Detection of marker miRNAs in plasma using SOI-NW biosensor

This work demonstrates the possibility of detection of DNA-oligonucleotide (oDNA) and microRNAs (miRNAs) extracted from blood plasma and associated with breast cancer (BC) in a buffer solution using the nanowire (NW) biosensor based on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures. For biospecific detection, the NW surface was modified with oligonucleotide probes (oDNA-probes) complementary to the well-known miRNA sequence. It has been shown that the SOI-NW biosensor with immobilized oDNA-probes of this type can be used to detect complementary oDNA in a buffer solution with a concentration sensitivity of 10−17 М. The study also demonstrates the use of such biosensor for detection of an increased level of miRNAs isolated from the plasma of breast cancer patients. Application of the NW biosensor enables to distinguish between patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer from those with ovarian cancer (OC) by the value of an increased miRNAs level in the blood plasma of breast cancer patients.