The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still raging all over the world. Hence, the rapid and sensitive screening of the suspected population is in high demand. The nucleocapsid protein (NP) of SARS-CoV-2 has been selected as an ideal marker for viral antigen detection. This study describes a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) based on colloidal gold nanoparticles for rapid NP antigen detection, in which sensitivity was improved through copper deposition-induced signal amplification. The detection sensitivity of the developed LFIA for NP antigen detection (using certified reference materials) under the optimized parameters was 0.01 μg/mL and was promoted by three orders of magnitude to 10 pg/mL after copper deposition signal amplification. The LFIA coupled with the copper enhancement technique has many merits such as low cost, high efficiency, and high sensitivity. It provides an effective approach to the rapid screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of the suspected population in the COVID-19 outbreak.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, nucleocapsid protein, signal amplification, copper deposition, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, pandemic, Diagnosis, amplification, lateral flow immunoassay, sensitivity, COVID-19 outbreak, LFIA, antigen detection, marker, Detection sensitivity, Efficiency, colloidal gold, Viral antigen, parameter, approach, effective, Respiratory Coronavirus, selected, caused, provide, magnitude, promoted, 【제목키워드】 detection, Rapid, sensitive, copper, Flow, enhancement, Lateral,