Researchers at ibs.GRANADA develop a dual nanosystem to accurately detect microRNA from tumor cells
The study, published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology, focuses on miR-122, an indicator of liver health, and identifies very subtle variants of the microRNA that can point to different pathologies.
The research group NanoChemBio The Institute of Biosanitary Research of Granada (ibs.GRANADA) and the Department of Pharmaceutical and Organic Chemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Granada, led by Dr. Rosario M. Sánchez Martín, together with the company DestiNA Genomics, have developed an innovative dual nanosystem that allows the detection of the microRNA-122 (miR-122) biomarker with great precision, identifying even single-base mutations in its sequence.
microRNAs They are small RNA molecules that, instead of producing proteins, regulate gene expression and are involved in various biological functions. In particular, miR-122 is a liver-specific microRNA that plays a crucial role in liver development and metabolism. Levels of this microRNA serve as a biomarker for various liver disorders, including hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis B infection. Therefore, accurate detection of miR-122 is essential for the diagnosis and prognosis of liver diseases.
This group of scientists from ibs.GRANADA, with a laboratory at GENYO and in collaboration with the R&D team of DestiNA Genomics at the PTS Granada, They have developed a nanosystem that combines two highly selective chemical reactions (known as 'click-chemistry' and dynamic chemistry) and employs a PNA probe (a more stable DNA analog). The system also incorporates two nanoparticles that react bioorthogonally (only with each other, without interfering with other molecules). This allows the detection of miR-122 in human serum and in tumor cell samples.Furthermore, it distinguishes single “letter” (nucleotide) changes in the miR-122 sequence (isomiRs), which is key to recognizing variants associated with different diseases and which classical techniques cannot easily detect.
In the tests performed, the nanosystem identified miR-122 in several tumor cell lines with high concordance to reference methods, such as TaqMan assays. Furthermore, It detected four variants that differ by a single nucleotide at a specific position in the sequenceAll of this is achieved through bioorthogonal reactions and without the use of enzymes, which simplifies the procedure and reduces potential sources of error.
The study's findings highlight the great potential of this nanosystem as an innovative tool for the detection of microRNAsBecause it does not require enzymes, the methodology facilitates its future implementation in clinical and research settings, opening up opportunities in personalized medicine and biomarker analysis. This advance represents a significant step toward more accessible, specific, and nanotechnology-based molecular diagnostics.
This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and the European Union's Next Generation EU/PRTR program (Grant Numbers: PID2019.110987RB.I00, PDC2022.133913.I00 and PID2022-141065OB-I00), as well as by the EU's Horizon 2020 program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA-RISE-101007934, diaRNAgnosis). Furthermore, the NanoChemBio group is part of the NANOCARE 2.0 network (Grant RED2022-134560-T).
Bibliographic reference:
Robles-Remacho, A., Martos-Jamai, I., Tabraue-Chávez, M., Aguilar-González, A., Laz-Ruiz, JA, Cano-Cortés, MV, López-Delgado, FJ, Guardia-Monteagudo, JJ, Pernagallo, S., Diaz-Mochon, JJ, & Sanchez-Martin, RM (2024). Click chemistry-based dual nanosystem for microRNA-122 detection with single-base specificity from tumor cells. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 22, 791. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-024-03071-6
About the group:
El grupo TECE18-Nanochange The ibs.GRANADA researches new tools for diagnosis and treatment based on nanotechnology, biomaterials and dynamic chemistryworking closely with clinical staff. Its key areas of focus include the development of nanosystems to improve therapies such as CAR-T and platforms theranostics (which combine diagnosis and therapy) applied to cancer, with the aim of bringing more precise and personalized solutions to healthcare practice.
Further information: https://www.ibsgranada.es/grupos-de-investigacion/tece18-nanochembio/
