Akkapinyo C.Poo-arporn Y.Rattanakam R.Subannajui K.Lieberzeit P.A.Wolschann P.Poo-arporn R.P.Mahidol University2025-11-212025-11-212025-12-01Scientific Reports Vol.15 No.1 (2025)https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/113149Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a well-established cancer biomarker that plays a crucial role in cancer diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and recurrence detection. This study presents the development of a highly sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) for CEA detection. CEA-specific nanoMIPs were synthesized and immobilized onto a screen-printed carbon electrode, providing selective recognition sites for CEA binding. The electrochemical signal probe was constructed using a metal organic framework, UiO-66-NH<inf>2</inf>, which served as the substrate for lead ion (Pb²⁺) adsorption and aptamer functionalization. A nanoMIPs-aptamer sandwich assay was used for CEA detection. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry was used to measure the electrochemical response of Pb²⁺, which correlates with the amount of CEA captured on the electrode surface. The sensor demonstrated an excellent linear CEA detection range at concentrations between 1 and 1,000 ng/mL. The limit of detection was determined to be 1.4 ng/mL, which is below the clinical cut-off value for CEA. The proposed sandwich assay offers several advantages, including low cost, high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and excellent selectivity. When applied to CEA-spiked human serum samples with the appropriate pretreatment, the sensor achieved satisfactory recovery rates ranging from 98.12 to 103.24%, highlighting its applicability for clinical diagnostics.MultidisciplinaryArticleSCOPUS10.1038/s41598-025-22971-72-s2.0-1050213138172045232241214027