Ultrasensitive multiplexed detection of women’s cancer biomarkers based on photonic crystal-enhanced single-particle upconversion

The quantitation detection of breast and ovarian cancer markers hold crucial significance in early diagnosis and screen for women’s health. However, there still lacks of a rapid and highly sensitive strategy for multiplexed detection of female-related tumor markers. Herein, we present a strategy for tuning and selectively enhancing upconversion (UC) emission colors by integrating a single core–shell upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) with a photonic crystal (PC) cavity. Experimental and theoretical findings reveal that the excitation optical filed modulation surrounding single UCNP dominates the variation of UC emission through PC effect. Subsequently, we designed a PC cavity enhanced single UCNP microfluidic device for binary-channel tumor markers based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer effect. As a proof of concept, this device was employed for the quantitative detection of breast cancer biomarker miRNA-155 and the multiplexed detection of ovarian cancer biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity. The biosensor achieved wide linear detection ranges down to following concentrations: miRNA-155 (1 pM-0.6 nM), CA125 (0.002–1.8 U/mL), and HE4 (0.008–85.5 ng/mL). This work offers a powerful strategy for manipulating UC of single particle and opens new opportunities for highly sensitive, multi-channel detection of various tumor markers.