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Updated: Jun 12, 2025
Absorbent Microbiopsy Sampling and RNA Extraction for Minimally Invasive, Simultaneous Blood and Skin Analysis
Published on: February 21, 2019
Rapid miRNA detection in skin interstitial fluid using a hydrogel microneedle patch integrated with DNA probes and
Hanjia Zheng1, Fatemeh Keyvani1, Sadegh Sadeghzadeh1
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada. mahla.poudineh@uwaterloo.ca.
Abstract:
MicroRNA (miRNA) is a type of short, non-coding nucleic acid molecule that plays essential roles in diagnosing and prognosing various types of cancer. MiRNA is abundantly present in skin interstitial fluid (ISF), providing real-time and localized physiological information. Hydrogel microneedle (HMN) patches enable miRNA collection in a fast, pain-free, minimally invasive, and user-friendly manner. In this study, we introduced a fluorescence-based HMN assay, namely the HMN-miR sensor, composed of methacrylated hyaluronic acid (MeHA) and a graphene oxide-probe DNA (GO.pDNA) conjugate for miR21 and miR210 detection. The HMN-miR sensor demonstrates excellent skin penetration efficiency, rapid ISF collection capability, and sufficient miRNA detection and sequence identification specificity. The HMN-miR sensor facilitates a new assay that, with further optimization, could be applied in future clinical settings. Its simple fabrication process and excellent biocompatibility give it significant potential for various clinical uses, such as personalized cancer treatment and monitoring the healing progress of burn wounds.
