High-risk HPV-16 infection is strongly linked to cervical cancer, making its quantitative detection vital for early screening and early diagnosis. However, accurate detection of HPV-16 DNA is challenging due to the low viral load and biomolecular interference in the cervical microenvironment. Here, we develop an electrochemiluminescence sensor using in situ-grown MXene quantum dots immobilized on N, P-codoped Ti3C2 sheets as a nanoprobe for HPV-16 DNA detection. This hybrid architecture enhances luminescence efficiency, charge transport, and coreactant catalysis, delivering a stronger and more stable ECL output in comparison to the individual components. To translate these material-driven gains into target-specific signal transduction, we couple the probe with CRISPR/Cas12a recognition. Upon target binding, Cas12a is activated and exhibits collateral transcleavage toward ssDNA auxiliaries tethered at the electrode, which disrupts probe retention and yields a robust signal-off ECL readout with high specificity. This biosensor achieves a detection limit of 0.56 fM with a wide linear range from 1.0 fM to 50 pM. Tests on cervical brush specimens show good agreement with PCR, while maintaining reliable performance at low target levels in clinical specimens. These results indicate that the N, P-Ti3C2-MQDs-Cas12a system is a promising platform for supporting early screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Tang et al. (2026) studied this question.