Exosome RNA Exosome RNA Research & Industry News
Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is most treatable when caught early. But early detection isn’t always easy. Traditional methods like skin exams and biopsies can be uncomfortable, slow, and not always accurate in the early stages. Now, researchers are working on a simpler and less invasive way to spot melanoma sooner—using a tiny patch placed directly on the skin.
Scientists from the University of Michigan have developed a device called the ExoPatch, a microneedle patch designed to gently collect cancer-related biomarkers from the skin. These biomarkers are found in extracellular vesicles, tiny particles released by cells—including cancer cells—that carry signals about what’s happening inside the body.
Graphical representation of the exosome isolation and detection process using the ExoPatch
(A) ExoPatch (stellate silicon microneedles coated with hydrogel shown in gray) is inserted into the skin, capturing exosomes from the interstitial fluid (left), and picture of a cleaved ExoPatch (right). (B(i)) The ExoPatch is removed from the skin carrying the isolated exosomes bound to the hydrogel. (B(ii)) Hydrogel is dissolved using EDTA, releasing the exosomes into a dissolved hydrogel solution. (B(iii)) The LFIA is inserted into the dissolved hydrogel with AuNP and exosomes. (B(iv)) The LFIA is removed and interpreted for POC sensing, where two lines on the strip indicate a positive melanoma test. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)
The ExoPatch uses silicon microneedles and a hydrogel layer coated with Annexin V to capture melanoma-specific exosomes. Once applied, the patch collects these vesicles and releases them for testing. The researchers then used a lateral flow test—similar to a pregnancy test—to check for melanoma markers.
What’s impressive is how well the patch worked. It collected over 11 times more protein from melanoma tissue compared to healthy skin and clearly distinguished between cancerous and non-cancerous samples in mice. This kind of accuracy and convenience could one day help doctors detect melanoma earlier and monitor patients without painful biopsies.
The ExoPatch could be a game-changer in point-of-care diagnostics—quick, easy, and designed for real-world clinical use.
