DNA Assembly of Plasmonic Nanostructures Enables In Vivo SERS-Based MicroRNA Detection and Tumor Photoacoustic Imaging

Abstract

Controllable self-assembly of the DNA-linked gold nanoparticle (AuNP) architecture for in vivo biomedical applications remains a key challenge. Here, we describe the use of the programmed DNA tetrahedral structure to control the assembly of three different types of AuNPs (∼20, 10, and 5 nm) by organizing them into defined positioning and arrangement. A DNA-assembled “core–satellite” architecture is built by DNA sequencing where satellite AuNPs (10 and 5 nm) surround a central core AuNP (20 nm). The density and arrangement of the AuNP satellites around the core AuNP were controlled by tuning the size and amount of the DNA tetrahedron functionalized on the core AuNPs, resulting in strong electromagnetic field enhancement derived from hybridized plasmonic coupling effects. By conjugating with the Raman molecule, strong surface-enhanced Raman scattering photoacoustic imaging signals could be generated, which were able to image microRNA-21 and tumor tissues in vivo. These results provided an efficient strategy to build precision plasmonic superstructures in plasmonic-based bioanalysis and imaging.

Antibody-Protein-Aptamer Electrochemical Biosensor based on Highly Efficient Proximity-Induced DNA Hybridization on Tetrahedral DNA Nanostructure for Sensitive Detection of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1

“…Additionally, the successful hybridization between TDN and SP was indicated by the single band in lane 7’s shorter migration distance than that of lane 6’s. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to further verify the formation of TDN structures. − The AFM images were shown in Figures B,C and Figure S2, which showed the unique structure of TDN. And the TEM image in Figure D,E exhibited the typical morphological features of TDN.…”

Classification and applications of nanomaterials in vitro diagnosis

“…In recent years, AuNPs have been widely used in the diagnosis of cardiac diseases such as myocardial infarction due to their capacity to detect target biomarkers with surface changes directly from serum samples, making them many times more sensitive than conventional biosensors [ [27] , [28] , [29] , [30] , [31] , [32] ]. AuNPs have also been used successfully in a range of biological applications, including biomarkers, DNA sensors, molecular recognition systems, drug delivery systems, and optical imaging, because of their unique, advanced, and enhanced physicochemical features [ [33] , [34] , [35] , [36] , [37] , [38] ]. For example, during the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic in the previous two years, when the demand for rapid, simple, and cost-effective point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests was unprecedentedly high, the combination of AuNPs with specific antibodies for detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigens by lateral flow immunochromatography assay (LFIA) greatly improved the sensitivity and specificity of traditional immunochromatographic techniques and provided effective support [ 39 ].…”

DNA-Based Gold Nanoparticle Assemblies: From Structure Constructions to Sensing Applications

“…Furthermore, monovalent AuNPs were used as building blocks to construct a specified number of high-order AuNP clusters through assembly (Figure 2b). Tan et al utilized the DNA tetrahedron structure to control the localization and alignment of AuNPs of three different sizes (5 nm, 10 nm, and 20 nm in diameter, respectively) to assemble a strongly coupled plasmonic core-satellite structure, which was called the TDN-based AuNP core-satellite plasmonic nanostructure (TetrAuCS) [36]. Feng et al designed a DNA tetrahedron in which one edge was a single-stranded DNA aptamer that could recognize and respond to Reprinted with permission from ref.…”