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Updated: May 1, 2026

Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
Ultrasensitive detection of miRNA with single-nucleotide resolution using a high-electron-mobility transistor
Chenyang Yang1, Jingya Tang1, Jianwen Sun2
1State Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China.
None:
The use of microRNAs as clinical cancer biomarkers is hindered by the absence of accurate, sensitive and rapid assays for their detection in biofluids. Here we report a biosensing approach, SpLig-HEMT, that combines an RNA splint-ligation reaction with an AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor biosensor for ultrasensitive miRNA detection. In this system, HEMT functions as a highly effective voltage amplifier to enhance detection sensitivity, while the splint-ligation reaction ensures precise discrimination of single-nucleotide mutations. By detecting miRNA-21, the SpLig-HEMT biosensor achieves an exceptional limit of detection of 10-18 M within 30 min, with a dynamic range from 10-18 M to 10-13 M. No detectable response is observed for one-mismatch miR-21. Furthermore, the SpLig-HEMT biosensor enables direct analysis of blood serum samples, effectively distinguishing between healthy individuals and patients with ovarian cancer. This study addresses critical challenges in miRNA detection and presents a promising tool for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

