MicroRNA-CRISPR biosensors for cancer diagnostics

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are promising minimally invasive biomarkers for cancer and cardiovascular disorders. However, their low sequence length, low abundance, high sequence homology (including iso-miRs), and strong matrix and preanalytical effects in biofluids require highly sensitive and robust analytical technologies. CRISPR-Cas systems, particularly Cas12a, Cas12b, Cas13a, and Cas9, offer programmable nucleic acid recognition with high mismatch discrimination combined with collateral nuclease activity, enabling versatile signal amplification through fluorescence, electrochemical, electrochemiluminescent (ECL), photoelectrochemical (PEC), colorimetric, and lateral-flow readouts. This review critically evaluates the latest advances in CRISPR-based miRNA biosensors, emphasizing their analytical performance and translational potential in clinical diagnostics across plasma/serum, saliva, whole blood, and extracellular vesicle samples. The detection limits are typically within the femtomolar to attomolar range. The requirements for clinical translation are equally influenced by factors such as sample preparation, inhibitor tolerance, miRNA panel multiplexing, quantitative readout, and reagent stability. We compared CRISPR-based workflows with RT-qPCR and digital PCR and provided a roadmap for standardization and quality control, as well as the minimal analytical and clinical validation standards required for adopting CRISPR technology in clinical chemistry laboratories.