Flexible paper-based label-free electrochemical biosensor for the monitoring of miRNA-21 using core–shell Ag@Au/GQD nano-ink: a new platform for the accurate and rapid analysis by low cost lab-on-paper technology

Abstract

miRNA-21 is one of the most famous and prominent microRNAs that is important in the development and emergence of cancers. So, the sensitive and selective monitoring of miRNA-21 as a very common biomarker in cancer treatment is necessary. In this work, a novel paper-based electrochemical peptide nucleic acid (PNA) sensor was developed for the detection of miRNA-21 in human plasma samples by using Ag@Au core–shell nanoparticles electrodeposited on graphene quantum dots (GQD) conductive nano-ink (Ag@Au core–shell/GQD nano-ink), which was designed directly by writing pen-on paper technology on the surface of photographic paper. This nano-ink has a great surface area for biomarker immobilization. The prepared paper-based biosensor is very small and cheap, and also has high stability and sensitivity. Hybridization of PNA was measured using various electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SWV) and chronoamperometry (ChA). FE-SEM (Field Scanning Electron Microscope), TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope), EDS and DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) tests were performed to identify the engineering safety sensor. Under optimal conditions, the linear range for the calibration curve was from 5 pM to 5 μM, and the achieved LLOQ was 5 pM. The obtained results recommended that the proposed bioassay might be suitable for an early diagnosis of cancer based on the inhibition of the expression of miRNA-21, which activates the enzyme caspase and accelerates apoptotic proteins and death in tumor cells.