Tetrahedral DNA Nanostructure with Multiple Target-Recognition Domains for Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Detection of Mucin 1

In this work, a tetrahedral DNA nanostructure (TDN) designed with multiple biomolecular recognition domains (m-TDN) was assembled to construct an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor for the quantitative detection of tumor-associated mucin 1 (MUC-1) protein. This new nanostructure not only effectively increased the capture efficiency of target proteins compared to the traditional TDN with a single recognition domain but also enhanced the sensitivity of the constructed electrochemical biosensors. Once the target MUC-1 was captured by the protein aptamers, the ferrocene-marked DNA strands as electrochemical signal probes at the vertices of m-TDN would be released away from the electrode surface, causing significant reduction of the electrochemical signal, thereby enhancing significantly the detection sensitivity. As a result, this well-designed biosensor achieved ultrasensitive detection of the biomolecule at a linear range from 1 fg mL–1 to 1 ng mL–1, with the limit of detection down to 0.31 fg mL–1. This strategy provides a new approach to enhance the detection sensitivity for the diagnosis of diseases

Highly Efficient Target Recycling-Based Netlike Y‑DNA for Regulation of Electrocatalysis toward Methylene Blue for Sensitive DNA Detection

In this work, the highly efficient target recycling-based netlike Y-shaped DNA (Y-DNA), which regulated the electrocatalysis of Fe₃O₄@CeO₂–Pt nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@CeO₂–PtNPs) toward methylene blue (MB) for signal amplification, was developed to prepare a sensitive DNA biosensor for detecting the DNA associated with oral cancer. Specifically, with the help of highly efficient enzyme-assisted target recycling (EATR) amplification strategy, one target DNA input was converted to corresponding plenty of DNA strands S1Fe₃O₄@CeO₂–Pt and S2MB output, which could be employed to interact with HP2 immobilized on the electrode surface to form stable netlike Y-DNA without any waste of recycling products. Meanwhile, the formation of netlike Y-DNA could regulate electrocatalytic efficiency of Fe₃O₄@CeO₂–PtNPs, inducing the proximity of Fe₃O₄@CeO₂–PtNPs to MB and significantly enhancing electrochemical signal. Further, the signal could also be amplified by Fe₃O₄@CeO₂–PtNPs modified on the electrode surface. By virtue of this ingenious design, a novel netlike Y-DNA structure based on highly efficient EATR was simply constructed and successfully applied to an electrochemical DNA biosensor along with electrocatalysis of Fe₃O₄@CeO₂–PtNPs, achieving the sensitive detection of target DNA ranging from 10 fM to 50 nM with a detection limit of 3.5 fM. Impressively, the biosensor here demonstrates an admirable method for regulating the electrocatalysis of NPs toward substrates to enhance signal, and we believe that this biosensor is a potential candidate for the sensitive detection of target DNA or other disease-related nucleic acids

Electrochemiluminescent Graphene Quantum Dots as a Sensing Platform: A Dual Amplification for MicroRNA Assay

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with an average diameter as small as 2.3 nm were synthesized to fabricate an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor based on T7 exonuclease-assisted cyclic amplification and three-dimensional (3D) DNA-mediated silver enhancement for microRNA (miRNA) analysis. Herein, to overcome the barrier in immobilizing GQDs, aminated 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic acid (PTCA–NH₂) was introduced to load GQDs through π–π stacking (GQDs/PTCA–NH₂), realizing the solid-state GQDs application. Furthermore, Fe₃O₄–Au core–shell nanocomposite (Au@Fe₃O₄) was adopted as a probe anchor to form a novel electrochemiluminescent signal tag of GQDs/PTCA–NH₂/Au@Fe₃O₄. The prepared ECL signal tag was decorated on the electrode surface, exhibiting excellent film-forming performance, good electronic conductivity, and favorable stability, all of which overcame the obstacle for applying GQDs in ECL biosensing and showed a satisfactory ECL response under the coreactant of S₂O₈^2– (peroxydisulfate). Afterward, hairpin probe modified on the electrode was opened by helper DNA, followed by assembling target to hybridize with the exposed stem of the helper DNA. Significantly, T7 exonuclease was employed to digest the DNA/RNA duplex and trigger the target recycling without asking for a specific recognition site in the target sequence, realizing a series of RNA/DNA detections by changing the sequence of the complementary DNA. At last, the ECL signal was further enhanced by silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-based 3D DNA networks. After the two amplifications, the ECL signal of GQDs was extraordinarily increased and the prepared biosensor achieved a high sensitivity with the detection limit of 0.83 fM. The biosensor was also explored in real samples, and the result was in good accordance with the performance of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Considering the excellent sensitivity and applicability, we believe that the proposed biosensor is a potential candidate for nucleic acid biosensing

Datasheet1_A predictive model based on ground glass nodule features via high-resolution CT for identifying invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma.docx

ObjectiveThe morphology of ground-glass nodule (GGN) under high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has been suggested to indicate different histological subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD); however, existing studies only include the limited number of GGN characteristics, which lacks a systematic model for predicting invasive LUAD. This study aimed to construct a predictive model based on GGN features under HRCT for LUAD.MethodsA total of 301 surgical LUAD patients with HRCT-confirmed GGN were enrolled, and their GGN-related features were assessed by 2 individual radiologists. The pathological diagnosis of the invasive LUAD was established by pathologic examination following surgery (including 171 invasive and 130 non-invasive LUAD patients).ResultsGGN features including shorter distance from pleura, larger diameter, area and mean CT attenuation, more heterogeneous uniformity of density, irregular shape, coarse margin, not defined nodule-lung interface, spiculation, pleural indentation, air bronchogram, vacuole sign, vessel changes, lobulation were observed in invasive LUAD patients compared with non-invasive LUAD patients. After adjustment by multivariate logistic regression model, GGN diameter (OR = 1.490, 95% CI, 1.326–1.674), mean CT attenuation (OR = 1.007, 95% CI, 1.004–1.011) and heterogeneous uniformity of density (OR = 3.009, 95% CI, 1.485–6.094) were independent risk factors for invasive LUAD. In addition, a predictive model integrating these three independent GGN features was established (named as invasion of lung adenocarcinoma by GGN features (ILAG)), and receiver-operating characteristic curve illustrated that the ILAG model presented good predictive value for invasive LUAD (AUC: 0.919, 95% CI, 0.889–0.949).ConclusionsILAG predictive model integrating GGN diameter, mean CT attenuation and heterogeneous uniformity of density via HRCT shows great potential for early estimation of LUAD invasiveness.</p

Simply Constructed and Highly Efficient Classified Cargo-Discharge DNA Robot: A DNA Walking Nanomachine Platform for Ultrasensitive Multiplexed Sensing

In this work, a classified cargo-discharge DNA robot with only two DNA strands was designed and driven by an analogous proximity ligation assay (aPLA)-based enzyme cleaving for fast walk to construct a novel electrochemical biosensor for simultaneously ultrasensitive detection of microRNA-155 (miRNA-155) and miRNA-21. Compared with traditional DNA nanomachines, the multifunctional DNA robot possessed simple structure, high self-assembling efficiency and walking efficiency. Once it interacted with target miRNAs, this DNA robot could walk fast on the electrode surface and realize the classified cargoes discharging including beacons methylene blue (MB) and ferrocene (Fc), respectively labeled in the double-stranded DNA (A1-A2) for ultrasensitive detection of multiple miRNAs simultaneously. As a result, the wide linearity ranging from 100 aM to 100 pM and low detection limits of 42.7 and 51.1 aM were obtained for miRNA-155 and miRNA-21 detection, respectively. As a proof of concept, the present strategy initiates a novel and highly efficient walking platform to realize the ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers and possesses potential applications in the clinical diagnosis of disease

Novel 2D-DNA-Nanoprobe-Mediated Enzyme-Free-Target-Recycling Amplification for the Ultrasensitive Electrochemical Detection of MicroRNA

In this work, on the basis of a new 2D DNA nanoprobe (DNP) and an enzyme-free-target-recycling amplification, an electrochemical biosensor is developed for the ultrasensitive detection of microRNA-21 (miRNA-21). Herein, two ferrocene-labeled bipedal DNPs, which show small steric hindrance and strong stability, are prepared on the basis of the mechanism of the proximity-ligation assay (PLA), improving the space utilization. In the presence of the target, miRNA-21, and a hairpin DNA strand, the DNP will collapse, and then two ferrocene-labeled DNA strands and the miRNA-21 will be simultaneously released from the electrode surface through toehold-mediated strand-displacement reactions (TSDRs), leading to a decrease in the electrochemical signal and realization of enzyme-free target recycling. As a result, the one input target, miRNA-21, could release 2<i>N</i> ferrocene-labeled DNA strands, achieving a dramatic decrease in the electrochemical signal. Combining DNPs and enzyme-free target recycling, this proposed biosensor showed a linear dependence with miRNA-21 concentration, ranging from 1.0 fM to 10 nM with a detection limit of 0.31 fM. In addition, it is worth mentioning that this biosensor can be regenerated through incubating with three assistant-DNA strands, realizing the reuse of raw materials. Surprisingly, the elaborated biosensor provides a novel strategy for building controllable DNA nanoprobes for the sensitive detection of various biomarkers

DNA Three-Way Junction with Multiple Recognition Regions Mediated an Unconfined DNA Walker for Electrochemical Ultrasensitive Detection of miRNA-182-5p

In this work, a DNA three-way junction (TWJ) with multiple recognition regions was intelligently engineered, which could be applied as an unconfined DNA walker with a rapid walking speed and high sensitivity for electrochemical detection of microRNA (miRNA-182-5p). Once the target miRNA was presented, the hairpins on TWJ could be successively opened to form an annular DNA walker, which could walk on the entire scope of the electrode surface without the confine for the length of DNA walker legs compared with the traditional DNA walker, greatly improving the walking efficiency. In addition, this DNA walker with multirecognition segments could obviously increase the local concentration of recognition sites, which significantly enhanced the detection speed and sensitivity. As a result, this proposed biosensor with annular DNA as a walker could dexterously achieve the ultrasensitive and fast detection of miRNA-182-5p from 0.1 fM to 1 nM with a detection limit of 31.13 aM. Meaningfully, this strategy explored an innovative path in the design of a new DNA walker nanostructure for accomplishing speedy and sensitive detection of biomarkers