Multi-recognition sites and integrated self-powered chip: Trifurcated DNA hairpin circular walker in cancer biomarker...

The differential expression of miRNA-138 makes it a potential biomarker for distinguishing cancer from normal tissues. However, traditional miRNA detection methods struggle to meet the demands of clinical diagnosis and disease monitoring. Therefore, this work innovatively designed and synthesized a three-legged DNA hairpin-mediated circular DNA walker, combined with an enzyme biofuel cell-based self-powered chip, to achieve highly sensitive detection of the cancer biomarker miRNA-138. Featuring three independent recognition regions, the walker significantly improves detection efficiency and sensitivity. Furthermore, this work introduced a colorimetric mode and developed an integrated self-powered chip. The dual-mode verification approach leverages the advantages of both electrochemical and colorimetric signals, enabling mutual validation through two independent detection modes, thereby markedly improving detection accuracy. In summary, the three-legged DNA hairpin-mediated circular DNA walker combined with the integrated self-powered chip provides a novel and efficient technological platform for detecting the cancer biomarker. This design overcomes the limitations of traditional DNA walkers in terms of leg length and enables rapid, continuous traversal of the entire electrode surface, significantly enhancing detection speed and sensitivity. The research offers robust support for the clinical application of miRNA detection and holds promise for driving further advancements and applications in related technologies.