New Aptamer-Based Biosensor – Design Study

Introduction. Aptamers, either single-stranded oligonucleotide or peptide molecules able to specifically bind a target molecule, are synthetic analogues with a wide range of applications. Their pH and temperature tolerance,... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction. Aptamers, either single-stranded oligonucleotide or peptide molecules able to specifically bind a target molecule, are synthetic analogues with a wide range of applications. Their pH and temperature tolerance, unlike the antibodies, combined with a high affinity and specificity in binding of the target molecules, makes them excellent recognition elements for development of novel biosensors.
Methods. In this paper we propose a new designed for an aptamer-based biosensor for detection of circulating microRNAs. We based our design study on direct correlations between the aberrations in microRNAs expression and oncogenesis, respectively the metastatic process.
Results and discussion. From the human circulating (serum and plasma) microRNAs sequences currently known was targeted as biomarker a 34 microRNA model (predictor) from serum used for the early diagnosis of non-small cell lung carcinomas. As recognition element of the biosensor was designed an aptamers set to specifically bind their targets from the 34 microRNA model. In order to transduce the bio-recognition the aptamer-based assay was designed as single-site binding for each of the 34 targets. According to the signal-harvesting method, an electrochemical format was preferred for the current design. The further development of this type of aptamer-based biosensor for detection of circulating microRNAs may contribute to early non-invasive detection of lung cancer at asymptomatic high-risk individuals.

Acknowledgments: this research was financed by The Executive Agency for Higher Education Research Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI), Romania, on the Contract no. 210/2014, Project PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-2075 and 34N/2016 NUCLEU Program, under Project PN 16 36 04 03 „Research on the development of new porous materials with high selective and catalytic properties for the reduction and stabilization of the pollutant concentrations in gaseous and liquid backgrounds”.