Photothermal Detection of MicroRNA Using a Horseradish Peroxidase-Encapsulated DNA Hydrogel With a Portable Thermometer

Abstract

MicroRNA (miRNA) detection has attracted widespread interest as a tumor detection marker. In this work, a miRNA-responsive visual and temperature sensitive probe composed of a horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-encapsulated DNA hydrogel was designed and synthesized. The biosensor converted the miRNA hybridization signal to a photothermal effect which was measured using a digital thermometer. The substrate DNA linker strand of the hydrogel hybridizes with different sequences of miRNA resulting in the collapse of the hydrogel and the release of HRP. HRP oxidizes 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) resulting in a color change and a strong photothermal effect was observed after shining near-infrared light on the oxidized product. The thermometer-based readout method has a wide linear range (0.5–4.0 µM) and a limit of detection limit of 7.8 nM which is comparable with traditional UV-vis absorption spectrometry detection and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction methods. The low cost, ease of operation, and high sensitivity shows that this biosensor has potential for point-of-care biomolecular detection and biomedical applications.

Nanomaterials for miRNA detection: the hybridization chain reaction strategy

“…This approach will have significant scientific to develop a technology that can overcome several issues in diagnosis. The design of detection for miRNA will help avoid using expensive and complex techniques for clinical applications 109 . In particular, different amplification techniques based on enzymes and nuclease have been potentially utilized for miRNA detection.…”

“…The design of HCR-based detection for miRNA will help avoid the need for the use of expensive and complex techniques for clinical applications. 109 In particular, while different amplification techniques based on enzymes and nuclease have been potentially utilized for miRNA detection, these generally still suffer some challenges and limitations, such as selection and the selectivity of the analyte. The feasible guidelines for real-world applications are still lacking.…”

Nanomaterials based on thermosensitive polymer in biomedical field

“…The sensor has a wide linear range (0.5–4.0 µm) and a detection limit of 7.8 nM. It has the advantages of low cost, easy operation, and high sensitivity and has great potential in biomolecular detection and biomedical applications ( Liu et al, 2021b ). Second, abnormal expression of a DNA methyltransferase (MTase) content is also a biomarker for predicting cancer.…”

Near Infrared-II Photothermal and Colorimetric Synergistic Sensing for Intelligent Onsite Dietary Myrosinase Profiling

“…23−25 Recently, a 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)−H 2 O 2 colorimetric system has been widely used in bioanalysis and clinical application. 26,27 To further strengthen the applicability of detection, the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have become an ideal candidate as an enzymemimicking nano-catalyst because of their high stability, easy use, and wider working temperature and pH values than most natural enzymes (e.g., horseradish peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, esterase, etc. ), which are more conducive to onsite determination.…”

“…To break the hurdles of the aforementioned techniques, nanomaterial-based colorimetric assays have recently attracted academic and industrial attention due to the merits of their simple operation, low cost, easy visualization, and availability for onsite detection. − Recently, a 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)–H 2 O 2 colorimetric system has been widely used in bioanalysis and clinical application. , To further strengthen the applicability of detection, the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have become an ideal candidate as an enzyme-mimicking nano-catalyst because of their high stability, easy use, and wider working temperature and pH values than most natural enzymes (e.g., horseradish peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, esterase, etc. ), which are more conducive to onsite determination. − For example, Tang et al developed a self-powered temperature sensor based on Seebeck effect transduction induced by the one-electron oxidation product (ox-TMB) of TMB, which could be applied to α-fetoprotein photothermal-thermoelectric analysis .…”