A Biomimetic Hierarchical Porous Microneedle for Transdermal Ovarian Cancer Detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Oncology Diagnostics

Background:

• Early-stage ovarian cancer detection is critical for patient survival but current methods are often invasive or costly.
• There is a need for noninvasive, sensitive, and accurate diagnostic tools for ovarian cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a portable transdermal biosensor for quantitative, noninvasive detection of ovarian cancer biomarkers.
• To develop antibody-functionalized hierarchical porous microneedles (hp-MNs) for detecting HE4 and CA125.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of biomimetic hp-MNs using a novel phase separation micro-molding technique.
• Functionalization of hp-MNs with antibodies for HE4 and CA125 detection via fluorescence immunoassay.
• Design of a groove structure for concurrent detection of multiple biomarkers without cross-interference.

Main Results:

• The hp-MNs exhibited a coral-like porous structure with high liquid absorption and antibody-binding capacity.
• The biosensor achieved nanomolar sensitivity for in vivo biomarker detection, differentiating disease from benign conditions.
• Concurrent detection of multiple tumor biomarkers in a single application was demonstrated with enhanced sensitivity and precision.

Conclusions:

• The developed transdermal biosensor offers a promising noninvasive approach for early ovarian cancer detection.
• This work advances the field of porous polymeric microneedles for diagnostic applications.
• The technology provides a guideline for developing more accurate and accessible cancer diagnostic systems.