Dual-Modal Lateral Flow Test Strip Assisted by Near-Infrared-Powered Nanomotors for Direct Quantitative Detection of Circulating MicroRNA Biomarkers from Serum

A lateral flow assay strip for simultaneous detection of miRNA and exosomes in liver cancer

By employing an aptamer as the bridge and combining catalytic hairpin assembly with the Au aggregation amplification effect, a lateral flow assay (LFA) is designed for simultaneous detection of liver cancer-associated miRNA and exosomes. The LFA can differentiate between liver cancer patients and healthy individuals with simple operation and high accuracy.

Homogeneous electrochemical ratiometric biosensor for MircoRNA detection based on UiO-66-NH2 signal probe and waste-free entropy-driven DNA machine

The construction of efficient methods for highly sensitive and rapid detection of disease markers is essential for the early diagnosis of serious diseases. In this paper, taking advantage of the UiO-66-NH2 signal molecule in combination with a waste-free entropy-driven DNA machine, a novel homogeneous electrochemical ratiometric platform is developed to detect MircoRNA (miRNA). Metal-organic framework materials (UiO-66-NH2 MOF) and ferrocene were utilized as electrochemical signal tags and reference probes, respectively. The target-initiated waste-free three-dimensional (3D) entropy-driven DNA nanomachine is activated in the presence of miRNA, resulting in DNA-labeled-UiO-66-NH2 falling off from the electrode, leading to a decrease in the signal of UiO-66-NH2 at 0.83V. Our strategy can mitigate false positive responses induced by the DNA probes immobilized on electrodes in traditional distance-dependent signal adjustment ratiometric strategies. The proposed ratiometric platform demonstrates superior sensitivity (a detection limit of 9.8 fM), simplified operation, high selectivity, and high repeatability. The ratiometric biosensor is also applied to detect miRNA content in spiked serum samples.

Palladium nanoballs coupled with smartphone-thermal reader for photothermal lateral flow immunoassay of Aβ 1-40

Amyloid beta 1-40 (Aβ 1-40) is one of the most abundant substances in the body with the capacity to form insoluble aggregates and is a universal biomarker for the prediction of Alzheimer's disease. Here, a palladium nanoball (PNB)-strip was developed and coupled with a smartphone-thermal reader as an ultrasensitive and cost-effective platform for Aβ 1-40 detection. In this study, PNB was synthesized and introduced into lateral flow strips as an alternative signal source to gold nanoparticles to improve sensitivity because the PNB has a better heat generation ability. Quantitative analysis was performed using a self-developed smartphone-thermal reader, which is portable and cost-effective. The detection limit of the system was determined to be 20 pg mL-1, which fulfils the need for clinical diagnosis at the point-of-care. This work highlights a PNB-strip coupled smartphone-thermal reader for ultrasensitive and cost-effective Aβ 1-40 detection.

Point-of-Care Testing for the Detection of MicroRNAs: Towards Liquid Biopsy on a Chip

Point-of-care (PoC) testing is revolutionizing the healthcare sector improving patient care in daily hospital practice and allowing reaching even remote geographical areas. In the frame of cancer management, the design and validation of PoC enabling the non-invasive, rapid detection of cancer markers is urgently required to implement liquid biopsy in clinical practice. Therefore, focusing on stable blood-based markers with high-specificity, such as microRNAs, is of crucial importance. In this work, we highlight the potential impact of circulating microRNAs detection on cancer management and the crucial role of PoC testing devices, especially for low-income countries. A detailed discussion about the challenges that should be faced to promote the technological transfer and clinical use of these tools has been added, to provide the readers with a complete overview of potentialities and current limitations.

Light-driven micro/nanomotors in biomedical applications

Nanotechnology brings hope for targeted drug delivery. However, most current drug delivery systems use passive delivery strategies with limited therapeutic efficiency. Over the past two decades, research on micro/nanomotors (MNMs) has flourished in the biomedical field. Compared with other driven methods, light-driven MNMs have the advantages of being reversible, simple to control, clean, and efficient. Under light irradiation, the MNMs can overcome several barriers in the body and show great potential in the treatment of various diseases, such as tumors, and gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Herein, the classification and mechanism of light-driven MNMs are introduced briefly. Subsequently, the applications of light-driven MNMs in overcoming physiological and pathological barriers in the past five years are highlighted. Finally, the future prospects and challenges of light-driven MNMs are discussed as well. This review will provide inspiration and direction for light-driven MNMs to overcome biological barriers in vivo and promote the clinical application of light-driven MNMs in the biomedical field.

Advancements in artificial micro/nanomotors for nucleic acid biosensing: a review of recent progress

Artificial micro/nanomotors represent a class of well-designed tools that exhibit dynamic motion and remote-control capabilities, endowing them with the capacity to perform complex tasks at the micro/nanoscale. Their utilization in nucleic acid biosensing has been paid significant attention, owing to their ability to facilitate targeted delivery of detection probes to designated sites and enhance hybridization between detection probes and target nucleic acids, thereby improving the sensitivity and specificity of biosensing. Within this comprehensive overview, we elucidate the advancement of nucleic acid biosensing through the integration of micro/nanomotors over the past decade. In particular, we provide an in-depth exploration of the diverse applications of micro/nanomotors in nucleic acid biosensing, including fluorescence recovery-based biosensing, velocity change-based biosensing, and aggregation-enhanced biosensing. Additionally, we outline the remaining challenges that impede the practical application of artificial micro/nanomotors in nucleic acid detection, and offer personal insights into prospective avenues for future development. By overcoming these obstacles, we anticipate that artificial micro/nanomotors will revolutionize conventional nucleic acid detection methodologies, providing enhanced sensitivity and reduced diagnostic timeframes, thereby facilitating more effective disease diagnosis.