One-pot synthesized citric acid-modified bimetallic PtNi hollow nanospheres as peroxidase mimics for colorimetric detection of human serum albumin

Amino-Acid-Engineered Bionanozyme Selectivity for Colorimetric Detection of Human Serum Albumin

Nanozymes are emerging nanomaterials owing to their superior stability and enzyme-mimicking catalytic functions. However, unlike natural enzymes with inherent amino-acid-based recognition motifs for target interactions, manipulating nanozyme selectivity toward specific targets remains a major challenge. In this study, we introduce the de novo strategy using the supramolecular assembly of l-tryptophan (l-Trp) as the recognition amino acid with copper (Cu) ions for creating a human serum albumin (HSA)-responsive bionanozyme. This amino-acid-engineered bionanozyme enables selective colorimetric detection of HSA, a critical urinary biomarker for kidney diseases, overcoming the challenge that HSA is neither a typical substrate nor an inhibitor for most nanozymes. Kinetic studies and competitive tests reveal that HSA subdomain IIIA binding to l-Trp sites limits the electron-transfer-induced structural changes of l-Trp-Cu chelate rings, resulting in noncompetitive inhibition. This inhibition effect is significantly stronger than that observed for canonical amino acids, common proteins, and urinary interference species. Colorimetric monitoring of bionanozyme activity enables sensitive HSA detection with a detection limit of 1.3 nM and a quantification range of 2 nM to 10 μM. This approach is exceptionally more sensitive and offers a broader detection range compared to conventional colorimetric and fluorescent methods, suitable for diagnostics across various clinical stages of disease. This innovative rational strategy to designing and manipulating selective nanozyme-target interactions not only addresses the limitations of nanozymes but also expands their precise applications in complex biological systems.

Biomass derived carbon/platinum nanoparticles as electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution

Green hydrogen is gaining a significant attention in the transition to sustainable energy and achieving net-zero emissions. Platinum-based catalysts are highly regarded in hydrogen production, particularly due to their efficiency in water electrolysis. Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) is successively prepared by the microwave-assistant citrate method on a biomass-based support, and characterized by X-rays diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The chelation and gelation resulted by using citric acid during the synthesis lead to the formation of highly stabilized and dispersed Pt NPs on the carbon support. The electrocatalytic activity of Pt NPs for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is examined by cathodic linear polarization and impedance spectroscopy. A high catalytic performance is shown by the prepared sample, as indicated by the calculated exchange current density 5.3 mA/cm2, and activation energy, 38.13 kJ/mol. The HER follows Volmer/Tafel mechanism with a reaction order of unity. Impedance spectra confirms the high electrocatalytic activity by the decrease of the total impedance, pore resistance, and charge-transfer resistance, with increasing the applied overpotential. The proposed synthesis method offers a green, economic, and efficient route for preparing precious metals used for catalytic applications.

Mo-doped carbon-dots nanozyme with peroxide-like activity for sensitive and selective smartphone-assisted colorimetric S2- ion detection and antibacterial application

Sulfur ion (S2-) plays a significant and considerable role in many living organisms and ecosystems, while its abnormal content can pose a serious hazard to human health and ecological environment. Hence, it is extremely meaningful to construct a highly sensitive and selective analytical platform for S2- detection in complex microenvironment, particularly in biological systems. In this study, phosphomolybdic acid and L-Arg were utilized to prepare a new molybdenum doped carbon-dots nanozyme (Mo-CDs) with great peroxidase-like activity by one-step hydrothermal approach. In the presence of H2O2, Mo-CDs converted 3,3',5,5'-tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) into blue oxTMB, but S2- strongly reduced the blue solution to colorless and then brown, which established significant selectivity toward S2-. Mo-CDs illustrated a wide linear range (2.5 μM-900 μM) and low detection limit (LOD = 76 nM) by ultraviolet and smartphone-assisted visualized colorimetric analysis. Especially, the smartphone-assisted analysis platform successfully realized quick, portable, sensitive and visible identification of S2- with high recovery (95.7-106.7 %) and excellent specificity in water samples. More importantly, Mo-CDs was developed to antibacterial applications based on good peroxidase-like activity. This research not only constructed a new and efficient carbon-dots nanozyme and a low-cost, portable, visual analysis platform for real-time detection of S2-, but also proposed a novel design strategy and methodology for exploiting multifunctional nanozyme detection tool with great practical application.

Adsorption behaviour and mechanism of natural citric acid modified MOF-808 for Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA in water and site energy analysis

Industrial wastewater often contains potentially toxic metals and it's chelates, posing serious threats to human health and aquatic ecosystems, and adsorption is frequently used for the minimization of potentially toxic metals from water. In this study, citric acid modified MOF-808 (MOF-808-CA) was prepared by using citric acid to modify MOF-808 for the removal of Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA from wastewater. MOF-808-CA with the BET surface area of 653.59 m2 g-1 and the pore volumes of 0.467 cm3 g-1 was successfully synthesized. The adsorption of Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA by MOF-808-CA was 40.46 and 17.03 mg g-1 at pH 4.0 and 25°C, respectively. The adsorption isotherms and adsorption kinetics of Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA were summarized using Langmuir-Freundlich isothermal adsorption model and the pseudo-second-order model. Even in high salinity wastewater (35,000 mg L-1), MOF-808-CA displayed a strong affinity for Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA. The site energy (E*) values reduced with the increasing of adsorption capacities, and Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA firstly dominated the high-energy adsorption sites before low-energy adsorption sites. The average site energies for the adsorption of Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA by MOF-808-CA were 26.7 and 24 kJ mol-1, respectively, and the differences in the average site energies further illustrated the essential differences in their adsorption mechanisms. The adsorption by electrostatic adsorption and surface complexation were the main adsorption mechanisms for Cr(III) on MOF-808-CA, whereas hydrogen bonding and complexation were the main adsorption mechanisms for Cr(III)-EDTA on MOF-808-CA. The results showed that the MOF-808-CA adsorbent has a great potential for the removal of both Cr(III) and Cr(III)-EDTA from aqueous solutions.

Dual-mode colorimetric and photothermal aptasensor for detection of kanamycin using flocculent platinum nanoparticles

Chitosan (CS)-stabilized platinum nanoparticles (CS/PtNPs) were employed to develop a novel aptamer-based dual-mode colorimetric and photothermal biosensor for selective detection of kanamycin (KAN). As a peroxidase-like catalyst, the CS/PtNPs showed outstanding catalytic activity for the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). As a stabilizing agent, CS excelled at fixing the KAN binding aptamer on the surface of the CS/PtNPs, amplifying their catalytic activity and enhancing colloidal dispersion and stability. The oxidized TMB (TMBox) functioned as a signal for the colorimetric, photothermal aptasensor because of its observable absorbance of light in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) regions. When light from a NIR laser was absorbed by the TMBox in the reaction solution, heat was generated in inverse proportion to the KAN concentration. The developed colorimetric and photothermal modes of the aptasensor showed a linear detection range of 0.1-50 and 0.5-50 μM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 and 0.41 μM, respectively. Moreover, the aptasensor successfully determined KAN concentrations in spiked milk samples, verifying the reliability and reproducibility in practical applications. The dual-mode aptasensor based on CS/PtNPs for KAN detection, utilizing both color change and heat generation signals through a single probe (TMBox), demonstrates rapid response, simplicity in operation, cost-effectiveness, and high sensitivity. In addition, unlike typical immunoassays, this aptamer-based peroxidase-like nanozyme activation and inhibition strategy required no washing process, which was very effective in terms of reducing the time required for an assay and sustaining a high sensitivity.

Molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor based on a novel luminol derivative for detection of human serum albumin via click reaction

A novel luminol derivative of N-(1,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophthalazin-5-yl)acrylamide (DTA) with excellent luminescence efficiency was designed and synthesized. Furthermore, a molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor (MIECLS) was fabricated to detect ultratrace levels of human serum albumin (HSA) with high sensitivity and selectivity via a click reaction. The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were formed on the electrode surface via electropolymerization with HSA as a template molecule and catechol as a monomer. In the detection process, the -SH group of HSA on the electrode and the C = C bond of acryloyl group in DTA formed a new C-S bond via the Michael addition reaction to construct the MIECLS. The higher the concentration of HSA, the greater electrochemiluminescence (ECL) intensity measured. Taking advantage of MIECLS for ECL detection (scanning potential, - 0.4 to 0.5 V), there was a good linear relationship between ECL intensity and the logarithm of HSA concentration in the range 5 × 10-9 to 1 × 10-13 mg mL-1. The limit of detection (LOD) of the sensor was 1.05 × 10-15 mg mL-1. The sensor exhibited outstanding selectivity and stability. The sensor was applied to detect HSA in human serum with good recoveries of 97.7-105.2%. The concentration of HSA was detected by electrochemical method using the gating effect of MIP.

A mechanical HSA biosensor based on multi-field-coupling-mediated magnetic sensitization strategy

The conventional mechanical biosensor based on stress and electrical conversion can be an effective method to detect key human biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and early disease prevention. However, the applications of this type of biosensor are greatly limited due to their unsatisfactory sensitivity. In this work, a magnetic-sensitized (MS) mechanical biosensor based on multi-field coupling was developed for higher sensitivity, giving access to detect human serum albumin (HSA). Via introducing secondary magnetic antibodies labeled with magnetized Fe2O3 nanoparticles to the stress and electrical conversion element of the MS-biosensor, the multi-field coupling was realized based on stress, electricity, and magnetism. Under the action of the magnetic field, the magnetic force of the secondary magnetic antibody and the stress of antigen-antibody binding jointly drove and enhanced the deformation of the MS-biosensor, amplifying the electrical signal, and realizing magnetic sensitization. The HSA was detected by the MS-biosensor at a range of 0-80 μg/mL with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.14 μg/mL, demonstrating the high performance of the MS-biosensor. Moreover, the MS-biosensor showed high selectivity, specificity, and stability, indicating that the magnetic sensitization strategy of the MS-biosensor was significant for the clinical application of mechanical biosensors.

Apta-sensor for selective determination of dopamine using chitosan-stabilized Prussian blue nanoparticles

Chitosan-stabilized Prussian blue nanoparticles (CS/PBNPs) were fabricated by a simple synthetic method and used to develop a novel aptamer-based colorimetric assay for selective determination of dopamine (DA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images exhibited a uniform shape of the CS/PBNPs with an average diameter of 37.0 ± 3.2 nm. The CS/PBNPs exhibited strong peroxidase-like activity that catalyzed the reaction between 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Chitosan was used for stabilization of the PBNPs and fixation of the DA aptamer on the surface of the CS/PBNPs. The catalytic mechanism of the CS/PBNPs was confirmed to involve first the decomposition of H₂O₂ into a hydroxyl radical (˙OH) and then oxidation of TMB by the ˙OH to produce a blue color. An aptamer-based colorimetric assay was made with the CS/PBNPs to detect DA at concentrations of 0.25-100 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.16 μM. For comparison, a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based apta-sensor detected DA in concentrations of 1-25 μM with a LOD of 0.55 μM. The recovery results of DA concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1 μM) from spiked human serum were 92.6%, 102.1%, and 103.9%, verifying the reliability and reproducibility of the CS/PBNP-based apta-sensor for determination of DA level in clinical applications. Moreover, compared to traditional immunoassay, this aptamer-based nanozyme activation/inhibition system needs no washing step, which is very useful to shorten the assay time and maintain high sensitivity.

Activity Regulating Strategies of Nanozymes for Biomedical Applications

On accounts of the advantages of inherent high stability, ease of preparation and superior catalytic activities, nanozymes have attracted tremendous potential in diverse biomedical applications as alternatives to natural enzymes. Optimizing the activity of nanozymes is significant for widening and boosting the applications into practical level. As the research of the catalytic activity regulation strategies of nanozymes is boosting, it is essential to timely review, summarize, and analyze the advances in structure-activity relationships for further inspiring ingenious research into this prosperous area. Herein, the activity regulation methods of nanozymes in the recent 5 years are systematically summarized, including size and morphology, doping, vacancy, surface modification, and hybridization, followed by a discussion of the latest biomedical applications consisting of biosensing, antibacterial, and tumor therapy. Finally, the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly developing field is presented for inspiring more and more research into this infant yet promising area.

Development of an enhanced immunoassay based on protein nanoparticles displaying an IgG-binding domain and luciferase

Detection of small amounts of target molecules with high sensitivity is important for the diagnosis of many diseases, including cancers, and is particularly important to detect early stages of disease. Here, we report the development of a temperature-responsive fusion protein (ELP-DCN) comprised of an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP), poly-aspartic acid (D), antibody-binding domain C (C), and NanoLuc luciferase (N). ELP-DCN proteins form nanoparticles above a certain threshold temperature that display an antibody-binding domain and NanoLuc luciferase on their surface. ELP-DCN nanoparticles can be applied for enhancement of immunoassay systems because they provide more antibody-binding sites and an increased number of luciferase molecules, resulting in an increase in assay signal. Here, we report the detection of human serum albumin (HSA) as a model protein using anti-HSA and ELP-DCN proteins. Upon formation of ELP-DCN nanoparticles, the detection limit improved tenfold compared to the monomeric form of ELP-DCN.

Platinum-Copper Bimetallic Colloid Nanoparticle Cluster Nanozymes with Multiple Enzyme-like Activities for Scavenging Reactive Oxygen Species

Fabrication of high-performance artificial antioxidant enzyme (AAE) systems based on a single nanozyme possessing multi-enzymatic activities is fascinating but challenging. Here, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-platinum-copper nanoparticle clusters (PVP-PtCuNCs) are prepared by a facile one-pot chemical coreduction method. PVP-PtCuNCs possess efficient superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like, peroxidase (POD)-like, and catalase (CAT)-like activities, and the multi-enzymatic activities depend on the bimetal component and cluster structure. Compared with individual platinum nanoparticle clusters (PVP-PtNCs), PVP-PtCuNCs can effectively eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) including superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals. The doping of copper not only reduces the usage of Pt content but also improves the catalytic efficiency and versatility effectively through the synergistic effect of bimetal components and the nanocluster structure. The results not only demonstrate that a single bimetallic nanozyme has the potential as an efficient AAE system in the biomedical application but also demonstrate that traditional concepts of structure-activity relationships can be used to fabricate nanozymes with the desired multi-enzymatic activities.

PVP-stabilized PtRu nanozymes with peroxidase-like activity and its application for colorimetric and fluorometric glucose detection

Nanozymes have significant advantages over natural enzymes. The intrinsic peroxidase-like activity of Pt-based nanomaterials can be enhanced by alloying with other transition metals, such as Ru, that have great catalytic activity. In this study, we used polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to synthesize well-dispersed and homogeneous nanostructures. PVP-stabilized Pt-Ru nanozymes (PVP/PtRu NZs) were synthesized and characterized. The PVP/PtRu NZs had an average size of 3.54 ± 0.84 nm and exhibited an intense peroxidase-like activity. The PVP/PtRu NZs were used as peroxidase mimics for colorimetric and fluorometric glucose determination by the glucose oxidase and PVP/PtRu NZs cascade reaction. In the colorimetric assay, the linearly detectable range was 0.25-3.0 mM, with an R² and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.988 and 138 μM, respectively. In the fluorometric assay, a linear relationship was found when the glucose concentration was between 5.0 and 300 μM (R² = 0.997), with an LOD of 1.11 μM. Compared to the colorimetric assay, the fluorometric assay had greater sensitivity and a lower detection limit for the determination of glucose. Moreover, the PVP/PtRu NZs had high storage stability over a month and great recovery values in human serum and artificial urine, with a range of 94-106 %. From these results, PVP/PtRu NZs are expected to be used as promising peroxidase mimics in various fields such as biosensing, pharmaceutical processing, and the food industry.