Proximity-Enhanced Electrochemiluminescence Sensing Platform for Effective Capturing of Exosomes and Probing Internal MicroRNAs Involved in Cancer Cell Apoptosis

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) play critical regulatory roles in many cellular processes, and so how to probe them has attracted increasing interest. Here we propose an aptamer-functionalized dimeric framework nucleic acid (FNA) nanoplatform for effective capture of exosomes and directly probing internal miRNAs with electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection, not requiring RNA extraction in conventional counterparts. A CD63 protein-binding aptamer is tethered to one of the FNA structures, allowing exosomes to be immobilized there and release internal miRNAs after lysis. The target miRNA induces the formation of a Y-shaped junction on another FNA structure in a close proximity state, which benefits the loading of covalently hemin-modified spherical nucleic acid enzymes for enhanced ECL readout in the luminol-H2O2 system. In this facile way, the ultrasensitive detection of exosomal miR-21 from cancer cells is accomplished and then used for cell apoptosis analysis, indicating that the oncogene miR-21 negatively participates in the regulation of the apoptotic process; namely, downregulating the miR-21 level is unbeneficial for cancer cell growth.