Electrochemiluminescence-Microscopy for microRNA Imaging in Single Cancer Cell Combined with Chemotherapy-Photothermal Therapy

In this work, a new technology using ECL as a microscopy to parallel image miRNA-21 in single cancer cell was built. Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) loaded gold nanocages (Au NCs) was closed with DNA gate which could be recognized and opened by miRNA-21 in HeLa cell. PMA was then released and further induced HeLa cells to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS; including O 2-•, •OH and H 2 O 2 etc.). With H 2 O 2 as coreactant and luminol as ECL active material, ECL imaging of intracellular miRNA-21 in single HeLa cell was obtained by EMCCD. Moreover, ROS therapy and photothermal therapy (PPT) of Au NCs@PMA probe were also motivated by in situ miRNA-21 marker instead of the external source. The combined therapy leads to dramatically enhanced ability for cancer cell killing. Au NCs@PMA probe alone could not only achieve a high sensitivity and high resolution ECL-microscopy for imaging of intracellular miRNA-21 for the first time, but also realize the integrated diagnosis like ROS induced tumor damage and photothermal-induced intelligent therapy. This multifunctional platform is believed to be capable of playing an important role in future oncotherapy by the synergistic effects between chemotherapy and photothermal therapy.