miRanDa · microRNA assay system based on self-assembled nanoscale DNA origami arrays
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-06-01 → 2023-05-31
- EU contribution
- €203,149
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
microRNA assay system based on self-assembled nanoscale DNA origami arrays
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer type in women worldwide (with ~2.3 million cases) and the primary cause of cancer-related death (0.7 million deaths) annually. Although mammography screening have significantly reduced breast cancer mortality, it has also some limitations due to the location of the cancer or the density of the breast tissue. For example, 25% of cancer in women ages 40-49 are not detectable by a mammogram screening. Moreover, X-ray based screening techniques could cause further problems including DNA damage in the tissues. For this reason, we aimed to develop a DNA origami-based technique for the early detection of cancer biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are promising biomarkers for diagnostics and prognosis of cancer. These are class of non-coding endogenous small RNAs of 21-25 nucleotides in length and responsible for the regulation of gene expression. Expression levels of miRNA is dysregulated in various cancer types where they can act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In cancers, multiple miRNAs are typically up or downregulated and their combined alterations are specific to individual cancers and their stages. Therefore, specific and sensitive detection and absolute quantification of multiple miRNAs can deliver essential cues to understand disease progression and have growing relevance to early cancer detection and monitoring. However, current miRNA detection techniques such as polymerization chain reaction, next generation sequencing or DNA microarray have important practical limitations and restricted multiplexing capabilities. Moreover, their routine measurement in plasma is time-consuming, costly, and requires dedicated equipment and specialized laboratories. In this project, our objective was to develop novel miRNA detection system from breast cancer cell populations and human plasma samples using bioinspired DNA origami self-assembly tool and state-of-art super resolution imaging technique, DNA-PAINT (point accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography).
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and treatment monitoring. Specific detection and absolute quantification of miRNAs is of clinical relevance for early cancer detection and monitoring progression. The currently available techniques for miRNA detection based on DNA amplification are limited by lack of absolute quantification, low multiplexing capacity and time consumption. Here, I propose to develop a miRNA assay system based on self-assembled nanoscale DNA origami arrays (miRanDa) for the simultaneous detection of multiple miRNA targets from breast cancer cells and plasma by using DNA-PAINT, state-of-art super resolution technique. The formation of specifically configured finite 2D lattices of self-assembled DNA origami structures based on sticky-end hybridization will further improve the capacity of the detection system beyond the currently available techniques. This assay can be further developed and adapted to the rapid, specific, sensitive and multiple detection of additional nucleic acid species, such as ctDNA, mRNA or lncRNA.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITE DE FRIBOURG · FribourgCoordinatorSwitzerland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union