A cascade signal-amplified fluorescent biosensor combining APE1 enzyme cleavage-assisted target cycling with rolling circle amplification

Abstract

A cascade signal-amplified fluorescent biosensor was developed for miRNA-21 detection by combining APE1 enzyme-assisted target recycling and rolling circle amplification strategy. A key feature of this biosensor is its dual-trigger mechanism, utilizing both tumor-endogenous miRNA-21 and the APE1 enzyme in the initial amplification step, followed by a second rolling circle amplification reaction. This dual signal amplification cascade significantly enhanced sensitivity, achieving a detection limit of 3.33 pM. Furthermore, this biosensor exhibited excellent specificity and resistance to interference, allowing it to effectively distinguish and detect the target miRNA-21 in the presence of multiple interfering miRNAs. Moreover, the biosensor maintained its robust detection capabilities in a 10% serum environment, demonstrating its potential for clinical disease diagnosis applications.