Novel molecular beacons to monitor microRNAs in non-small-cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. There is no effective early diagnostic technology for lung cancer. microRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNA molecules which regulate the process of cell growth and differentiation in human cancers. Hsa-miR-155 (miR-155), highly expressed in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), can be used as a diagnostic marker for NSCLC. Dynamic observation of miR-155 is critical to diagnose NSCLC. A novel molecular beacon (MB) of miR-155 was designed to image the expression of miR-155 in NSCLC. Then miR-155 was detected in vitro by laser confocal microscopy and in vivo by stereomicroscope imaging system, respectively. The present study demonstrated that intracellular miR-155 could be successfully and quickly detected by novel miR-155 MBs. As a noninvasive monitoring approach, MBs could be used to diagnose lung cancer at early stage through molecular imaging.

► A novel miR-155 molecular beacon (MB) was designed for miR-155 detection.
► Intracellular miR-155 could be detected in living NSCLC cells by miR-155 MB.
► In vivo miR-155 could be fluorescently imaged in xenografted tumors by miR-155 MB.
► miR-155 MB could be a noninvasive diagnosis approach in lung cancer at early stages.