sensitivity for practical detection in human serum and seminal plasma.