{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,26]],"date-time":"2025-11-26T15:57:23Z","timestamp":1764172643623,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,3]],"date-time":"2024-07-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1719964800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"CICS-UBI","award":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology\/MCTES","award":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"]}]},{"name":"Instruct-ERIC Pilot R&amp;D","award":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"]}]},{"name":"PAPILOMA","award":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["10.54499\/UIDB\/00709\/2020","10.54499\/UIDP\/00709\/2020","LA\/P\/0140\/2020","2473","CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-181235"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Lung cancer (LC) is recognized as one of the most prevalent and lethal cancers worldwide, underscoring an urgent need for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for several diseases and their progression, such as LC. However, traditional methods for detecting and quantifying miRNAs, such as PCR, are time-consuming and expensive. Herein, we used a molecular beacon (MB) bead-based assay immobilized in a microfluidic device to detect miR-155-3p, which is frequently overexpressed in LC. The assay relies on the fluorescence enhancement of the MB upon binding to the target miRNA via Watson and Crick complementarity, resulting in a conformational change from a stem\u2013loop to a linear structure, thereby bringing apart the fluorophores at each end. This assay was performed on a microfluidic platform enabling rapid and straightforward target detection. We successfully detected miR-155-3p in a saline solution, obtaining a limit of detection (LOD) of 42 nM. Furthermore, we evaluated the method\u2019s performance in more complex biological samples, including A549 cells\u2019 total RNA and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) spiked with the target miRNA. We achieved satisfactory recovery rates, especially in A549 cells\u2019 total RNA.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules29133182","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,3]],"date-time":"2024-07-03T12:28:48Z","timestamp":1720009728000},"page":"3182","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Detecting mir-155-3p through a Molecular Beacon Bead-Based Assay"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"29","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4579-3310","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Moreira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI\u2014Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Alexandre","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI\u2014Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"UCIBIO, Department of Life Sciences, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9787-3446","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andr\u00e9","family":"Miranda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI\u2014Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1919-9553","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro","family":"Louren\u00e7o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI\u2014Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5255-7095","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro V.","family":"Baptista","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UCIBIO, Department of Life Sciences, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"i4HB, Associate Laboratory, Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, FCT-NOVA, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0927-2331","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"C\u00e2ndida","family":"Tomaz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Qu\u00edmica, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marqu\u00eas de \u00c1vila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1221-6709","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yi","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6630-1242","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carla","family":"Cruz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CICS-UBI\u2014Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"Departamento de Qu\u00edmica, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marqu\u00eas de \u00c1vila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21660","article-title":"Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries","volume":"71","author":"Sung","year":"2021","journal-title":"CA Cancer J. 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