Hydrogel Microneedles Extracting Exosomes for Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer

Biomacromolecules. 2023 Mar 13;24(3):1445-1452. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01449. Epub 2023 Feb 22.

Abstract

There are several methods for early diagnosis of tumors, such as detecting circulating tumor DNAs, detecting circulating tumor cells, or imaging with tumor-targeting contrast agents. However, these assays are time-consuming and may cause patient discomfort during the biopsy collecting process. Here, we develop a facile method for early diagnosis of tumors by extracting exosomes from interstitial fluid (ISF) using hydrogel microneedles (MNs). The hydrogel MNs expand in the skin to absorb the ISF, and the tumor exosomes contained in the ISF bind with the glypican-1 antibodies inside the hydrogel of MNs. After removing the hydrogel on the MNs, exosomes are separately purified from the ISF to analyze tumor-related biomarkers. Finally, colorectal cancer can be diagnosed by ELISA for the colorectal cancer-induced model mice. This noninvasive hydrogel MN system to obtain the exosome samples would play an important role in early cancer diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Early Detection of Cancer
  • Exosomes* / chemistry
  • Hydrogels / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Needles

Substances

  • Hydrogels
  • Biomarkers, Tumor