Ultrasensitive and specific fluorescence detection of a cancer biomarker via nanomolar binding to a guanidinium-modified calixarene

We designed a water-soluble guanidinium-modified calix[5]arene to target lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), an ideal biomarker for early diagnosis of ovarian and other gynecologic cancers, achieving binding on the nanomolar level. An indicator displacement assay, coupled with differential sensing, enabled ultrasensitive and specific detection of LPA. Moreover, we show that using a calibration line, the LPA concentration in untreated serum can be quantified in the biologically relevant low μM range with a detection limit of 1.7 μM. The reported approach is feasible for diagnosing ovarian and other gynecologic cancers, particularly at their early stages.