Fu Wang

Visual detection of HPV16 using a photoactivatable CRISPR–Cas12 system

HPV screening is critical for the diagnosis of cervical cancer. This study combines photoactivated CRISPR-Cas12a with a tube-in-tube structure and RPA for rapid HPV16 detection, using blue UV light at 302 nm for portable, on-site diagnostics.

Exploration of pyroptosis-associated prognostic gene signature and lncRNA regulatory network in ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC), is a tumor that poses a serious threat to women's health due to its high mortality rate and bleak prognosis. Pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death, is important for determining the prognosis of a patient's prognosis for cancer and may represent a novel target for treatment. However, research into how prognosis is impacted by pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) is poorly understood. In this study, a prognostic model was created using bioinformatic analysis of PRGs in OC. In OC, we discovered 18 pyroptosis regulators that were either up- or down-regulated. By analyzing prognoses, we developed a 9-genes based prognostic model. Each OC patient received a risk score that could be used to categorize them into two subgroups: those with high risk and/or low chance of survival and those with low risk and/or high chance of survival. Functional enrichment and immunoinfiltration analysis indicated that low expression of immune pathways in high-risk group may account for the decrease of survival possibility. In Multivariable cox regression studies, age, clinical stage and the prognostic model were discovered to be independent factors impacting the prognosis for OC. To forecast OC patient survival, a predictive nomogram was developed. Furthermore, we found a correlation between predictive PRGs and clinical stage, indicating that AIM2, CASP3, ZBP1 and CASP8 may play a role in the growth of tumor in OC. After detailed and complete bioinformatics analysis, the lncRNA RP11-186B7.4/hsa-miR-449a/CASP8/AIM2/ZBP1 regulatory axis was identified in OC. Our study may provide a novel approach for prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of OC.

CRISPR-Cas12a-integrated pregnancy test strip biosensors: Visual detection of telomerase and miRNA let-7a in cervical cancer diagnostics

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of female cancer-related mortality globally, and early screening based on reliable biomarkers is critical for improving prognosis. Telomerase (a key driver of cellular immortalization) and microRNA let-7a (a tumor suppressor with downregulated expression in cervical cancer) are well-validated diagnostic targets, but existing detection methods are hindered by complex procedures, high instrumentation costs, and reliance on specialized technical expertise-limiting their accessibility in resource-constrained settings. To address these limitations, we developed two novel CRISPR-Cas12a-integrated biosensors using commercially available pregnancy test strips (PTS) for instrument-free, visual readout. Both biosensors leverage a core signal mediator, probe 1 ("MB-ssDNA1-hCG"), which links CRISPR-Cas12a activation to visible color development on the PTS. The first Biosensor CRISPR-PTS-Telo detects telomerase activity in one-step without PCR: telomerase-generated (TTAGGG)n repeats activate Cas12a-crRNA1 complex, cleaving the probe 1 to release hCG, achieving a detection limit of 18 HeLa cells-comparable to sensitive laboratory assays. The second Biosensor CRISPR-PTS-let7a detects miRNA let-7a by first converting miRNA signals to Trigger DNA via Assister DNA and probe 2 ("MB-ssDNA2+Trigger"), activating Cas12a-crRNA2 complex, cleaving the probe 1 and inducing PTS coloration. This achieves a detection limit of 25.1 fM for let-7a. Validation with clinical samples (24 cervical tissues and 26 blood samples) confirmed their concordance with gold-standard methods (ELISA for telomerase, RT-qPCR for let-7a). These versatile tools hold significant potential as point-of-care testing (POCT) solutions to facilitate early, accessible cervical cancer screening.