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Sensitive electrochemical detection of microRNA-21 based on propylamine-functionalized mesoporous silica with glucometer readout

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Abstract

A new homogeneous electrochemical sensing system was developed for sensitive detection of microRNA-21 (miRNA-21) based on target-induced glucose release from propylamine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN) with glucometer readout. Glucose molecules (as the signal tracers) were initially gated into the pores through the interaction of the negatively charged anchor DNA with the aminated MSN. Upon addition of target miRNA, the analyte competitively hybridized with anchor DNA to form the RNA-DNA duplex, thus resulting in detachment of anchor DNA from the MSN accompanying the pore opening. The loaded glucose molecules released out from the pores because of concentration gradients, which could be detected by using a portable personal glucometer (PGM). Experimental results indicated that the PGM signal increased with the increasing miRNA level, and exhibited a good linear dependence on the miRNA-21 concentration from 50 pM to 5.0 nM with a detection limit of 19 pM under optimum conditions. Additionally, multifunctional mesoporous silica nanoparticles also showed good stability and favorable selectivity, and satisfactory accuracy for the miRNA detection in cell lysates with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Such good analytical performance endows it as a promising scheme for the efficient and convenient detection of miRNA in clinical diagnosis and therapy.

An electrochemical sensing system is designed for detection of microRNA-21 based on target-induced glucose release from propylamine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticle with glucometer readout.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no.: 81302696), Chongqing Health and Family Planning Commission Medical Research Project (Grant no.: 2017ZDXM031), and the National Basic research Program of China (program 973) (Grant no.: 2015CB755400).

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  1. Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401120, China

    Kun Deng, Yong Zhang & Xuedong Tong

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  1. Kun Deng
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  2. Yong Zhang
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  3. Xuedong Tong
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Correspondence to Kun Deng.

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Deng, K., Zhang, Y. & Tong, X. Sensitive electrochemical detection of microRNA-21 based on propylamine-functionalized mesoporous silica with glucometer readout. Anal Bioanal Chem 410, 1863–1871 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-018-0859-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-018-0859-3

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