The Precise Detection of HER-2 Expression in Breast Cancer Cell via Au(25) Probes

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for nearly one-quarter of all breast cancer cases, but effective targeted therapies for this disease remain elusive because TNBC cells lack the expression of the most common three receptors seen in other subtypes of breast cancers. The medium-term diagnosis of breast cancers is essential for development and prognosis. According to reports, patients with TNBC may be converted to a positive epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2) after chemotherapy, and trastuzumab treatment will have a better prognosis. Therefore, it is important to accurately quantify the expression of HER-2 in breast cancer cells. Herein, we design a red fluorescent Au(25) probe synthesized with BSA-biotin as the ligand, which is accurately quantified by HER-2 primary antibody-biotin using the avidin system. The quantitative detection of the expression of HER-2 in breast cancers is helpful for the companion diagnostic of breast cancer treatment and provides follow-up treatment.