High-affinity ssDNA aptamer and chemiluminescent aptasensor for TIMP-1 detection in human serum

TIMP-1 (Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases-1) is a protein involved in regulating extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. It is recognized as a significant biomarker for cancer diagnosis. This study aimed to develop and characterize a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamer targeting human TIMP-1 protein with high affinity and specificity. A magnetic beads-based SELEX process combined with qPCR was used to select aptamers over seven rounds. The enriched ssDNA library was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing to identify candidate sequences, and these sequences were characterized using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and binding assays to evaluate their affinity and specificity. The selected ssDNA aptamer demonstrated a dissociation equilibrium constant (K_D) of 0.41 nM and a very slow off-rate, enabling effective capture of TIMP-1 in serum samples. Furthermore, a chemiluminescent aptasensor was developed for TIMP-1 detection, which exhibited high specificity and a broad linear detection range from 1 to 500 ng/mL in human serum. The developed ssDNA aptamer targeting TIMP-1 shows high affinity and specificity, and the chemiluminescent aptasensor demonstrates promising potential for clinical diagnosis of TIMP-1 levels in human serum.

Graphical abstract