Gut microbiota derived trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) detection through molecularly imprinted polymer based sensor

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a metabolite linked to human health and diseases.
• Early detection of TMAO in body fluids is crucial for understanding disease pathogenesis and treatment.
• Reliable and rapid TMAO detection technologies are needed to advance disease diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and selective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based electrochemical sensor for TMAO detection.
• To establish a rapid and reliable method for detecting TMAO in biological samples.
• To explore the potential of MIP sensors for diagnosing TMAO-related diseases.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized polypyrrole (PPy) based MIP using chemical oxidation polymerization.
• Deposited MIP electrophoretically onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glasses.
• Characterized the sensor using FT-IR, SEM, and electrochemical techniques; detection via differential pulse voltammetry (DPV).

Main Results:

• The MIP sensor demonstrated sensitive and selective detection of TMAO.
• A dynamic detection range of 1-15 ppm and a sensitivity of 2.47 µA mL ppm⁻¹ cm⁻² were achieved.
• The sensor showed high selectivity for TMAO detection in urine samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed MIP-based electrochemical sensor offers a promising tool for sensitive and selective TMAO detection in body fluids.
• This technology can significantly contribute to the understanding and diagnosis of diseases associated with TMAO.
• The study provides a foundation for developing MIP sensors for other gut microbiota-derived metabolites.