A Combinational Approach for More Efficient miRNA Biosensing

Abstract

MicroRNAs, short single-stranded noncoding RNAs ranging in length from 18 ~ 24 bp, are found in all kingdoms of eukaryotes and even viruses. It was found that miRNAs are involved in a variety of biological processes, and their intracellular aberrant expression is related to diseases and abnormalities in the immune system. Since then, it has been considered essential to develop an efficient miRNA detection system. In this review, the limitations of traditional scheme-based miRNA detection methods are compared and analyzed. In particular, nucleic acid amplification-based miRNA detection methods and nanomaterial-based miRNA detection methods, which are widely used as a biosensing platform because of various features and advantages, such as high sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity, are analyzed. Based on this analysis, the latest examples of a combination of the advantages of nucleic acid amplification and those of nanomaterials are examined to suggest the characteristics of the next-generation miRNA biosensing.

Keywords: biosensing platform; miRNA detection system; miRNAs; nanomaterial-based miRNA; next-generation miRNA biosensing; nucleic acid amplification.

Fig. (1)

Schematic diagram of the designed nanoprobe for the detection of miRNA-21 based on the PRET system [128]. (Reprinted from Lv, J.; Miao, Y.; Yan, G. Detection of tumor marker miRNA21 based on phosphorescent resonance energy transfer of Mn–ZnS QDs. RSC Advances, 2017, 7(65), 41063-41069. doi: 10.1039/C7RA04521B). (A higher resolution / colour version of this figure is available in the electronic copy of the article).

Fig. (2)

The schematic diagram for miRNA assay based on the two-stage EXPAR and single-QD-based nanosensor [144]. (A higher resolution / colour version of this figure is available in the electronic copy of the article).

Fig. (3)

The schematic diagram of the sensor. (A) the nicking enzyme Nb.BbvCI mediated signal amplification (NESA); (B) fabrication of the biosensor; (C) the ECL enhancement mechanism of self-enhanced N-CQDs [121]. (A higher resolution / colour version of this figure is available in the electronic copy of the article).

Fig. (4)

The schematic diagram for single-molecule analysis of microRNA and logic operations using a smart plasmonic nanobiosensor [161]. (A higher resolution / colour version of this figure is available in the electronic copy of the article).