A novel method for sensitive microRNA detection: Electropolymerization based doping.

In the proposed study, for the first time, sensitive electrochemical detection of a breast cancer biomarker microRNA (miRNA), mir-21 was achieved via electropolymerized polypyrrole (PPy) modified pencil graphite electrodes (PPy/PGE). The detection of hybridization of electrochemically doped probe miRNA, antimir-21, with its complementary target, mir-21 was monitored by either electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) via comparison of charge transfer resistance (Rct) values before and after hybridization or by electrochemical reduction signal of an hybridization indicator, Meldola's blue (MDB). The study covers all the optimization steps for hybridization procedure and electropolymerization of pyrrole as well as detection from real samples of breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. The designed sensor shows a high selectivity and a low detection limit of 0.17nM thanks to electrical conductivity and porous structure of PPy.