Presently, both DNA and RNA commercial extraction kits use a common method in which a crowding agent or alcohol induces a conformational change in the nucleic acid. The nucleic acid then binds with silica beads/columns or carboxylated beads, facilitating its separation from the remainder of the sample. The effectiveness of this method is dependent on component concentrations, and it is most efficient with larger DNA/RNA.1
Ceres Nanosciences developed the patented Nanotrap® Particle technology that uses magnetic hydrogel particles with bound affinity baits to capture and concentrate low-abundance analytes. We have had success with our Microbiome Particles, particularly for wastewater testing, and recently developed Nanotrap Particles that bind small DNA fragments. These particles are incorporated into our new Nanotrap Extraction Advanced Technologies (NEAT) Liquid Biopsy Kit.
Blood contains small amounts of circulating cell free DNA (cfDNA) originating from cells around the body. This cfDNA provides insights into the genetics of somatic cells and is particularly valuable in detecting tumor mutations. Traditionally, a biopsy of the tumor itself had to be tested to determine the tumor genetics, which can be invasive and often constrained by the limited number of biopsy procedures. However, by examining these tumor mutations in blood, testing becomes more frequent, allowing for enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
Detecting cfDNA poses challenges due to low concentrations and difficulty in capturing smaller fragments with existing DNA extraction technology. The NEAT Liquid Biopsy Kit is specifically designed to capture small DNA fragments while excluding larger genomic DNA, which is unlikely to contain cancer mutations. This size selection provides more targeted DNA capture, resulting in a higher fraction of the DNA of interest and ultimately improving downstream results.
In this proof-of-concept study, two prevalent cancer mutations, namely EGFR T790M and KRAS G12C were used. KRAS G12C is the most frequently observed mutation in human cancers2 and EGFR T790M is the most common mutation responsible for resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.
