A biomimetic AuNPs@MBene-TFT artificial tongue for sensitive non-invasive salivary microRNA-27a detection in HNSCC assessment
- 1Department of Otolaryngology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of the Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changzheng Hospital), Huangpu, China
- 2Department of Otolaryngology, Naval Medical Center, Shanghai, China
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains a major clinical challenge, highlighting the need for sensitive and non-invasive salivary biomarker detection strategies. Salivary microRNA-27a is a promising biomarker candidate, but its practical detection is limited by the sensitivity and integration of current platforms. Herein, we developed a biomimetic artificial tongue based on AuNPs@MBene-functionalized thin-film transistors (TFTs) for sensitive salivary microRNA-27a detection. The AuNPs@MBene nanocomposite was synthesized via a hydrothermal method, with gold nanoparticles decorated on layered MBene to provide a nanostructured interface for probe immobilization and signal transduction. After optimization of DNA capture probe concentration, incubation time, pH, and temperature, the optimal conditions were determined as 40 μM, 30 min, pH 7.0, and 37 °C, respectively. The device showed good stability, with only 1.12% signal decay after 30 days, and high reproducibility, with a batch-to-batch relative standard deviation of 1.21%. It achieved a linear detection range from 10 fM to 1 nM, with R2 = 0.9886 and a limit of detection of 3.2 fM. A 64-channel array was further constructed for spatially resolved and time-dependent target monitoring. In a preliminary clinical evaluation, the platform distinguished saliva samples from 11 healthy controls and 13 HNSCC patients, with p = 0.00027 and an AUC of 0.901. These results demonstrate the potential of the AuNPs@MBene-TFT artificial tongue for non-invasive salivary microRNA detection and HNSCC-associated biomarker analysis.
Related
- UniqSketch: sensitive and resource-efficient strain-level detection in metagenomes
- An engineered α-1,3-glucanase-derived probe enables sensitive detection of α-1,3-glucan and reveals its soluble release by Aspergillus
- Design and Validation of New Primers for Specific and Sensitive Real-time PCR Detection and Quantification of Seven Botulinum Encoding Genes (Serotype A-G) of Clostridium botulinum
- Phosphate‐Engineered DNA Reporters Boost CRISPR‐Cas12a Trans‐Cleavage for Rapid and Sensitive Nucleic Acid Detection
- A sensitive and specific microchimerism detection method using custom designed genotyping and companion qPCR assays
BibTeX
@article{enhong2026biomimetic,
title = {{A biomimetic AuNPs@MBene-TFT artificial tongue for sensitive non-invasive salivary microRNA-27a detection in HNSCC assessment}},
author = {Xu Enhong and Xu Enhong and Fu Penghui and Chen Li and Sun Zuoheng and Fan Weiyu and Gao Aonan and Dong Longbao and Zou Qingyun and Zhang Qian and Liu Huanhai},
journal = {Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fbioe.2026.1934495},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2026.1934495},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A biomimetic AuNPs@MBene-TFT artificial tongue for sensitive non-invasive salivary microRNA-27a detection in HNSCC assessment
AU - Xu Enhong
AU - Xu Enhong
AU - Fu Penghui
AU - Chen Li
AU - Sun Zuoheng
AU - Fan Weiyu
AU - Gao Aonan
AU - Dong Longbao
AU - Zou Qingyun
AU - Zhang Qian
AU - Liu Huanhai
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
DO - 10.3389/fbioe.2026.1934495
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2026.1934495
AB - Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains a major clinical challenge, highlighting the need for sensitive and non-invasive salivary biomarker detection strategies. Salivary microRNA-27a is a promising biomarker candidate, but its practical detection is limited by the sensitivity and integration of current platforms. Herein, we developed a biomimetic artificial tongue based on AuNPs@MBene-functionalized thin-film transistors (TFTs) for sensitive salivary microRNA-27a detection. The AuNPs@MBene nanocomposite was synthesized via a hydrothermal method, with gold nanoparticles decorated on layered MBene to provide a nanostructured interface for probe immobilization and signal transduction. After optimization of DNA capture probe concentration, incubation time, pH, and temperature, the optimal conditions were determined as 40 μM, 30 min, pH 7.0, and 37 °C, respectively. The device showed good stability, with only 1.12% signal decay after 30 days, and high reproducibility, with a batch-to-batch relative standard deviation of 1.21%. It achieved a linear detection range from 10 fM to 1 nM, with R2 = 0.9886 and a limit of detection of 3.2 fM. A 64-channel array was further constructed for spatially resolved and time-dependent target monitoring. In a preliminary clinical evaluation, the platform distinguished saliva samples from 11 healthy controls and 13 HNSCC patients, with p = 0.00027 and an AUC of 0.901. These results demonstrate the potential of the AuNPs@MBene-TFT artificial tongue for non-invasive salivary microRNA detection and HNSCC-associated biomarker analysis.
SN - 2296-4185
ER -