Liposome-encapsulated lambda exonuclease-based amplification system for enhanced detection of miRNA in platelet-derived microvesicles of non-small cell lung cancer†

Abstract

Platelet-derived microvesicles (PMVs) and their encapsulated microRNAs (miRNAs) hold immense potential as biomarkers for early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis. This study presents a pioneering liposome-based approach for enhanced miRNA detection within PMVs, employing a lambda exonuclease (λ EXO)-based amplification system encapsulated in immunoliposomes. The platform exploits the novel catalytic functionality of λ EXO, demonstrating its unprecedented capability to catalyze RNA–DNA hybrid substrates. The λ EXO-based amplification system exhibited high sensitivity and specificity in detecting miRNA-21, a key miRNA associated with NSCLC, demonstrating a limit of detection (LOD) of 33.11 fg mL⁻¹. The system was successfully encapsulated within liposomes, which were then functionalized with CD41 antibody to facilitate targeted delivery and fusion with PMVs. The results reveal a significant difference in miRNA-21 levels between PMVs from NSCLC patients and healthy individuals, with a 2.06-fold higher abundance observed in NSCLC patients. This research presents a significant technological advancement in miRNA detection, paving the way for improved early diagnosis and personalized medicine approaches.