One-dimensional microfluidic beads array for multiple mRNAs expression detection

A one-dimensional microfluidic beads array for in vitro rapid measurement of multiple mRNAs expression is presented in this paper. Gene specific capture DNA-functional beads were deposited along a microchannel to form an addressable beads array. We demonstrated that the one-dimensional beads array could perform simultaneous multiple nucleic acid targets detection and a DNA detection limit of 0.02 nM was obtained. Using this array, transcripts expression of three tumor-associated genes, including p53, H-ras, and NME1, both in CNE2 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and in normal human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells were evaluated. The responses of these three genes expression in CNE2 cells to 5-flouorouracil (5-Fu) stimuli were also assessed. Validation of these results was performed using reverse transcriptase-PCR. The presented methodology combines high throughput of microarrays and low sample consumption, convenient liquid handling of microfluidics. It enables rapid and facile determination of multi-gene expression and holds great potential in early cancer diagnostics and molecular biology.