Discrimination between sialic acid linkage modes using sialyllactose-imprinted polymers

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Glycobiology

Background:

• Aberrant glycosylation, specifically altered sialylation, is a hallmark of cancer progression.
• Developing selective sensors for sialic acid glycoforms is crucial for early cancer detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create molecularly-imprinted polymers (MIPs) with high affinity and selectivity for sialic acid.
• To differentiate between various sialic acid linkages (glycoforms) for improved cancer diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• Utilized boronate chemistry and imidazolium-based monomers to target sialic acid.
• Investigated monomer-template interactions using 1H NMR titration and explored counterion effects.
• Synthesized MIPs as microparticles via a combinatorial approach.

Main Results:

• Identified optimal Br- and Na+ counterions for high affinity interactions.
• Confirmed boronate ester formation with specific stoichiometries (1:2) between sialyllactose and boronic acid.
• Developed MIPs exhibiting selectivity for sialic acid linkages in an aqueous environment.

Conclusions:

• The developed MIPs demonstrate potential as selective recognition elements for sialic acid glycoforms.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for developing advanced biosensors for cancer diagnosis.
• The study highlights the importance of counterion selection in optimizing MIP performance.