PNA-Coated Hydrogel Microneedles for ISF Nucleic Acid Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current minimally-invasive technologies for sampling skin interstitial fluid (ISF) have limited sampling capacity and are not designed to detect specific nucleic acid biomarkers, relying on invasive methods and extensive sample processing for analysis.

Innovation Solution

Development of microneedle patches coated with an alginate-peptide nucleic acid (PNA) hybrid material for sequence-specific sampling and detection of nucleic acid biomarkers from skin ISF, enabling fast and efficient sampling and light-triggered release of captured biomarkers for further analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If microneedles are used for minimally-invasive sampling of skin interstitial fluid, then patient comfort and ease of operation are improved, but sampling capacity and detection capability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient comfortVSAvoidsampling capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The microneedles are coated with a hydrogel containing porous structures that enable efficient absorption and retention of interstitial fluid samples. The porous network allows rapid fluid uptake while maintaining high sampling capacity within the minimally-invasive microneedle format.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite materials combining hydrogel polymers with functional capture agents (such as antibodies or aptamers) embedded in the microneedle coating. This composite structure enables both efficient fluid sampling and specific biomarker capture, overcoming the limitation of simple microneedles that could only collect fluid without selective detection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If conventional sampling methods are used, then sampling capacity is sufficient, but invasive procedures and extensive sample processing are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesampling capacityVSAvoidsample processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The microneedles are pre-functionalized with capture agents during manufacturing, so that the specific binding capability is built into the sampling device itself. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex post-sampling processing steps, as the biomarkers are selectively captured during the sampling process itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The functionalized microneedles perform self-service by automatically capturing and concentrating target biomarkers from the interstitial fluid during sampling. The capture agents on the microneedle surface selectively bind to specific nucleic acid biomarkers, enabling the device to both sample and pre-process the sample in one step without requiring external processing equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If non-specific sampling is used, then sampling simplicity is maintained, but detection precision and biomarker specificity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesampling simplicityVSAvoidbiomarker detection precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The microneedle coating is locally functionalized with specific capture agents at the surface that contacts the interstitial fluid. This local quality ensures that only the region exposed to the sample has the specific binding capability, maintaining sampling simplicity while achieving high detection precision through sequence-specific PNA interactions at the critical interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The technology allows for high-efficiency, sequence-specific sampling and detection of nucleic acid biomarkers from skin ISF, overcoming previous limitations in sampling capacity and invasive methods, with the ability to detect specific biomarkers in situ or after light-triggered release.

Implementation Method 1

there is no electrostatic repulsion when PNAs hybridize to its target nucleic acid sequence, giving a higher stability to the PNA-DNA or PNA-RNA duplexes than the natural homo- or heteroduplexes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHybridization:

Implementation Method 2

Hydrogel-coated microneedles for sampling and detection of interstitial fluid nucleic acids

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

Peptide nucleic acid functionalized hydrogel microneedles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrogel swelling: Hydrogel

Data Source

PatentUS12018315B2Peptide nucleic acid functionalized hydrogel microneedles for sampling and detection of interstitial fluid nucleic acids

Publication Date: 2024.06.25 IMPERIAL COLLEGE INNVOATIONS LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a device, comprising a base and a plurality of microneedles attached to the base, wherein each microneedle has an outer surface; the outer surface of at least one microneedle being coated with a composition comprising at least one polymer and least one Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA). The present disclosure additionally relates to a method of detecting an analyte in interstitial fluid (ISF), comprising contacting the device to a subject, for example, to human skin.