Electrostatically Engineered Tetraphenylethylene-Based Fluorescence Sensor for Protamine and Trypsin: Leveraging...

Area of Science:

• Biomolecular detection
• Fluorescence spectroscopy
• Materials science

Background:

• Protamine and Trypsin are clinically relevant biomolecules with challenging detection due to low abundance and interference.
• Existing detection methods struggle with sensitivity, selectivity, and complex biological matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, highly sensitive, and selective fluorescence sensor for Protamine and Trypsin detection.
• To leverage aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties and electrostatic interactions for enhanced biomolecule sensing.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a novel (4-(1,2,2-tris(4-phosphonophenyl)vinyl)phenyl)phosphonic acid octasodium salt (TPPE) based AIE fluorescence sensor.
• Employed comprehensive optical characterization including absorption and emission spectroscopy.
• Validated sensor performance in complex biological matrices like human serum and urine.

Main Results:

• Achieved very high sensitivity with limits of detection (LOD) of 1.45 nM for Protamine and 32 pM for Trypsin.
• Demonstrated excellent selectivity and stability of the sensor in biological samples.
• Elucidated the interaction mechanisms and aggregation dynamics between TPPE and the target biomolecules.

Conclusions:

• The developed AIE-based sensor provides a promising and sensitive platform for Protamine and Trypsin detection.
• This sensor design highlights the synergy between AIE and biomolecular interactions for analytical applications.
• The study opens new avenues for developing AIE-based sensors for diverse biomolecule detection in biomedical research and diagnostics.