journal article·2026-07Open access

A Dual‐Channel Synergistic Ultrasensitive Biosensor for Tumor Liquid Biopsy

Yu Sun, Jing Zhang, Chenqing Liu, Jing Lou, Sihui Wang, Xiangtian Ji, Xiaofang Zhao, Shirui Xu, Jingyu Feng, Bin Liu, Chao Chang, Qinggang Ge, Jun Yang

Advanced Science· Volume 13· Issue 41

Abstract

ABSTRACT Liquid biopsy technology, which detects circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in cerebrospinal fluid, plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis and precision treatment of gliomas. However, the intrinsically low abundance and rapid clearance of ctDNA pose substantial challenges for conventional analytical techniques, such as droplet digital PCR and next‐generation sequencing. Here, we introduce a label‐free dual‐channel synergistic detection strategy that enables quantitative analysis of ctDNA at the zeptomolar level. Leveraging a synergistic design that includes structural symmetry breaking and momentum condition regulation, the optical platform overcomes the inherent structural field confinement and enhances the effectiveness of target‐contacted sensing. By integrating a DNA tetrahedron‐hybridization chain reaction‐gold nanoparticle cascade amplification system, the dual‐channel synergistic biosensor achieves an ultra‐low detection limit of 74 zM while covering a dynamic range spanning 12 orders of magnitude. Clinical validation has confirmed that this dual‐channel synergistic detection strategy can accurately identify the IDH1.R132H mutation in glioma patients with as little as 1 µL of sample, and deliver crucial clinical information such as tumor size and staging. This label‐free, rapid, cost‐effective, and highly sensitive biosensing platform offers a powerful tool for early cancer screening, molecular diagnostics, and longitudinal disease monitoring.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation · Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques · Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Neurosurgery Peking University Third Hospital Beijing P. R. China

Department of Intensive Care Unit Peking University Third Hospital Beijing P. R. China

Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology Beijing P. R. China

Air and Missile Defense College Air Force Engineering University Xi'an P. R. China

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery The Sixth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital Beijing P. R. China

Center for Precision Neurosurgery and Oncology of Peking University Health Science Center Beijing P. R. China

School of Physics Peking University Beijing P. R. China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

References (64)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30990-510.1016/S0140-6736(18)30990-5 ↗
2. 10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30468-X10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30468-X ↗
3. 10.1038/s41572-024-00516-y10.1038/s41572-024-00516-y ↗
4. 10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00130-X10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00130-X ↗
5. 10.1038/s41571-021-00521-010.1038/s41571-021-00521-0 ↗
6. 10.1093/neuonc/noae10710.1093/neuonc/noae107 ↗
7. 10.1038/s41591-022-02141-210.1038/s41591-022-02141-2 ↗
8. 10.1007/s00401-009-0595-z10.1007/s00401-009-0595-z ↗
9. 10.1038/nrneurol.2015.17110.1038/nrneurol.2015.171 ↗
10. 10.1038/s43018-020-0043-510.1038/s43018-020-0043-5 ↗
11. 10.1016/j.jlb.2024.10017010.1016/j.jlb.2024.100170 ↗
12. 10.1038/s41576-018-0071-510.1038/s41576-018-0071-5 ↗
13. 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-383710.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-3837 ↗
14. 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat492110.1126/scitranslmed.aat4921 ↗
15. 10.1186/s40478-022-01335-610.1186/s40478-022-01335-6 ↗
16. 10.1186/s40478-018-0633-y10.1186/s40478-018-0633-y ↗
17. 10.1016/j.annonc.2025.02.00510.1016/j.annonc.2025.02.005 ↗
18. 10.1038/s41586-019-0882-310.1038/s41586-019-0882-3 ↗
19. 10.1002/adma.20230845310.1002/adma.202308453 ↗
20. 10.1002/adma.20241067110.1002/adma.202410671 ↗
21. 10.1002/adfm.20251774810.1002/adfm.202517748 ↗
22. 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c0118610.1021/acsphotonics.3c01186 ↗
23. 10.1002/lpor.20240003510.1002/lpor.202400035 ↗
24. 10.1038/nmat316110.1038/nmat3161 ↗
25. 10.1073/pnas.220921811910.1073/pnas.2209218119 ↗
26. 10.1126/sciadv.adl503710.1126/sciadv.adl5037 ↗
27. 10.34133/research.056210.34133/research.0562 ↗
28. 10.1016/j.snb.2025.13748010.1016/j.snb.2025.137480 ↗
29. 10.1515/nanoph-2024-057310.1515/nanoph-2024-0573 ↗
30. 10.3788/COL202523.02360410.3788/COL202523.023604 ↗
31. 10.1016/j.cej.2023.14234710.1016/j.cej.2023.142347 ↗
32. 10.1364/OL.52283110.1364/OL.522831 ↗
33. 10.3390/s2411364910.3390/s24113649 ↗
34. 10.1364/JOSAA.20.00056910.1364/JOSAA.20.000569 ↗
35. 10.3390/cancers1504130710.3390/cancers15041307 ↗
36. 10.1016/j.cell.2023.03.01010.1016/j.cell.2023.03.010 ↗
37. 10.1038/s41392-024-01735-110.1038/s41392-024-01735-1 ↗
38. 10.1093/neuonc/nox08510.1093/neuonc/nox085 ↗
39. 10.1038/s41467-024-51332-710.1038/s41467-024-51332-7 ↗
40. 10.1038/ncomms459110.1038/ncomms4591 ↗
41. 10.1038/s41467-024-46001-810.1038/s41467-024-46001-8 ↗
42. 10.1038/s41467-023-39721-w10.1038/s41467-023-39721-w ↗
43. 10.1038/s41467-020-15330-910.1038/s41467-020-15330-9 ↗
44. 10.1038/s41467-023-43389-710.1038/s41467-023-43389-7 ↗
45. 10.1002/adma.20230411910.1002/adma.202304119 ↗
46. 10.1016/j.bios.2023.11555710.1016/j.bios.2023.115557 ↗
47. 10.1126/sciadv.adu227110.1126/sciadv.adu2271 ↗
48. 10.1126/sciadv.abn237810.1126/sciadv.abn2378 ↗
49. 10.1038/s41467-024-46215-w10.1038/s41467-024-46215-w ↗
50. 10.1002/adma.20250137810.1002/adma.202501378 ↗
51. 10.1002/adfm.20210972810.1002/adfm.202109728 ↗
52. 10.1021/acsnano.4c1420910.1021/acsnano.4c14209 ↗
53. 10.1002/adfm.20251211510.1002/adfm.202512115 ↗
54. 10.1080/20013078.2018.150540310.1080/20013078.2018.1505403 ↗
55. 10.1126/scitranslmed.aav852110.1126/scitranslmed.aav8521 ↗
56. 10.1007/s11060-015-1797-y10.1007/s11060-015-1797-y ↗
57. 10.2353/ajpath.2009.08095810.2353/ajpath.2009.080958 ↗
58. 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2017.08.00210.1016/bs.apcsb.2017.08.002 ↗
59. 10.1038/s41586-021-03363-z10.1038/s41586-021-03363-z ↗
60. 10.1007/s00401-018-1936-610.1007/s00401-018-1936-6 ↗
61. 10.1128/spectrum.02558-2310.1128/spectrum.02558-23 ↗
62. 10.1038/s41598-017-02217-x10.1038/s41598-017-02217-x ↗
63. 10.1103/PhysRevB.6.437010.1103/PhysRevB.6.4370 ↗
64. C.Wang H.Xu R.Zhu et al. “3D‐Printed Pentahedral Polarization‐Division Transmissive Metadevice with Versatile Wavefronts ” inIEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation(IEEE 2026):1–1 https://doi.org/10.1109/TAP.2026.3661559.10.1109/TAP.2026.3661559 ↗