Molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction of glutathione from urine samples

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Glutathione is a crucial endogenous antioxidant vital for cellular defense.
• Accurate detection of glutathione is essential for diagnosing various oxidative stress-related diseases.
• Existing methods for glutathione detection often face challenges with selectivity and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) particles for selective glutathione recognition.
• To evaluate the performance of MIPs prepared via iniferter-controlled living radical precipitation polymerization (IRPP) for glutathione detection.
• To develop an efficient method for separating and quantifying glutathione in complex biological samples.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of MIP particles using iniferter-controlled living radical precipitation polymerization (IRPP) under UV radiation.
• Characterization of MIP particles' adsorption properties using static adsorption, solid-phase extraction, and HPLC.
• Evaluation of selective recognition of glutathione and its analogs by MIPs.
• Application of IRPP-MIPs for glutathione determination in spiked human urine samples.

Main Results:

• IRPP-MIP particles exhibited regular spherical shapes, rapid binding kinetics, and high imprinting factors.
• The IRPP-MIPs demonstrated significantly higher selectivity and imprinting factors compared to traditional MIPs.
• Efficient separation and enrichment of glutathione from mixtures containing glycyl-glycine and glutathione disulfide were achieved.
• The method provided high recoveries (95.6% for glutathione) and a low detection limit (0.5 mg·L(-1)) for glutathione.
• Successful application in determining glutathione in spiked human urine samples with excellent recoveries and low RSDs.

Conclusions:

• Iniferter-controlled living radical precipitation polymerization (IRPP) is an effective method for preparing highly selective MIP particles for glutathione.
• The developed IRPP-MIPs offer a promising platform for sensitive and selective detection of glutathione in biological matrices.
• This approach provides a valuable tool for research and clinical diagnostics related to oxidative stress and related diseases.