Fluorescence immunoassay of α-fetoprotein with iron (III) tetrasulfonatophthalocyanine as a mimetic enzyme labeling reagent

A new fluorimetric immunoassay for α-fetoprotein (AFP) has been developed using a novel promising mimetic peroxidase, iron(III) tetrasulfonatophthalocyanine (FeTSPc), as a labeling reagent to catalyze the fluorescence reaction of P- hydroxyphenylacetic acid (P-HPA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). In the competitive immunoassay, anti-AFP antibody was coated on a 96-well plate (polystyrene) and a constant amount of FeTSPc-la-beled AFP and a known amount of test solution were added. Non-labeled and FeTSPc-labeled AFP compete for binding to the plate-bound antibody. After the immunoreaction, the immunochemically adsorbed FeTSPc-AFP conjugate moiety was determined by measuring the fluorescence produced in a solution containing P-HPA and H₂O₂. AFP can be determined in the concentration range of 1-300 ng mL^-1 with a detection limit of 0.5 ng mL^-1.