Quencher-free fluorescent method for homogeneously sensitive detection of microRNAs in human lung tissues

Sensitive and accurate analysis of microRNA (miRNA) expression is imperative for understanding the biological functions of miRNAs and the early diagnosis of human cancers. Here, we develop a quencher-free fluorescent method for homogeneously sensitive detection of let-7a miRNA using the target-triggered recycling signal amplification in combination with a 2-aminopurine probe. The 2-aminopurine probe is characterized by the substitution of 2-aminopurine for adenine in the DNA strand and the quenching of 2-aminopurine fluorescence through its stacking interaction with the adjacent bases. The binding of target miRNA with the 2-aminopurine probe initiates the extension reaction in the presence of polymerase to produce the DNA duplexes. These DNA duplexes can be further cleaved by lambda exonuclease through the recycling digestion to release abundant free 2-aminopurines, leading to an enhanced fluorescence signal. The proposed method exhibits high sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.3 fmol, and it can even discriminate the single-base difference among the miRNA family members. More importantly, this method can accurately distinguish the expression of let-7a miRNA in human lung tissues between ten non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and ten healthy persons, holding a great potential for further application in early clinical diagnosis.