Polymethyldopa Nanoparticles-Based Fluorescent Sensor for Detection of Tyrosinase Activity

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Tyrosinase, a copper-containing oxidase, is crucial for biological processes and implicated in skin diseases due to aberrant expression.
• A novel green fluorogenic reaction between methyldopa and ethanolamine was discovered.
• This reaction enables the preparation of bright green fluorescent polymethyldopa nanoparticles (PMNPs) at room temperature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel fluorescent sensor for detecting tyrosinase activity.
• To utilize the unique properties of PMNPs for sensitive and selective tyrosinase detection.
• To establish a reliable method for analyzing tyrosinase activity in biological samples and for inhibitor screening.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of polymethyldopa nanoparticles (PMNPs) via a green fluorogenic reaction.
• Characterization of PMNPs using transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, FTIR, XPS, and MALDI-TOF MS.
• Development of a fluorescent sensor based on PMNPs for tyrosinase activity detection using metyrosine as a substrate.

Main Results:

• A reliable method for preparing bright green fluorescent PMNPs was established.
• The PMNP-based sensor demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity for tyrosinase activity.
• The sensor successfully detected tyrosinase activity in real biological samples.

Conclusions:

• A novel, simple, and convenient fluorescent sensor for tyrosinase activity was successfully developed.
• The PMNP-based sensor shows excellent performance for tyrosinase detection and inhibitor screening.
• This approach offers a promising tool for biochemical research and diagnostics related to tyrosinase.