An, Peiyao, Wang, Jinchao, Zhang, Jingwen, Yu, Miao, Li, Mengxiao, Han, Shaoshuai, Ren, Jun, Li, Yue, Yang, Xin  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8429-7598, Wang, Haiyan and Wu, Zhenlin
2026.
Highly sensitive microbubble biosensors for label-free detection of miR-223-3p.
Measurement
, 123419.
10.1016/j.measurement.2026.123419
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Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs with a length of approximately 18 ∼ 25 nucleotides. Their abnormal expression is closely related to various diseases, including laryngeal cancer (LCa). Traditional miRNA detection methods usually have limitations such as cumbersome operation, long assay times, and high cost. In this paper, a surface-functionalized microbubble biosensor based on whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonance was constructed for early laryngeal cancer (LCa) biomarker miR-223-3p detection. The inverse molecular sentinel (iMS) is fixed on the inner surface of the microbubble. By combining simulation and experiments, the potential of high Q factor microbubble cavities in miRNA hybridization detection was verified. When the target miR-223-3p undergoes specific hybridization with iMS, the effective refractive index of the microbubble changes, causing a redshift of the WGM resonance. Experimental results showed that the sensor’s sensitivity reached 1.38 × 10⁻3 nm/pM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 7.57 pM. Additionally, Non-complementary miRNA and Mismatched-miRNA were employed to further verify the specific recognition ability of the sensor. The proposed MiRNA microcavity is label-free and highly sensitive, may have potential applications in laryngeal cancer biomarker detection.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Date Type: | Published Online |
| Status: | In Press |
| Schools: | Schools > Engineering |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 0263-2241 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 4 October 2026 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Oct 2026 10:00 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/190191 |
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