Peptide-responsive photonic hydrogels integrated with deep learning assistance for early MMP-9 detection
Yan Wang1, Mingyi Liu1, Xufang Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, China.
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
|January 31, 2026
Summary
A novel photonic crystal hydrogel enables rapid, point-of-care detection of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). This MMP-9 sensor offers a cost-effective and accurate alternative to traditional assays for disease diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is vital for extracellular matrix remodeling, but its dysregulation links to inflammatory diseases and cancer.
- Conventional MMP-9 detection methods like ELISA are complex, costly, and time-consuming, hindering point-of-care applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a rapid, portable, and cost-effective MMP-9 detection platform.
- To overcome the limitations of existing MMP-9 diagnostic assays for clinical use.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized an MMP-9 responsive photonic crystal (PC/PEG-M9SP) hydrogel using 4-arm polyethylene glycol-acrylate and an MMP-9 sensitive peptide.
- Utilized a Michael-type addition reaction for hydrogel synthesis.
- Integrated the hydrogel with a deep learning-based smartphone app for detection.
Main Results:
- The PC/PEG-M9SP hydrogel exhibited a distinct color shift upon MMP-9 cleavage, enabling visual and quantitative detection within 10 minutes.
- Achieved high sensitivity (10.60 nm mL/ng) and a low detection limit (0.62 ng/mL).
- Demonstrated strong concordance with ELISA in complex biological fluids, confirming analytical reliability.
Conclusions:
- The developed hydrogel system offers a rapid, portable, and cost-effective solution for accurate MMP-9 detection.
- This platform holds significant potential for point-of-care testing and clinical diagnostics.
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