Rapid evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma by detecting plasma exosomes with time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic test strips.

Time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic test strips (TRFIS) was developed for the rapid detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific plasma exosomes (hExos) by targeting the hExo-surface membrane protein glypican-3 (GPC3). The GPC3-TRFIS could directly detect plasma exosomes without the isolation and purification process, and the whole immunoassay could be completed within 15 min. The visual detection limit of GPC3-TRFIS was 3.44 × 10^9 particles/mL, with a minimum detection limit of 1.8 × 10^9 particles/mL. For analysis of the clinical HCC samples, GPC3-TRFIS shows high specificity for detection of hExo, and was nearly unreactive for healthy donors' samples. GPC3-TRFIS was able to efficiently distinguish HCC patients (19 cases) from healthy donors (19 cases). Overall, the developed TRFIS offers the benefits of high sensitivity, simple operation, and no need of large precision instruments and professional technical personnel for rapid detection of plasma hExos, and supplies a novel approach for early screening of HCC.