Fluorescent molecularly imprinted nanoparticles with boronate affinity for selective glycoprotein detection

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Glycoproteins are crucial biomarkers and therapeutic targets in clinical diagnostics.
• Developing selective and sensitive glycoprotein detection methods is essential for disease diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel biomimetic fluorescent sensor for the selective and sensitive detection of glycoproteins.
• To utilize boronate fluorescent molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (B-FMIP NPs) for enhanced glycoprotein recognition.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of B-FMIP NPs via macromolecular assembly and photo-crosslinking of a boronic acid-containing copolymer with glycoprotein.
• Utilizing the synergistic effects of boronate affinity and molecular imprinting for specific glycoprotein recognition.
• Employing fluorescence quenching as the detection signal upon glycoprotein binding.

Main Results:

• The B-FMIP NPs demonstrated specific recognition and high selectivity for the template glycoprotein (ovalbumin, OVA) with an imprinted factor of 6.0.
• The sensor exhibited a wide linear range (10^-13 to 10^-3 mg mL^-1) and a low detection limit (3.3 × 10^-14 mg mL^-1) for OVA.
• The sensor provided a rapid response time of approximately 10 minutes and was successfully applied to determine OVA in real samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed B-FMIP NPs serve as an effective biomimetic fluorescent sensor for selective and sensitive glycoprotein detection.
• The sensor's high performance, including sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid response, surpasses previously reported methods for OVA detection.
• This approach holds promise for practical applications in clinical diagnostics and biochemical analysis.