A highly sensitive urinary exosomal miRNAs biosensor applied to evaluation of prostate cancer progression

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the male population, carrying a significant disease burden. PSA is a widely available screening tools for this disease. Current screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE)-based biosensors use a two-pronged probe approach to capture urinary miRNA. A team led by researchers at Fu Jen Catholic University was able to successfully detect specific exosomal miRNAs (exomiRs) in the urine of patients with prostate cancer, including exomiR-451 and exomiR-21, and used electrochemistry for measurement and analysis. Our results significantly reaffirmed the presence of exomiR-451 in urine and that a CV value higher than 220 nA is capable of identifying the presence of disease (p-value = 0.005). Similar results were further proven by a PAS greater than 4 (p-value = 0.001). Moreover, a higher urinary exomiR-21 was observed in the high-T3b stage; this significantly decreased following tumor removal (p-values were 0.016 and 0.907, respectively). According to analysis of the correlation with tumor metastasis, a higher exomiR-21 was associated with lymphatic metastasis (p-value 0.042), and higher exomiR-461 expression was correlated with tumor stage (p-value 0.031), demonstrating that the present exomiR biosensor can usefully predict tumor progression. In conclusion, this biosensor represents an easy-to-use, non-invasive screening tool that is both sensitive and specific. We strongly believe that this can be used in conjunction with PSA for the screening of prostate cancer.

Schematic diagram of the sensor manufacturing process

exosomes

NeutrAvidin and biotinylated ssDNA probe-modified, screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE)-based sensor strip and its use for the detection of exosomal microRNAs.

Chiou YE, Yu KJ, Pang SN, Yang YL, Pang ST, Weng WH. (2022) A Highly Sensitive Urinary Exosomal miRNAs Biosensor Applied to Evaluation of Prostate Cancer Progression. Bioengineering 9(12), 803. [abstract]

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