Double Imprinted Nanoparticles for Sequential Membrane-to-Nuclear Drug Delivery.

Efficient and site-specific delivery of therapeutics drugs remains a critical challenge in cancer treatment. Traditional drug nanocarriers such as antibody-drug conjugates are not generally accessible due to their high cost and can lead to serious side effects including life-threatening allergic reactions. Here, these problems are overcome via the engineering of supramolecular agents that are manufactured with an innovative double imprinting approach.

Correction: An impedimetric sensor based on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles for the determination of trypsin in artificial matrices - towards point-of-care diagnostics.

Correction for 'An impedimetric sensor based on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles for the determination of trypsin in artificial matrices - towards point-of-care diagnostics' by Sabrina Di Masi , 2024, , 742-750, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3AY01762A.

An impedimetric sensor based on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles for the determination of trypsin in artificial matrices - towards point-of-care diagnostics.

A high-performance impedimetric sensing platform was designed to detect proteins by employing molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) as selective receptors. This was achieved the combination of the nanoMIPs with a self-assembled thioctic acid (SAM-TA) monolayer onto screen-printed gold electrodes, providing stable covalent attachment of the selective binder to the transducer. Taguchi design has been modelled to achieve the optimal level of sensor fabrication parameters and to maximise the immobilisation of nanoMIPs and their response ( the response of imprinted polymers compared with the non-imprinted control).

Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles for pathogen visualisation.

Saccharides displayed on the cell surface of pathogens play critical roles in many activities such as adhesion, recognition and pathogenesis, as well as in prokaryotic development. In this work, we report the synthesis of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) against pathogen surface monosaccharides using an innovative solid-phase approach. These nanoMIPs can serve as robust and selective artificial lectins specific to one particular monosaccharide.

Snapshot imprinting as a tool for surface mapping and identification of novel biomarkers of senescent cells.

Cellular senescence has proved to be a strong contributor to ageing and age-related diseases, such as cancer and atherosclerosis. Therefore, the protein content of senescent cells is highly relevant to drug discovery, diagnostics and therapeutic applications. However, current technologies for the analysis of proteins are based on a combination of separation techniques and mass spectrometry, which require handling large sample sizes and a large volume of data and are time-consuming.

Assessing the In Vivo Biocompatibility of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles.

Molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) are high affinity synthetic receptors which show promise as imaging and therapeutic agents. Comprehensive analysis of the in vivo behaviour of nanoMIPs must be performed before they can be considered for clinical applications. This work reports the solid-phase synthesis of nanoMIPs and an investigation of their biodistribution, clearance and cytotoxicity in a rat model following both intravenous and oral administration.

Nanoplasmonic biosensor for rapid detection of multiple viral variants in human serum.

As viruses constantly change due to mutation, variants are expected to emerge demanding development of sensors capable of detecting multiple variants using one single sensor platform. Herein, we report the integration of a synthetic binder against SARS-CoV-2 with a nanoplasmonic-based sensing technology, which enables the successful detection of spike proteins of Alpha, Beta and Gamma variants of SARS CoV-2. The recognition event is achieved by specific nanostructured molecularly imprinted polymers (nanoMIPs), developed against a region of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS CoV-2 spike protein.

Nano-molecularly imprinted polymers (nanoMIPs) as a novel approach to targeted drug delivery in nanomedicine.

Molecularly imprinted polymers - MIPs - denote synthetic polymeric structures that selectively recognize the molecule of interest against which MIPs are templated. A number of works have demonstrated that MIPs can exceed the affinity and selectivity of natural antibodies, yet operating by the same principle of "lock and key". In contrast to antibodies, which have certain limitations related to the minimal size of the antigen, nanoMIPs can be fabricated against almost any target molecule irrespective of its size and low immunogenicity.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles Enable Rapid, Reliable, and Robust Point-of-Care Thermal Detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Rapid antigen tests are currently used for population screening of COVID-19. However, they lack sensitivity and utilize antibodies as receptors, which can only function in narrow temperature and pH ranges. Consequently, molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) are synthetized with a fast (2 h) and scalable process using merely a tiny SARS-CoV-2 fragment (∼10 amino acids).

Modulation of acetylcholinesterase activity using molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles.

Modulation of enzyme activity allows for control over many biological pathways and while strategies for the pharmaceutical design of inhibitors are well established; methods for promoting activation, that is an increase in enzymatic activity, are not. Here we demonstrate an innovative epitope mapping technique using molecular imprinting to identify four surface epitopes of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). These identified epitopes were then used as targets for the synthesis of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs).

Mass spectrometric detection of KRAS protein mutations using molecular imprinting.

Cancer is a disease of cellular evolution where single base changes in the genetic code can have significant impact on the translation of proteins and their activity. Thus, in cancer research there is significant interest in methods that can determine mutations and identify the significant binding sites (epitopes) of antibodies to proteins in order to develop novel therapies. Nano molecularly imprinted polymers (nanoMIPs) provide an alternative to antibodies as reagents capable of specifically capturing target molecules depending on their structure.

Immobilization of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles onto Surfaces Using Different Strategies: Evaluating the Influence of the Functionalized Interface on the Performance of a Thermal Assay for the Detection of the Cardiac Biomarker Troponin I.

We demonstrate that a novel functionalized interface, where molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) are attached to screen-printed graphite electrodes (SPEs), can be utilized for the thermal detection of the cardiac biomarker troponin I (cTnI). The ultrasensitive detection of the unique protein cTnI can be utilized for the early diagnosis of myocardial infraction (i.e.

Carboxyl-fentanyl detection using optical fibre grating-based sensors functionalised with molecularly imprinted nanoparticles.

Butyrylfentanyl is a new designer drug reported with growing use and related deaths. Routine toxicological analyses of this novel synthetic opioid drug have not been established yet. This work reports a fibre optic sensor that measures carboxyl-fentanyl which is the major metabolite of butyrylfentanyl presented in blood, providing a promising tool for detecting butyrylfentanyl intoxication.

Functionalized Core-Shell Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticles as Antioxidants Agents in Heat Stressed Rats.

Herein, we assess the antioxidant potential of core-shell yttrium oxide nanoparticles functionalized with ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate (EGMP). The antioxidant properties of these nanoparticles were investigated in heat stressed models of 21 rats (heat stressed group, group B). Different samples of blood, serum, and tissue homogenate were collected at different time intervals in order to measure oxidative biomarkers such as enzymatic antioxidants (SODs, GPX, GST, GR, and TAC) and oxidative byproducts (MDA, PC, and 8-OHdG).

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.

NanoMIP-based approach for the suppression of interference signals in electrochemical sensors.

Herein, we describe the use of molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) as sequestering (masking) agents, to suppress the signal coming from interfering molecules and facilitate the detection of the target analyte. In this work, ascorbic acid was used as a model interfering molecule in dopamine electrochemical detection. NanoMIPs selective for ascorbic acid demonstrated to be capable of binding and suppressing electrochemical signal from ascorbic acid, enabling the detection of dopamine in the range 100-500 nM, without any need for sample pre-treatment.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Cell Recognition.

Since their conception 50 years ago, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have seen extensive development both in terms of synthetic routes and applications. Cells are perhaps the most challenging target for molecular imprinting. Although early work was based almost entirely around microprinting methods, recent developments have shifted towards epitope imprinting to generate MIP nanoparticles (NPs).

Generation of High-Affinity Molecularly Imprinted Nanoparticles for Protein Recognition via a Solid-Phase Synthesis Protocol.

Molecularly imprinted polymers are leading technology in the development of protein biomimetics. This chapter describes the protocol for the synthesis of protein imprinted nanoparticles. These materials exhibit exceptional affinity (into the nM/pM range) and selectivity for their target template.

Thermal Detection of Cardiac Biomarkers Heart-Fatty Acid Binding Protein and ST2 Using a Molecularly Imprinted Nanoparticle-Based Multiplex Sensor Platform.

This manuscript describes the production of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) for the cardiac biomarkers heart-fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) and ST2 by solid-phase synthesis, and their use as synthetic antibodies in a multiplexed sensing platform. Analysis by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) shows that the affinity of the nanoMIPs is similar to that of commercially available antibodies. The particles are coated onto the surface of thermocouples and inserted into 3D-printed flow cells of different multiplexed designs.

Biocompatibility and biodistribution of surface-modified yttrium oxide nanoparticles for potential theranostic applications.

The surface of ultrafine yttrium oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with mean size of 7-8 nm was modified with a functional polymer layer to improve their dispersion and impart fluorescent properties for imaging purposes. Surface functionalization was achieved by silanization of yttrium oxide NPs with 3-trimethoxysilylpropyl methacrylate followed by grafting of a co-polymer made of acrylic acid (AA) and ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate (EGMP). The polymer shell decreases the surface energy of NPs, enhances their polarity, and, as a result, improves their colloidal stability.

A novel capacitive sensor based on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles as recognition elements.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are synthetic receptors capable of selective binding to their target (template) molecules and, hence, are used as recognition elements in assays and sensors as a replacement for relatively unstable enzymes and antibodies. Herein, we describe a manufacturing-friendly protocol for integration of MIP nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) with a (label-free) capacitive sensor. The nanoMIPs were produced by solid-phase synthesis for two templates with different sizes and properties, including a small molecule tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and a protein (trypsin).

Specific Drug Delivery to Cancer Cells with Double-Imprinted Nanoparticles against Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a tyrosine kinase receptor, is over-expressed in many tumors, including almost half of triple-negative breast cancers. The latter belong to a very-aggressive and drug-resistant form of malignancy. Although humanized anti-EGFR antibodies can work efficiently against these cancers both as monotherapy and in combination with genotoxic drugs, instability and high production costs are some of their known drawbacks in clinical use.

Molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticle-based assay (MINA): application for fumonisin B1 determination.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been used as a standard tool for monitoring food and animal feed contamination from the carcinogenic fumonisin B1 (FB1). Unfortunately, ELISA is not always efficient due to the instability of the antibody and enzyme components in the immunoassay, the presence of natural enzyme inhibitors in the samples and the high levels of non-specific protein binding. Additionally, the production of antibodies for ELISA can be time-consuming and costly, due to the involvement of animals in the manufacturing process.