Some diseases or their causes can be detected thanks to technologies that measure the levels of biomolecules, such as proteins or nucleic acids. According to experts, the new method can determine the presence of characteristic short stretches of RNA (microRNA) in a blood sample.
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Take the test at home?
The researchers modeled it on a blood plasma sample, but in the future they potentially want people to be able to do tests with this method at home.
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“Simplifying the detection process potentially makes it possible to replace complicated and expensive laboratory infrastructure with a simple and compact device – a biosensor – and transfer the method directly to the care site, clinic or home environment, where biomarkers can be determined by healthcare professionals or patients,” described Jiří Homola from Institute of Photonics and Electronics AS CR, where he conducts research on optical biosensors.
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According to him, obtaining a given sample for the test should in principle be similar to that of diabetics at a glucometer, ie a device intended for the home measurement of glycemia.
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“At home, the patient stabs his finger, a drop of blood then moves to the detection device, and it actually shows him how he’s doing. It is a technical matter that can generally be worked on on this similar basis, ”Homola explained for Novinky.
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It does not require preparatory steps
Zdeněk Krejčík from the Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Prague stated that the sensitivity of the developed method is close to the sensitivity of PCR. However, the new method has the advantage that, unlike the PCR method, it does not require a number of preparatory steps, such as microRNA isolation and transcription of microRNA into DNA.
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Illustration of the principle of a new analytical method
Photo: IPE AS CR
Experts from both institutes have successfully tested a new method in detecting potential biomarkers of myelodysplastic syndrome. It is a hematopoietic disease that often progresses to a serious malignancy – acute myeloid leukemia.
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However, according to scientists, the possible application of the method in medicine is significantly wider. In the future, it can be used, for example, in research into the causes of certain diseases or in treatment “tailored” to a given patient.
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The method was developed by a team from the Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the ASCR, the research study was published by the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics.
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