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. 2022 Apr 13:2022:5708326.
doi: 10.1155/2022/5708326. eCollection 2022.

TiO2-DNA Nanosensor In Situ for Quick Detection of Nasal Flora in Allergic Rhinitis Patients

Weihua Chen  1 , Kaiyang Zhang  1 , Zewei Zhong  1
Affiliations

TiO2-DNA Nanosensor In Situ for Quick Detection of Nasal Flora in Allergic Rhinitis Patients

Weihua Chen et al. Comput Math Methods Med. .

Retraction in

Abstract

Background: A relevant study found that allergic rhinitis (AR) may be related to the imbalance of nasal flora. Therefore, if the nasal flora of AR patients can be detected quickly, it is of great significance to study the distribution law of nasal flora in AR patients and explore its correlation with AR.

Objective: To design a new and convenient nano-DNA sensor for quick screening of nasal flora in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients, so as to provide experimental basis for the prevention and treatment of AR.

Methods: We create a synthesized nanostructured DNA biosensor called Nano-TiO2-DNA sensor which can be combined with samples from nasal mucosa or secretion with high efficiency and detect certain flora in situ without DNA extraction or RNA sequencing. In a physical property test, firstly, we tested the permeability, solubility, and storage temperature of nano-TiO2, so as to provide experimental basis for the synthesis of Nano-TiO2-DNA sensor. Subsequently, the permeability of Nano-TiO2-DNA sensor in Staphylococcus aureus was further tested. In a clinical experiment, we selected 60 AR patients treated in our hospital from September 2020 to September 2021 as the AR group and 60 healthy people who underwent physical examination at the same time as the control group. The Nano-TiO2-DNA sensor was used to detect typical nasal flora in AR patients, and Pearson's correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between nasal flora with serum IgE and eosinophils.

Results: As for physicochemical characteristics, this sensor can permeate into certain bacteria directly and specifically. It has high affinity ability with a target, and the combination can be detected by evaluating the released fluorescence qualitatively and quantitatively. It can be stored at -20°C in ethyl alcohol stably. By this sensor, we have successfully detected Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and viridans streptococci in AR patients compared with healthy people, which will help these patients in the prevention of acute sinusitis and acute or subacute pneumonia. Furthermore, we found Proteus had the strongest positive correlation with AR while Actinomyces had the biggest negative correlation.

Conclusion: The Nano-TiO2-DNA sensor will help an outpatient doctor more for quick screening certain nasal flora in AR patients and improve the prevention of AR-related complications.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Synthesis principle and workflow of Nano-TiO2-DNA. (a) Working principle of Nano-TiO2-DNA. The silenced fluorescence beacon in the primary sensor will be open after meeting with its complementary sequence and release fluorescence which can be detected. (b) The constructing principle of Nano-TiO2-DNA. TiO2 particle-conjugated nano-DNA will be coated with Dioleoyl-trimethy-lammonium-propane. (c) Method for Nano-TiO2-DNA application. The sensor will be incubated with samples in situ directly for target sequence detection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Permeation test and physicochemical characteristics of TiO2. (a–c) Confocal image of TiO2-FITC in staphylococcus aureus, ×20. (d–f) Confocal image of TiO2-FITC permeated staphylococcus aureus, ×20. (g–i) Confocal image of merged TiO2-FITC and permeated staphylococcus aureus, ×20. (j) Dissolving capacity test of TiO2. (k–m) Confocal image of precipitate TiO2-FITC after TiO2-FITC solution was standing by for 24 h, ×20. (n) Quantitative precipitate TiO2-FITC after TiO2-FITC solution was put on standby for 24 h.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Permeation capacity Comparison of nano-DNA sensor and Nano-TiO2-DNA sensor. (a–c) Permeation capacity of pure DNA sensor in Staphylococcus aureus, ×20. DNA-S: DNA sensor. (d–f) Permeation capacity of TiO2 DNA sensor in Staphylococcus aureus, ×20. TiO2-DNA-S: TiO2 DNA sensor. (g) Fluorescence intensity alteration of DNA sensor and TiO2-DNA sensor after being mixed with Staphylococcus aureus for 72 h.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Clinical information and conventional nasal flora analysis in AR patients. (a) Age distribution of AR patients and healthy people. (b) Sex ratio of AR patients. (c) Serum IgE level of AR patients and healthy people. (d) Eosinophil ratio of AR patients and healthy people. (e) Conventional sequencing analysis for nasal flora in included AR patients. ∗∗∗P < 0.001.
Figure 5
Figure 5
TiO2-DNA sensor in quick screening of top nasal flora in AR patients and healthy people. (a–f) TiO2-DNA sensor in healthy people. (g–l) TiO2-DNA sensor in AR patients, ×20. CNS: Coagulase-negative Staphylococci; PAC: Propionibacterium acnes; SA: Staphylococcus aureus; KP: Klebsiella pneumoniae; VS: viridans streptococci.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Correlation analysis of nasal flora with IgE and eosinophils. Red: positive correlation coefficient. Blue: negative correlation coefficient.
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