Molecularly Imprinted Drug Carrier for Lamotrigine-Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Physicochemical Parameters

This study presents the initial attempt at introducing a magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) designed specifically for lamotrigine with the purpose of functioning as a drug carrier. First, the composition of the magnetic polymer underwent optimization based on bulk polymer adsorption studies and theoretical analyses. The magnetic MIP was synthesized from itaconic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate exhibiting a drug loading capacity of 3.4 ± 0.9 μg g-1. Structural characterization was performed using powder X-ray diffraction analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The resulting MIP demonstrated controlled drug released characteristics without a burst effect in the phospahe buffer saline at pH 5 and 8. These findings hold promise for the potential nasal administration of lamotrigine in future applications.

Fluorescent polydopamine based molecularly imprinted sensor for ultrafast and selective detection of p-nitrophenol in drinking water

A highly effective fluorescent molecularly imprinted sensor (F-PDA-MIS) based on fluorescent polydopamine (F-PDA) was successfully synthesized for selective and ultrafast detection of p-nitrophenol (P-NP) in drinking water. F-PDA with abundant surface functional groups has been artfully modified to firstly serve as both fluorescent monomer and functional monomer in the synthesis of a uniform luminous F-PDA-MIS, which can greatly improve the detection efficiency. As expected, F-PDA-MIS had an obvious emission wavelength of 535 nm with the optimal excitation wavelength at 400 nm. Specially, F-PDA-MIS could detect P-NP in the range 100 to 1100 nM with much lower detection limit of 24.2 nM within 120 s compared with other conventional imprinted fluorescent sensors based on pure quantum dots (QDs) or dyes. This excellent test phenomenon is mainly ascribed to the rapid electron transfer between F-PDA and P-NP. Satisfactory recovery of 98.0-104% for mineral water and 98.6-106% for boiling water were obtained with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 2.7-3.4% and 2.6-3.5% respectively. The detection reliability of F-PDA-MIS was verified by the comparison with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV). Consequently, F-PDA as a fluorescence functional monomer has been shown to be a possible strategy to effectively improve the detection limit and shorten response time of the target determination in water..

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) in Sensors for Environmental and Biomedical Applications: A Review

Molecular imprinted polymers are custom made materials with specific recognition sites for a target molecule. Their specificity and the variety of materials and physical shapes in which they can be fabricated make them ideal components for sensing platforms. Despite their excellent properties, MIP-based sensors have rarely left the academic laboratory environment. This work presents a comprehensive review of recent reports in the environmental and biomedical fields, with a focus on electrochemical and optical signaling mechanisms. The discussion aims to identify knowledge gaps that hinder the translation of MIP-based technology from research laboratories to commercialization.

Targeted Mitochondrial Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Tumor Antimetabolic Therapy with the Imprinted Polymer Nanomedicine Capable of Specifically Recognizing Dihydrofolate Reductase

As we all know, inhibiting the activity of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) has always been an effective strategy for folate antimetabolites to treat tumors. In the past, it mainly relied on chemical drugs. Here, we propose a new strategy, (3-propanecarboxyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (CTPB)-modified molecularly imprinted polymer nanomedicine (MIP-CTPB). MIP-CTPB prepared by imprinting the active center of DHFR can specifically bind to the active center to block the catalytic activity of DHFR, thereby inhibiting the synthesis of DNA and ultimately inhibiting the tumor growth. The modification of CTPB allows the nanomedicine to be targeted and enriched in mitochondria, where DHFR is abundant. The confocal laser imaging results show that MIP-CTPB can target mitochondria. Cytotoxicity experiments show that MIP-CTPB inhibits HeLa cell proliferation by 42.2%. In vivo experiments show that the tumor volume of the MIP-CTPB-treated group is only one-sixth of that of the untreated group. The fluorescent and paramagnetic properties of the nanomedicine enable targeted fluorescence imaging of mitochondria and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of tumors. This research not only opens up a new direction for the application of molecular imprinting, but also provides a new idea for tumor antimetabolic therapy guided by targeted mitochondrial imaging.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Combined with Electrochemical Sensors for Food Contaminants Analysis

Detection of relevant contaminants using screening approaches is a key issue to ensure food safety and respect for the regulatory limits established. Electrochemical sensors present several advantages such as rapidity; ease of use; possibility of on-site analysis and low cost. The lack of selectivity for electrochemical sensors working in complex samples as food may be overcome by coupling them with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). MIPs are synthetic materials that mimic biological receptors and are produced by the polymerization of functional monomers in presence of a target analyte. This paper critically reviews and discusses the recent progress in MIP-based electrochemical sensors for food safety. A brief introduction on MIPs and electrochemical sensors is given; followed by a discussion of the recent achievements for various MIPs-based electrochemical sensors for food contaminants analysis. Both electropolymerization and chemical synthesis of MIP-based electrochemical sensing are discussed as well as the relevant applications of MIPs used in sample preparation and then coupled to electrochemical analysis. Future perspectives and challenges have been eventually given.

Cobalt-Iron Double Ion-Bovine Serum Albumin Chelation-Assisted Thermo-Sensitive Surface-Imprinted Nanocage with High Specificity

To develop multifunctional protein imprinted materials, a cobalt-iron double ion-BSA directional chelation-assisted thermo-sensitive surface-imprinted hollow nanocage (Co-Fe@CBMA-MIPs) with excellent specificity is developed on the surface of ZIF-67@Co-Fe in this study by synergizing the advantages of surface imprinting, metal ion chelation, anti-protein adsorption segments, and thermo-sensitive components. Beyond previous research, well-designed multifunctional protein-imprinted materials possess high binding capacity, fast adsorption kinetics, and outstanding selectivity. When the adsorption is carried out at 32 °C, the adsorption capacity of Co-Fe@CBMA-MIPs for BSA reaches 520.35 mg/g within 50 min. The imprinting factor is 8.55. The selectivity factors of Co-Fe@CBMA-MIPs for HSA, Bhb, OVA, and Lyz are 3.72, 6.09, 4.10, and 8.41, respectively. More significantly, Co-Fe@CBMA-MIPs could specifically recognize BSA from mixed proteins and actual samples and exhibit excellent repeated use stability. Based on the above advantages, the development of this research provides an effective means to improve the recognition specificity of molecularly imprinted polymers.

Fructose determination in fruit juices using an electrosynthesized molecularly imprinted polymer on reduced graphene oxide modified electrode

The present work reports the development of a novel electrochemical sensor for the selective detection of fructose. The sensor was developed through electropolymerization of a molecularly imprinted polymer film on a reduced graphene oxide modified electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and RAMAN spectroscopy. Through the application of the modified electrode, the recognition of fructose molecules occurred in a concentration range of 1.0 × 10^-14 to 1.0 × 10^-11 mol L^-1, under a Langmuir adsorption isothermal model. The sensitivity and limits of detection and quantification obtained for the sensor were 9.9 × 10⁷ A L mol^-1, 3.2 × 10^-15 mol L^-1 and 1.1 × 10^-14 mol L^-1, respectively. The analytical method used for the detection of fructose presented good reproducibility, stability and accuracy, and was successfully applied for the quantification of this sugar in orange, apple and grape juices.

Green synthesis as a simple and rapid route to protein modified magnetic nanoparticles for use in the development of a fluorometric molecularly imprinted polymer-based assay for detection of myoglobin

We have developed a low-cost molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based fluorometric assay to directly quantify myoglobin in a biological sample. The assay uses a previously unreported method for the development of microwave-assisted rapid synthesis of aldehyde functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, in just 20 min. The aldehyde functionalized nanoparticles have an average size of 7.5 nm ± 1.8 and saturation magnetizations of 31.8 emu g-1 with near-closed magnetization loops, confirming their superparamagnetic properties. We have subsequently shown that protein tethering was possible to the aldehyde particles, with 0.25 ± 0.013 mg of myoglobin adsorbed to 20 mg of the nanomaterial. Myoglobin-specific fluorescently tagged MIP (F-MIP) particles were synthesized and used within the assay to capture myoglobin from a test sample. Excess F-MIP was removed from the sample using protein functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Mb-SPION), with the remaining sample analyzed using fluorescence spectroscopy. The obtained calibration plot of myoglobin showed a linear correlation ranging from 60 pg ml-1 to 6 mg ml-1 with the limit of detection of 60 pg ml-1. This method was successfully used to detect myoglobin in spiked fetal calf serum, with a recovery rate of more than 93%.

Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers based on boronate affinity for diol-containing macrolide antibiotics with hydrophobicity-balanced and pH-responsive cavities

In this research, in order to separate and purify diol-containing macrolide antibiotics, like tylosin, from complex biological samples, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based on boronate affinity for tylosin was synthesized by using precipitation polymerization method with 4-vinylphenylboronic acid (VPBA) and dimethyl aminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as pH-responsive functional monomers, and N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAA)/ ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the co-crosslinkers that balance the hydrophobicity of the MIP. The synthesized tylosin-MIP had the advantages of high adsorption capacity (120 mg/g), fast pH-responsiveness responsible for the accessibility of imprinted cavities, and high selectivity coefficient towards tylosin versus its analogues (2.8 versus spiramycin, 7.3 versus desmycosin) in an aqueous environment. The mechanism of boronate affinity between tylosin and VPBA in the form of charged hydrogen bonding was analyzed via density functional theory (DFT). MIPs were used to successfully separate diol-containing macrolides through molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE). The results show that MIPs prepared in this method have a good application prospect in the separation and purification of the diol-containing macrolide antibiotics.

Probing Peptide Sequences on Their Ability to Generate Affinity Sites in Molecularly Imprinted Polymers

An array of 4000 defined and addressable tripeptides on a polymer-coated glass slide is used to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanoparticles. This work is undertaken to systematically probe the impact of the peptide sequence on the ability to generate affinity MIPs. The polymer affinity is assessed by measuring the fluorescence of bound MIP nanoparticles at each peptide spot on the surface after washing the array to remove any low-affinity polymer. The generic composition commonly used in the preparation of MIPs against proteins seems to be equally suitable for imprinting hydrophobic and hydrophilic tripeptides. The amino acids frequently contributing to the formation of high-affinity MIPs include T, F, D, N, Y, W, and P. The amino acids that rarely contribute to the formation of high-affinity interactions with MIPs are G, V, A, L, I, and M. These observations are confirmed by computational modeling. The basic technique proposed here may be applicable in optimizing polymer compositions for the production of high-affinity MIPs or, more specifically, for the selection of appropriate amino acid sequences when peptide epitopes are used instead of whole protein imprinting.