A　facile　and　sensitive　mediator-free　electrochemical　immunoassay　was　developed　for　determination　of　alpha-fetoprotein　(AFP)　in　human　serum　with　a　sandwich-type　mode　by　using　silver　nanowire-graphene　hybrid　nanocomposites　(AgNW-GPs)　as　label.　One-pot　hydrothermal　method　was　used　for　the　synthesis　of　the　AgNW-GPs　with　the　aid　of　trisodium　citrate.　The　as-prepared　AgNW-GP　was　not　only　utilized　for　the　label　of　horseradish　peroxidase-conjugated　anti-AFP　(HRP-anti-AFP)　with　highly　loading　capacity,　but　also　displayed　good　electrochemical　behaviors.　Compared　with　the　conventional　HRP-anti-AFP-based　electrochemical　immunoassay,　the　sensitivity　of　the　proposed　immunoassay　by　using　the　synthesized　nanolabels　was　greatly　improved.　Under　optimal　conditions,　the　electrochemical　immunosensor　exhibited　a　wide　linear　range　of　0.05-400　ng/mL　with　a　low　detection　limit　(LOD)　of　5　pg/mL　AFP　(at　3sB).　Intra-　and　inter-assay　coefficients　of　variation　were　below　10%　and　8.5%,　respectively.　The　selectivity　and　stability　of　the　immunosensor　were　acceptable.　In　addition,　the　methodology　was　also　validated　by　assaying　16　positive　serum　samples　and　7　negative　serum　samples,　receiving　a　good　correlation　with　the　results　obtained　from　the　referenced　electrochemiluminescence　method.　©　2011　Elsevier　Ltd.