Skip to main content
. 2025 Jul 25;15(16):8259–8319. doi: 10.7150/thno.116153

Table 5.

Applications of UCNPs in BC biomarker detection.

UCNPs Surface modification Size (nm) Zeta potential (mV) Biomarkers Results Ref.
Linear range Limit of detection Recovery Relative standard deviation
NaYF4:Yb,Tm PEG; Streptavidin 78.7 - HER2 SBR=319; UCNP labeling compatible with H&E staining; Signal stable within 20 min 245
NaYF4:Yb,Tm PEG; Streptavidin 44.2±4.0 - HER2 SBR=319 246
NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4 SiO2; NPTAT-doped SiO2; Anti-PR antibody 39.24±1.22 - PR Excellent correlation with WB/IHC; More accurate low-level protein quantification vs. IHC; Enabled multiplex in situ biodetection 247
NaGdF4:Yb,Tm@NaGdF4 SiO2; NPTAT-doped SiO2; Anti-ER antibody 38.14±1.22 - ER
NaYbF4:Er@NaYF4 SiO2; Rhodamine B isothiocyanate-doped SiO2; Anti-HER2 antibody 24.22±1.50 - HER2
NaYbF4:Er Aptamer 6-7 - VEGF 50-2000 pM 6 pM 98.0%-113.0% 2.9%-3.6% 248
NaYbF4:Er PAA; Aptamer 50 - VEGF165 0.1-16 ng/mL 0.1 ng/mL 96.5%-112% <6.2% 249
NaYF4:Yb,Tm PAA; 6-Carboxyfluorescein; Aptamer 43.4 - CA15-3 0.01-150 U/mL 4.5 mU/mL 98.0%-105.0% <5% 253
NaYF4:Yb,Tm PEI; Anti-CA125 antibody 20 17 CA125 5-100 ng/mL 120 pg/mL - - 255
NaYF4:Yb,Er PAA; Aptamer 41.7±3.6 - CA125 0.01-100 U/mL 9 mU/mL 98%-102% <6% 256
NaYF4:Yb,Er PAA; Anti-CEA antibody 55 - CEA 0.5-30 ng/mL 0.36 ng/mL - - 259
NaYF4:Yb,Tm PDA 36 -13.1 CEA 2-200 ng/mL 0.1 ng/mL 96.7%-104.8% <5% 260
NaYF4:Yb,Er PAA; Aptamer 52±11 - CEA 0.05-10 ng/mL 0.008 ng/mL 92.0%-110.0% 1.4%-6% 261
NaYF4:Yb,Tm PDA - - CEA 0.1-100 ng/mL 0.031 ng/mL 92.6%-107.0% 1.0%-3.0% 262
NaYF4:Yb,Tm TiO2 150 - CEA 0.01-40 ng/mL 3.6 pg/mL - 8.9% 263
NaErF4:Tm@NaYF4@NaNdF4 PAA; G-quadruplex DNAzyme; cDNA 399.9 -14.16 CEA 50-2000 ng/mL 0.910 pg/mL 94.12%-103.92% 2.12%-5.33% 264
NaYF4:Yb,Er cDNA 30 -35.6 CEA 0.02-6.0 ng/mL (0.1-30 pM) 65 fM (0.013 ng/mL) - - 265
NaGdF4:Yb,Er PEG; Thiolated
ssDNA;
10±3 - TK1 mRNA 1.17-65.21 fmol/10 µg 0.67 fmol/10 µg - - 266
microRNA-21 0.043-41.25 fmol/10 µg 0.019 fmol/10 µg - -
NaYF4:Yb,Er PEI; Molecular beacon - - TK1 mRNA 0-100×10-9 M 1.1×10-9 M - - 267
NaGdF4:Yb,Er PEG; Cell-penetrating peptide; - - microRNA-21 0.073-43.65 fmol/10 μg 0.03 fmol/10 μg - - 268
NaYF4@NaYF4:Yb,Er@NaYF4
PEG; Anchor DNA; Glycerol phosphate disodium salt hydrate; - - microRNA-21 10×10-15-
10×10-11 M
0.74×10-15 M 95.0%-96.7% - 269
NaYF4:Yb:Tm@NaYF4 Plasmid DNA 46.83 -12.0 ctDNA (KRAS) 5-1000 pM 6.30 pM 93.14%-98.51% 2.02%-4.80% 271
NaYF4:Tm,Yb@NaYF4
SiO2; DNA probe 60 - ctDNA (PIK3CA E542K) 1-500 fM 1 nM - - 272

PEG: polyethylene glycol; PAA: polypropylene acid; SBR: signal-to-background ratio; IHC: immunohistochemistry; PEI: polyethyleneimine; PDA: polydopamine; WB: western blotting; NPTAT: nickel (II) phthalocyanine-tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium salt.