Zou Anlai, Zhu Xiaoxue, Fu Ruijie, Wang Zexiang, Wang Yidan, Ruan Zhi, Xianyu Yunlei, Zhang Jun
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
Small. 2025 Feb;21(6):e2408246. doi: 10.1002/smll.202408246. Epub 2025 Jan 17.
DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression and is implicated in diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis. However, traditional clinical methods for detecting DNA methylation often lack sensitivity and specificity, making early diagnosis challenging. Nanomaterials offer a solution with their unique properties, enabling highly sensitive photochemical and electrochemical detection techniques. These advanced methods enhance the accuracy and efficiency of identifying DNA methylation patterns, providing a powerful tool for early diagnosis and treatment of methylation-related diseases. This review summarizes nanomaterial-based techniques, categorized into electrochemical and photochemical methods for developing next-generation biosensors for DNA methylation. Electrochemical approaches based on nanostructured or nanomaterial-modified electrodes can detect methylation through electrical signals and can directly identify methylation sites via ionic current changes based on nanopore sequencing. Photochemical methods based on nanoparticles allow for optical detection through colorimetry, fluorescence, surface plasmon resonance, and Raman spectroscopy. Nanotechnology-implemented methodologies enable ultrasensitive and selective biosensors as point-of-care platforms for DNA methylation analysis, thereby advancing epigenetic research and clinical diagnostics.
DNA甲基化是一种调控基因表达的表观遗传机制，与癌症和动脉粥样硬化等疾病有关。然而，传统的检测DNA甲基化的临床方法往往缺乏灵敏度和特异性，给早期诊断带来挑战。纳米材料凭借其独特性能提供了一种解决方案，能够实现高灵敏度的光化学和电化学检测技术。这些先进方法提高了识别DNA甲基化模式的准确性和效率，为甲基化相关疾病的早期诊断和治疗提供了强大工具。本综述总结了基于纳米材料的技术，分为用于开发下一代DNA甲基化生物传感器的电化学方法和光化学方法。基于纳米结构或纳米材料修饰电极的电化学方法可通过电信号检测甲基化，并可基于纳米孔测序通过离子电流变化直接识别甲基化位点。基于纳米颗粒的光化学方法可通过比色法、荧光、表面等离子体共振和拉曼光谱进行光学检测。纳米技术实现的方法能够作为即时检测平台实现超灵敏和选择性的DNA甲基化分析生物传感器，从而推动表观遗传学研究和临床诊断发展。
