Quantitative analysis of microRNA in blood serum with protein-facilitated affinity capillary electrophoresis

Anal Chem. 2011 Aug 15;83(16):6196-201. doi: 10.1021/ac2016213. Epub 2011 Jul 18.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (∼22 nt) regulatory RNAs that are frequently deregulated in cancer and have shown promise as tissue- and blood-based biomarkers for cancer classification and prognostication. Here we present a protein-facilitated affinity capillary electrophoresis (ProFACE) assay for rapid quantification of miRNA levels in blood serum using single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) and double-stranded RNA binding protein (p19) as separation enhancers. The method utilizes either the selective binding of SSB to a single-stranded DNA/RNA probe or the binding of p19 to miRNA-RNA probe duplex. For the detection of ultralow amounts of miRNA without polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification in blood samples we apply off-line preconcentration of synthetic miRNA-122 from serum by p19-coated magnetic beads followed by online sample stacking in the ProFACE assay. The detection limit is 0.5 fM or 30 000 miRNA molecules in 1 mL of serum as a potential source of naïve miRNAs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chemistry Techniques, Analytical*
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / chemistry
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Electrophoresis, Capillary / methods*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / analysis
  • Humans
  • Limit of Detection
  • MicroRNAs / blood*
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • RNA Probes / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Double-Stranded / chemistry
  • RNA, Double-Stranded / metabolism*
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA, Single-Stranded
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • MIRN122 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA Probes
  • RNA, Double-Stranded
  • RNA-Binding Proteins