Detection of single-point mutation in extracellular vesicle-associated RNAs with molecular beacons

Detection of specific extracellular RNAs has been developed for non-invasive cancer diagnosis. However, accurate and efficient identification of RNAs with single-point mutation in cancer cells-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) is challenging. Researchers from The Ohio State University present a unique overhang molecular beacon with internal dye (Ohi-MB) with a stable hairpin structure, fast hybridization kinetics and single mismatch specificity. Ohi-MBs are encapsulated in cationic lipoplex nanoparticles (CLNs) that are tethered on a gold coated glass slide as a chip, which can capture circulating EVs and detect encapsulated target RNAs in-situ in a single step. The capability of detection of single-point mutation by CLN-Ohi-MB is demonstrated in artificial EVs and cancer cells. This CLN-Ohi-MB biochip could quantify single-point mutations in KRAS mRNA (G12C, G12D, G12V) in pancreatic cancer cell-derived EVs and single-point mutations in EGFR mRNA (L858R and T790M) in lung cancer cell-derived EVs with high specificity, not achievable by conventional molecular probes. The researchers show that CLN-Ohi-MB biochip could selectively and sensitively identify single-point mutations in KRAS mRNA in human serum EVs, distinguishing pancreatic cancer patients with different mutations.