Ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of miRNA based on polymerization signal amplification

Qingyu Wang; Haobo Sun; Dongxiao Wen; Lei Wang; Lianzhi Li; Jinming Kong; Xueji Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122744

Ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of miRNA based on polymerization signal amplification

Talanta. 2021 Dec 1:235:122744. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122744. Epub 2021 Jul 28.

Authors

Qingyu Wang¹, Haobo Sun², Dongxiao Wen³, Lei Wang⁴, Lianzhi Li⁵, Jinming Kong⁶, Xueji Zhang⁷

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, PR China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, 252059, PR China.
² School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, PR China.
³ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, PR China.
⁴ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, 252059, PR China.
⁵ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, 252059, PR China. Electronic address: lilianzhi@lcu.edu.can.
⁶ School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, PR China. Electronic address: j.kong@njust.edu.cn.
⁷ School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, PR China.

PMID: 34517612
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122744

Abstract

The detection of trace tumor-related serum miRNA biomarkers is in great demand for the early diagnosis of cancer. Herein, for the first time, an electrochemical sensing platform based on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) signal amplification strategy for ultrasensitive determination of the breast and prostate cancer marker miRNA-141 has been developed. The hairpin DNAs were immobilized on the benzoic acid modified electrode to capture the target miRNA-141, the recognition of miRNA-141 released thiol groups on the end of probes, followed by the association of ATRP initiators modified gold nanoparticles with thiol groups, and then triggered the polymerization on electrode surface, causing a great number of ferrocene (Fc) signal molecules grafted on the sensor interface. As a result, the electrochemical signal intensity of signal molecule has been greatly increased. The proposed biosensor has a linear range from 10 pM to 10 aM with a detection limit of 3.23 aM for miRNA-141, opening a new and promising path for ultrasensitive analysis of tumor-related miRNAs.

Keywords: ATRP; Electrochemical biosensor; Signal amplification; miRNA-141.

MeSH terms

Biosensing Techniques*
Electrochemical Techniques
Gold
Humans
Limit of Detection
Male
Metal Nanoparticles*
MicroRNAs*
Polymerization

Substances

MicroRNAs
Gold