Molecular Beacon Nano-Sensors for Probing Living Cancer Cells

Tairong Kuang; Lingqian Chang; Xiangfang Peng; Xianglong Hu; Daniel Gallego-Perez

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2016.09.003

Molecular Beacon Nano-Sensors for Probing Living Cancer Cells

Trends Biotechnol. 2017 Apr;35(4):347-359. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2016.09.003. Epub 2016 Sep 28.

Authors

Tairong Kuang¹, Lingqian Chang², Xiangfang Peng³, Xianglong Hu⁴, Daniel Gallego-Perez⁵

Affiliations

¹ National Engineering Research Center of Novel Equipment for Polymer Processing, The Key Laboratory of Polymer Processing Engineering of Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
² Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. Electronic address: chang.982@osu.edu.
³ National Engineering Research Center of Novel Equipment for Polymer Processing, The Key Laboratory of Polymer Processing Engineering of Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
⁴ Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science and Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China. Electronic address: xlhu@scnu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Mission CAIRRS (Consortium for Advancements and Innovations in Restorative and Regenerative Strategies), Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cell-Based Therapies, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.

PMID: 27692896
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2016.09.003

Abstract

Heterogeneities and oncogenesis essentially result from proteomic disorders orchestrated by changes in DNA and/or cytoplasmic mRNA. These genetic fluctuations, however, cannot be decoded through conventional label-free methods (e.g., patch clamps, electrochemical cellular biosensors, etc.) or morphological characterization. Molecular beacons (MBs) have recently emerged as efficient probes for interrogating biomarkers in live cancer cells. MBs hybridize with their intracellular targets (e.g., mRNAs, DNAs, or proteins), emitting a fluorescent signal that can be quantified and correlated with the expression levels of their targets. In this review we discuss MB probes with different delivery platforms for intracellular probing as well as novel MB designs for detecting a variety of targets in living cancer cells. Finally, we describe current trends in MB-based intracellular biosensors.

Keywords: cancer cells; heterogeneities; intracellular delivery; intracellular probes; mRNAs; molecular beacons.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Biosensing Techniques*
Cell Line, Tumor
Fluorescent Dyes / analysis
Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism
Humans
Mice
Nanostructures* / analysis
Nanostructures* / chemistry
Nanotechnology / methods*
Neoplasms* / chemistry
Neoplasms* / metabolism
Single-Cell Analysis / methods*

Substances

Fluorescent Dyes