Preparation of a selective L-phenylalanine imprinted polymer implicated in patients with phenylketonuria

Molecular imprinting is a method for synthesizing polymers with structure-selective adsorption properties with applications such as, selectivity binding, drug delivery systems and anti-bodies. The present study aims at optimizing the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) against l-phenylalanine, in order to increase phenylalanine-binding in Enzymatic Intestinal Simulated Fluid (ESIF).

The MIP for l-phenylalanine, as a water-soluble template, was successfully synthesized without derivatization. Synthesization was done by a UV polymerization method in which methacrylic acid (MAA), as a functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), as a cross-linker, were used in the presence of five different porogenic solvents including; acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform, toluene and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The selectivity of the MIP was examined using 19 different amino acids in human serum and was evaluated by HPLC. In addition, morphological studies were conducted using SEM.

The results showed that the obtained MIP with acetonitrile had the highest capacity and selectivity compared with other solvents. The data indicated that Phe-binding to MIP was significantly more than the former binding to NIP in EISF (P≤0.05). Moreover, in comparison with NIP and control group, MIP showed a better selectivity and binding for Phe. This could be used for the reduction of Phe in human serum samples of Phenylketonuria.

Our findings suggest that the MIP against Phe prepared with acetonitrile, showed a good selectivity and binding, which caused a reduction of blood Phe concentration in enzymatic simulated intestinal fluid and human serum sample of Phenylketonuria.