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Transporter-Mimicking MXene for Uric Acid Capture and Sensing in Biofluids
Ziyi Zhao1, Weitao Qi1, Hongyu Chen1
1Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|July 7, 2026
Summary
A novel MXene biomimetic sensor mimics human urate transporter 1 (URAT1) for highly selective uric acid (UA) detection. This breakthrough enables accurate, point-of-care UA testing for metabolic and neurodegenerative disease management.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Uric acid (UA) detection is vital for diagnosing and managing metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Current UA detection methods face challenges including broad concentration ranges, interference, and lack of point-of-care accessibility.
- Existing methods struggle with selectivity and sensitivity in complex biological samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly selective, wide-range, and point-of-care detection strategy for uric acid (UA).
- To create a MXene-based sensor that biomimics the human urate transporter 1 (URAT1) for enhanced UA capture and detection.
- To enable decentralized UA testing for improved disease management and diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized MXene via covalent interlayer reconstruction, precisely controlling interlayer spacing to mimic URAT1's binding pocket.
- Tailored MXene surface to replicate URAT1's binding interactions (π-π stacking, hydrogen-bonding, electrostatic interactions) for UA capture.
- Developed an electrochemical detection method leveraging MXene's ability to enrich UA and modulate its redox behavior for amplified signals.
Main Results:
- The MXene biomimetic sensor demonstrated high sensitivity, a wide linear range, and a low detection limit for UA.
- Achieved outstanding selectivity and anti-matrix interference ability, crucial for complex biofluid analysis.
- Integrated the sensor with a portable device for rapid, point-of-care UA testing, including fingertip blood, cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and urine.
Conclusions:
- The MXene-based biomimetic strategy provides a high-performance platform for selective and sensitive uric acid detection.
- This approach successfully translates transporter-mediated molecular capture principles into advanced molecular sensing.
- The developed sensor enables convenient and accurate point-of-care UA monitoring for various clinical applications.
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