Shedding Light on DNA-Based Nanoprobes for Live-Cell MicroRNA Imaging

Small. 2022 Mar;18(10):e2106281. doi: 10.1002/smll.202106281. Epub 2021 Dec 2.

Abstract

DNA-based nanoprobes integrated with various imaging signals have been employed for fabricating versatile biosensor platforms for the study of intracellular biological process and biomarker detection. The nanoprobes developments also provide opportunities for endogenous microRNA (miRNA) in situ analysis. In this review, the authors are primarily interested in various DNA-based nanoprobes for miRNA biosensors and declare strategies to reveal how to customize the desired nanoplatforms. Initially, various delivery vehicles for nanoprobe architectures transmembrane transport are delineated, and their biosecurity and ability for resisting the complex cellular environment are evaluated. Then, the novel strategies for designing DNA sequences as target miRNA specific recognition and signal amplification modules for miRNA detection are presented. Afterward, recent advances in imaging technologies to accurately respond and produce significant signal output are summarized. Finally, the challenges and future directions in the field are discussed.

Keywords: DNA-based nanoprobes; biosensors; delivery vehicles; in situ detection; microRNA imaging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques* / methods
  • DNA
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • DNA