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Vanness BC, Linz TH. Multiplexed miRNA and Protein Analysis Using Digital Quantitative PCR in Microwell Arrays. Anal Chem 2024; 96:1371-1379. [PMID: 38183281 PMCID: PMC11168192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs) act in tandem within biological pathways to regulate cellular functions, and their misregulation has been correlated to numerous diseases. Because of their interconnectedness, both miRNAs and proteins must be evaluated together to obtain accurate insights into the molecular pathways of pathogenesis. However, few analytical techniques can measure both classes of biomolecules in parallel from a single biological sample. Here, microfluidic digital quantitative PCR (dqPCR) was developed to simultaneously quantify miRNA and protein targets in a multiplexed assay using a single detection chemistry. This streamlined analysis was achieved by integrating base-stacking PCR and immuno-PCR in a microfluidic array platform. Analyses of let-7a (miRNA) and IL-6 (protein) were first optimized separately to identify thermocycling and capture conditions amenable to both biomolecules. Singleplex dqPCR studies exhibited the expected digital signals and quantification cycles for both analytes over a range of concentrations. Multiplexed analyses were then conducted to quantify both let-7a and IL-6 with high sensitivity (LODs ∼ 3 fM) over a broad dynamic range (5-5000 fM) using only standard PCR reagents. This multiplexed dqPCR was then translated to the analysis of HEK293 cell lysate, where endogenous let-7a and IL-6 were measured simultaneously without sample purification or pretreatment. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that the integration of BS-PCR and immuno-PCR achieves a sensitive and streamlined approach for multiplexed analyses of miRNAs and proteins, which will enable researchers to gain better insights into disease pathogenesis in future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice C. Vanness
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202
| | - Thomas H. Linz
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202
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Shen H, Dong L, Gao Y, Wang X, Dai X. Integrated Microwell Array-Based Microfluidic Chip with a Hand-Held Smartphone-Controlled Device for Nucleic Acid Detection. Anal Chem 2023; 95:15394-15399. [PMID: 37787984 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we designed a highly integrated microfluidic chip for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and detection. Magnetic beads, which are used to capture nucleic acids on the chip, are trapped in the microwell arrays in a one-well-one-bead manner after local surface modification of the inner faces of the microwells. On-chip liquid introduction, delivery, and mixing are all carried out manually with one syringe and no other equipment. A hand-held device with precise temperature control and high-quality imaging is developed, which is only 2.3 cubic decimeters in volume and 1.2 kg in weight. Via the use of the Internet for wireless communication, the experiment and data analysis after inserting the chip into the device can be conducted by a smartphone anywhere there is an Internet connection. We carried out reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) on the chip with the hand-held device. SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses are extracted, reverse transcribed, amplified, and detected on the chip with the hand-held device with satisfactory results. Thus, a highly integrated, easy-to-operate, and rapid nucleic acid detection microfluidic chip with a hand-held smartphone-controlled device is proposed, and this new platform for nucleic acid detection shows great potential for mobile point-of-care testing (POCT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiying Shen
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Lianhua Dong
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunhua Gao
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xia Wang
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinhua Dai
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
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Mai HT, Vanness BC, Linz TH. Reverse transcription-free digital-quantitative-PCR for microRNA analysis. Analyst 2023; 148:3019-3027. [PMID: 37264955 PMCID: PMC10318481 DOI: 10.1039/d3an00351e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNA sequences that regulate many biological processes and have become central targets of biomedical research. However, their naturally low abundances in biological samples necessitates the development of sensitive analytical techniques to conduct routine miRNA measurements in research laboratories. Digital PCR has the potential to meet this need because of its single-molecule detection capabilities, but PCR analyses of miRNAs are slowed by the ligation and reverse transcription steps first required to prepare samples. This report describes the development of a method to rapidly quantify miRNA in digital microwell arrays using base-stacking digital-quantitative-PCR (BS-dqPCR). BS-dqPCR expedites miRNA measurements by eliminating the need for ligation and reverse transcription steps, which reduces the time and cost compared to conventional miRNA PCR analyses. Under standard PCR thermocycling conditions, digital signals from miRNA samples were lower than expected, while signals from blanks were high. Therefore, a novel asymmetric thermocycling program was developed that maximized on-target signal from miRNA while minimizing non-specific amplification. The analytical response of BS-dqPCR was then evaluated over a range of miRNA concentrations. The digital PCR dimension increased in signal with increasing miRNA copy numbers. When the digital signal saturated, the quantitative PCR dimension readily discerned miRNA copy number differences. Overall, BS-dqPCR provides rapid, high-sensitivity measurements of miRNA over a wide dynamic range, which demonstrates its utility for routine miRNA analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao T Mai
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Brice C Vanness
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Thomas H Linz
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
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Abstract
This paper reviews methods for detecting proteins based on molecular digitization, i.e., the isolation and detection of single protein molecules or singulated ensembles of protein molecules. The single molecule resolution of these methods has resulted in significant improvements in the sensitivity of immunoassays beyond what was possible using traditional "analog" methods: the sensitivity of some digital immunoassays approach those of methods for measuring nucleic acids, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The greater sensitivity of digital protein detection has resulted in immuno-diagnostics with high potential societal impact, e.g., the early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of Alzheimer's Disease. In this review, we will first provide the motivation for developing digital protein detection methods given the limitations in the sensitivity of analog methods. We will describe the paradigm shift catalyzed by single molecule detection, and will describe in detail one digital approach - which we call digital bead assays (DBA) - based on the capture and labeling of proteins on beads, identifying "on" and "off" beads, and quantification using Poisson statistics. DBA based on the single molecule array (Simoa) technology have sensitivities down to attomolar concentrations, equating to ∼10 proteins in a 200 μL sample. We will describe the concept behind DBA, the different single molecule labels used, the ways of analyzing beads (imaging of arrays and flow), the binding reagents and substrates used, and integration of these technologies into fully automated and miniaturized systems. We provide an overview of emerging approaches to digital protein detection, including those based on digital detection of nucleic acids labels, single nanoparticle detection, measurements using nanopores, and methods that exploit the kinetics of single molecule binding. We outline the initial impact of digital protein detection on clinical measurements, highlighting the importance of customized assay development and translational clinical research. We highlight the use of DBA in the measurement of neurological protein biomarkers in blood, and how these higher sensitivity methods are changing the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases. We conclude by summarizing the status of digital protein detection and suggest how the lab-on-a-chip community might drive future innovations in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Duffy
- Quanterix Corporation, 900 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA.
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Gu Z, Sun T, Guo Q, Wang Y, Ge Y, Gu H, Xu G, Xu H. Bead-Based Multiplexed Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction in a Single Tube Using Universal Sequences: An Ultrasensitive, Cross-Reaction-Free, and High-Throughput Strategy. ACS Sens 2022; 7:2759-2766. [PMID: 36041054 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c01415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The multiplexed digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely used in molecular diagnosis owing to its high sensitivity and throughput for multiple target detection compared with the single-plexed digital PCR; however, current multiplexed digital PCR technologies lack efficient coding strategies that do not compromise the sensitivity and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. Hence, we propose a fluorescent-encoded bead-based multiplexed droplet digital PCR method for ultra-high coding capacity, along with the creative design of universal sequences (primer and fluorescent TaqMan probe) for ultra-sensitivity and high S/N ratios. First, pre-amplification is used to introduce universal primers and universal fluorescent TaqMan probes to reduce primer interference and background noise, as well as to enrich regions of interest in targeted analytes. Second, fluorescent-encoded beads (FEBs), coupled with the corresponding target sequence-specific capture probes through streptavidin-biotin conjugation, are used to partition amplicons via hybridization according to the Poisson distribution. Finally, FEBs mixed with digital PCR mixes are isolated into droplets generated via Sapphire chips (Naica Crystal Digital PCR system) to complete the digital PCR and result analysis. For proof of concept, we demonstrate that this method achieves high S/N ratios in a 5-plexed assay for influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 at concentrations below 10 copies and even close to a single molecule per reaction without cross-reaction, further verifying the possibility of clinical actual sample detection with 100% accuracy, which paves the way for the realization of digital PCR with ultrahigh coding capacity and ultra-sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhejia Gu
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
| | - Tong Sun
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
| | - Qingsheng Guo
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
| | - Yao Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
| | - Yunfei Ge
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
| | - Hongchen Gu
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
| | - Gaolian Xu
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
| | - Hong Xu
- School of Biomedical Engineering/Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, P. R. China
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McCarthy Riley BF, Mai HT, Linz TH. Microfluidic Digital Quantitative PCR to Measure Internal Cargo of Individual Liposomes. Anal Chem 2022; 94:7433-7441. [PMID: 35536164 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c01232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles serve as drug delivery vehicles for biopharmaceutical products. The lipid membrane shields internal nucleic-acid drug cargo from enzymatic degradation and facilitates cellular uptake of the drug. However, existing methods to assess drug loading within liposomes are limited to averaged bulk measurements, which obscures heterogeneity of the biopharmaceutical formulation. This report describes the development of a single-liposome analysis method to measure copy numbers of DNA within liposomes and assess population heterogeneity. This novel measurement was achieved by integrating two orthogonal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques─digital PCR (dPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR)─within a single microfluidic assay. The dPCR dimension quantified liposomes to validate their capture in the single-liposome analysis regime. The qPCR dimension quantified DNA copy numbers packaged within each liposome. The ability of digital quantitative PCR (dqPCR) to analyze large numbers of individual liposomes in parallel revealed significant population heterogeneity, which could not be obtained from standard bulk analysis methods. Our innovative measurement of internal DNA cargo from single liposomes has the potential to inform liposome synthesis procedures and create more uniform liposomal biopharmaceutical formulations to enhance drug safety and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bailey F McCarthy Riley
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Hao T Mai
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Thomas H Linz
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
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Advances in improvement strategies of digital nucleic acid amplification for pathogen detection. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Chaibun T, Puenpa J, Ngamdee T, Boonapatcharoen N, Athamanolap P, O'Mullane AP, Vongpunsawad S, Poovorawan Y, Lee SY, Lertanantawong B. Rapid electrochemical detection of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Nat Commun 2021; 12:802. [PMID: 33547323 PMCID: PMC7864991 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21121-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Diagnosis of COVID-19 depends on quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), which is time-consuming and requires expensive instrumentation. Here, we report an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor based on isothermal rolling circle amplification (RCA) for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2. The assay involves the hybridization of the RCA amplicons with probes that were functionalized with redox active labels that are detectable by an electrochemical biosensor. The one-step sandwich hybridization assay could detect as low as 1 copy/μL of N and S genes, in less than 2 h. Sensor evaluation with 106 clinical samples, including 41 SARS-CoV-2 positive and 9 samples positive for other respiratory viruses, gave a 100% concordance result with qRT-PCR, with complete correlation between the biosensor current signals and quantitation cycle (Cq) values. In summary, this biosensor could be used as an on-site, real-time diagnostic test for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanyarat Chaibun
- Biosensors Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Jiratchaya Puenpa
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tatchanun Ngamdee
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nimaradee Boonapatcharoen
- Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute (PDTI), King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pornpat Athamanolap
- Biosensors Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Anthony Peter O'Mullane
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sompong Vongpunsawad
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yong Poovorawan
- Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Su Yin Lee
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia
- Centre of Excellence for Omics-Driven Computational Biodiscovery (COMBio), AIMST University, Bedong, Kedah, Malaysia
| | - Benchaporn Lertanantawong
- Biosensors Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
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McCarthy Riley BF, Ward CL, Linz TH. Influence of microfabrication on digital PCR performance in bead-based microwell array assays. Anal Bioanal Chem 2020; 412:6917-6926. [PMID: 32772126 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-02822-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Digital PCR (dPCR) is a highly sensitive analytical technique used to quantify DNA targets. Detection sensitivity can be further enhanced by capturing target sequences onto beads for preconcentration and sample cleanup prior to analysis in microfluidic microwell arrays. However, robust digital analysis requires individual beads to be interrogated within individual wells. Fabricating microwells with dimensions ≤ 3 μm is challenging, and the high surface area-to-volume ratio of the wells leaves PCR susceptible to inhibition stemming from materials used during device processing. This report describes the development of a microfabrication procedure to create ultralow-volume wells (100 fL) for bead-based dPCR and characterize the effects of microprocessing materials on assay performance. Standard microfabrication protocols used for creating microelectronics resulted in devices with nanoscopic debris originating from photoresists used during processing. A model dPCR assay was developed to characterize the effects of this debris, which revealed variable PCR inhibition. Debris within microwells attenuated digital and analog assay signals to a greater extent than debris on the device surface. Spatial heterogeneity of debris across devices was quantified to characterize regional PCR inhibition and intra- and inter-device variability. Ultimately, a fabrication procedure was developed to create pristine microfluidic arrays using dual processes to remove positive resist and forgoing use of negative resist entirely, which enabled robust amplification with digital signals matching theoretical predictions. Results from this work catalog the unique performance artifacts from device microfabrication and provide a guide for future studies seeking to conduct robust, high-sensitivity bead-based dPCR assays. Graphical abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cassandra L Ward
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Thomas H Linz
- Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, 5101 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.
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