Enzyme-free electrochemical strategy for mRNA vaccine detection

Tumor mRNA vaccines have demonstrated increasing potential in immunotherapy. With the advancement of vaccine development, monitoring in vivo levels and pharmacokinetic profiles is becoming essential. However, existing detection techniques often require large sample volumes and face challenges in analyzing low-abundance targets within complex biological matrices, creating an urgent need for novel analytical methods. To address these challenges, an enzyme-free electrochemical sensor utilizing a dual signal amplification strategy was developed for the ultrasensitive detection of tumor mRNA vaccines. This strategy integrates target mRNA-triggered strand displacement reaction (SDR) with streptavidin-biotin-mediated silver nanoparticle (AgNP) deposition. Quantitative analysis is achieved by recording electrochemical signals of AgNPs via square wave voltammetry (SWV). This design ensures operational simplicity without enzymatic steps, which improves general applicability. Detection of different tumor mRNA vaccine sequences can be achieved by replacing recognition domains of probes, providing a general and low-cost approach for mRNA vaccine screening and pharmacokinetic studies.

Dr. Jinlong Li is the Deputy Director of the Clinical Laboratory Center at Nanjing Second Hospital and a Master’s Supervisor. His research focuses on biosensors, nanomedicine, and anti-tumor therapies. He has published over 40 SCI papers in prestigious journals like Nano Letters and Analytical Chemistry (total IF: 367) and holds 9 patents. Leading over 10 research projects, including National Natural Science Foundation grants, he was selected for the Jiangsu "333 High-level Talent" program. He serves as a reviewer for Advanced Materials and JACS and holds leadership roles in several provincial medical associations.