Ultrafast cell-free DNA extraction from body fluids using UiO-66-NH₂ hydrogel packed syringe

Liquid biopsy represents a noninvasive or minimally invasive diagnostic approach relevant for both the organ-specific changes and systemic health conditions, whereas cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extraction from body liquids has attracted much attention in liquid biopsy, especially. Nowadays, metal-organic frameworks (MOF) such as UiO-66-NH₂ has been demonstrated efficient extraction property for DNA molecular, whereas the disadvantages of MOF for solid-phase extraction (SPE) still remain. Herein, one macro-pored MOF hydrogel formation strategy was constructed in this study to achieve superb extraction performance of cfDNAs from body fluids. The MOF crystals were embedded into sodium alginate, which was foamed using laurinol, pre-crosslinked through polyethyleneimine (PEI), and cured by zirconium ion at last. Validation of cfDNA extraction from human gingival crevicular fluid and plasma indicated that hydrogel beads allowed unimpeded flow of body fluids while enabling ultrafast extraction and elution of cfDNAs. Consequently, MOF hydrogel beads, when packed atop the syringe pintle as SPE column, achieved an efficient cfDNA extraction only within 6 min. Our construction strategy of extracting syringe provides an instrument-free purification modality of nucleic acid, which would tremendously simplify and quicken cfDNA extraction procedures for operators.